The shiny newness of January has dulled. It’s cold and dreary in the Midwest and many of our New Year’s resolutions have long been abandoned. The lake effect snow of winter in Michigan can be pretty bleak. We can go weeks without seeing a glimpse of the sun. The snow isn’t pretty anymore, it’s gray slush. It’s bone-chillingly cold and the air hurts your face and burns your lungs.

The twinkle of the Holidays that gave way to the optimism of the clean slate of New Year’s has finally led us to the wonderful time of year where those afflicted by seasonal affective disorder—appropriately acronymed SAD—are crying out for a serotonin boost.

If you hadn’t fully succumbed to the winter doldrums prior to opening this blog, I apologize for dragging you down. I made myself depressed just writing all that.

But be of good cheer! There’s hope. We can utilize tools we’ve learned over the years at Converge Coaching to combat the slump of this season.

If you’re wondering how to manage and even rise above the negative feelings that can overcome us during this time of year, you’ve come to the right place. Because if you think it sounds like I’m writing from a very personal place, you would be correct. Here are some ways that I combat the winter blues.

Exercise

Keep your body moving because physical activity can boost your mood, reduce symptoms of depression, and lower stress. An added bonus is to try to get outside for a walk. The grey skies of winter can often make this feel daunting, but even just a quick jaunt around the block all bundled up can help. And then those rare days where the sun is shining seem like another added bonus to those walks.

Nutrition

Eat healthy, nutrient dense foods. Take a good vitamin supplement and consider adding Vitamin D to your regimen. And stay hydrated!

Sleep

Maintain a good sleep routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Sleeping in a cool, dark room helps as does not using electronics right before bed. Shoot for 6-8 hours of sleep every night.

Limit screen time

This can be a tough one especially when mindless scrolling seems to be a default for many who are feeling unmotivated and emotionally down. Consuming non-stop information in an endless news cycle is mentally unhealthy for us.

Maintain contact with people

Stay in touch with loved ones. If you work from home, it can be easy to isolate yourself so try to get out of the house and be around people every few days. Seeing faces and hearing voices of actual people you know can help us feel connected and less isolated during the long months.

Plan Something to Look Forward To

The winter months can drag on, but planning a future vacation, event, or even a weekend getaway can give you something to look forward to and break up the long stretch of dreary days. Even if it’s a small escape, make plans for a day trip or treat yourself to something special to brighten up a cold weekend.

Even though winter feels long and cold, there are plenty of ways to make it through with a positive mindset

 

If you find these tips are not helping you with winter malaise, do not hesitate to reach out to get some help and talk to a friendly voice. The winter months can be tough but be encouraged—in just a few months the warmth, sun, and longer hours of daylight return.

We’re rooting and praying for you to beat the winter blues!

Jaime