Winter is well and truly on its way. It’s time to dust off those jumpers, dig out the hot water bottle and get comfortable under a blanket. Despite that all sounding nice and cosy, the winter months can be difficult to manage with the cold weather, dark mornings and shorter days. Getting out of bed feels more of a struggle and we spend more time indoors. Winter can have a big impact on our mood and motivation levels, leading to difficulties in focusing, fatigue and sadness. This can feel even more challenging for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression characterised by persistent low mood, loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities, irritability, feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness, a lack of energy and sleepiness during the day, sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning, craving carbohydrates and gaining weight, difficulty concentrating, and decreased sex drive (NHS).
Ways to manage the winter blues
Here are some of the strategies that we can implement to boost our mood, increase our motivation and help when we feel the winter blues creeping in.
balance up your diet
It is very common to turn to comfort eating when we are feeling down, leaning on fast food and sugary snacks to help us feel better. But comfort eating in excess can not only have a negative impact on our physical health and weight, but it can also reduce our mental health too. If we are not getting the necessary nutrients in our body this can impact our mood. For example, a lack of vitamin B complex can lead to feelings of irritability and depression, and a lack of iron can leave us feeling weak and tired. A balanced diet with plenty of wholegrain, protein, fruits and vegetables, can help improve our mood and mental state.
In this video Kate Delmar-Morgan, nutritionist, and our founder Dr Natalie Bodart discuss why this indulgence gives rise to highs and lows in our mood and energy levels. Using this knowledge we can have greater choice over eating and feeling more balanced, or at least we can offer ourselves some compassion during the highs and lows. They also talk about ways to counteract the indulgence; a healthful tweak to a fry up breakfast and a delicious smoothie recipe!
Be active
When the weather becomes wintery and the days become darker it can be more challenging to find the energy and motivation to move and exercise. Research has shown that incorporating some form of movement in our day can have such a positive impact on the way that we feel. Along with the physical health benefits, exercise also improves our mental health by reducing negative moods and improving our sense of self-esteem (Callaghan, 2004). Aerobic exercises, including swimming, cycling, dancing and jogging, have been proven to reduce levels of anxiety and depression, (Guszkowska, 2004). Exercise also stimulates chemicals in the brain that are responsible for memory and learning; in turn improving our cognitive functioning too. Chances are that if you can find that ooomph to get started, you’ll be glad of the benefits.
Go outside
During the winter months, when the weather starts to turn and it is cold and wet outside, the temptation to stay hibernating indoors is very powerful, but this too can have a negative effect on our mental health because of a lack of movement and exposure to sunlight. It is believed that one of the main causes of the 'winter blues' is the reduced exposure to natural sunlight. As a result our bodies reduce the production of serotonin, which increases feelings of low mood and depression. In addition, melatonin is produced in darkness, which can leave us feeling sleepy. Being out in the natural daylight can therefore reduce the production of melatonin and increase our sense of alertness.
Getting outside for a walk, jog or a run will also provide opportunities to boost your Vitamin D intake, and in turn, reduce symptoms of low mood and depression (Wong, Chin & Ima-Nirwana, 2018). Plus, we think those gorgeous sunny frosty days can bring a sense of peacefulness and joy and are a great opportunity to feel fully present and alive.
Connect with people
It can feel like more of an effort during the winter months to be out and about, socialising with others - the dark, the cold, all those layers! It’s a tricky balance to strike between looking after ourselves and feeling isolated and lonely. The problem is that the less we go out or reach out, the less we feel like doing it, which can create a vicious cycle. This impacts on our mental state because we have less opportunity to get the positive experience of connecting with others and more time with our own tricky minds. When we are not feeling great it can make it even harder to reach out and tell people how we are feeling, but making a conscious effort to be around people, go for a coffee, go for a walk, or talk to people on the phone, will have a positive impact on our mood and allow us an opportunity to feel connected.
Seek support
Most importantly, please do not suffer alone. If the strategies above feel too difficult, or your mood feels persistently low and is impacting on your ability to cope day to day then reach out. Let those close to you know how you are feeling and you could try talking to a helpline such as the Samaritans, gather information from Mind, speak to your GP or alternatively book an enquiry call with our team and find out how we can help you.
Written by: Dr Hannah Green, clinical psychologist at The Bodart Practice
References:
Callaghan, P. (2004). Exercise: a neglected intervention in mental health care? Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing, vol 11 p476-483.
Guszkowska, M. (2004). Effects of exercise on anxiety, depression and mood. Psychiatric Poliska. vol 38, p611-620.
Wong, S.K., Chin, K-K., & Ima-Nirwana, S. (2018). Vitamin D and Depression: The Evidence from an Indirect Clue to Treatment Strategy. National Library of Medicine