As winter arrives, if you find that you’ve been lacking energy, are easily irritable, or simply often feeling down, this is both completely understandable and a recognised phenomenon. It seems Lana del Rey was singing about the wrong season: it’s in wintertime that many people find themselves experiencing sadness and associated depressive symptoms. Don’t even try to tell yourself it’s all in your head – no room for self-gaslighting here.
It’s in wintertime that many people find themselves experiencing sadness and associated depressive symptoms.
It’s been shown that reduced exposure to sunlight limits your body’s production of serotonin, which in turn can negatively affect your mood. The severe form of this is a recognised medical condition, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD (whoever came up with that was thinking creatively). If you’re affected, you might not be consciously upset about the time of year; simply a correlation of low mood and seasonal changes is enough. Thankfully, there are some evidence-backed things you can do to lessen these feelings – but the key word here is lessen. Please always speak to a medical professional if you feel you’re struggling with your mental health.
That said, let’s think logically. I hate to state the obvious, but if a lack of sunlight is the cause, you’ve got to get outside! When it’s cold and grey outside I understand the temptation to stay huddled up inside, but once you’re out there I promise it’s not so bad, because the way in which your brain reacts to sunlight increases alertness and boosts mood. You can sit, stand, walk, or even run, as long as you’re in the fresh air. You’ll find the worst part is leaving the house: if you force yourself out for only ten minutes, chances are you’ll end up staying longer – but if you don’t, no stress! You can also try to increase light exposure artificially, such as with natural light-emitting lamps, which have their place, but these can be expensive; I would make sure to get outside properly first.
Exercise is another way to feel happier, because serotonin is produced when you move your body. Any form of it will do, but say you run or cycle outdoors, you’re getting sunlight too, so you’re killing two birds with one stone. Plus, if you do it with other (preferably humorous) people you have three poor birds to kill, because laughing and socialising release endorphins, another mood booster. Just talking with friends or watching a comedy can give you some of this too. Don’t actually kill any birds though; I doubt this releases serotonin.
Find something, whatever it may be, that you enjoy and look forward to, and then do it.
My final piece of advice to combat winter blues is less scientific and more anecdotal. It’s simply to try accept that winter is coming, and to take pleasure and joy in any way you can. If you’ve tried everything I’ve listed but you’re still feeling down, don’t beat yourself up, don’t force it. Romanticising your everyday life can help, but there’s no pressure to feel good. Find something, whatever it may be, that you enjoy and look forward to, and then do it.
