The winter months can be difficult for people who suffer with poor mental health, as shorter days, colder weather, and being at home more can make it extra challenging.
That is why it is important to get prepared for the long months ahead, so your emotional wellbeing stays strong and healthy until springtime.
Why does winter affect mental health?
Many of us have certain things in our ‘mental health toolbelt’ that make us feel better, including exercising, going for a walk, eating well, socialising with friends, and having plenty of sleep.
However, the winter months can make it more difficult to do these things. For instance, the dark weather limits when you can go for a stroll or spend time in the garden.
Harder to exercise
For those who do not have a gym membership and prefer running, it can also make it harder to exercise, resulting in them feeling sluggish and being unable to benefit from the endorphin boost.
In the winter, sports clubs that take place after work mean playing netball, football or hockey in the dark, wrapped up in many layers.
Lots of people do not feel safe running or exercising in the park when it is dark outside. What’s more, it is much harder to peel yourself away from a warm house to work out in freezing temperatures, deterring you from doing so.
Harder to eat well
The colder weather also makes it harder to eat as healthily as we would during the summer. While salads and fruits are refreshing and appetising when the temperature is soaring outside, they are certainly not as appealing during the winter.
Instead, people crave rich, warm foods, such as stews, to combat the cold. They also want more energy-dense meals, as historically, extra food was needed to help survive the colder months.
Of course, with central heating, we can stay warm without having to build extra layers of fat, so we do not need additional calories. However, it can be harder to stick to a healthy eating regime in the winter, as our bodies crave rich, heavy meals.
What’s more, hiding away underneath jumpers and coats makes it easier to eat more than usual, as any extra weight gain can be disguised.
Harder to socialise
While the lead-up to Christmas is very sociable, this seems to deplete quickly after the festive season.
As a result of lots of people trying to be frugal after the expense of Christmas, giving up alcohol and wanting to eat better following an indulgent few weeks, socialising can fall off the cliff from January onwards.
The cold, dark weather means more of us want to stay indoors wrapped up warm, instead of heading outside. Therefore, those who need to see their friends for their wellbeing can find this time very lonely, particularly if they live by themselves or they work from home, as they are not getting the face-to-face human connections they need.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Another reason why winter is much more difficult with regards to mental health challenges than other months is because many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The symptoms of SAD include losing pleasure in everyday activities, being irritable, feeling guilt, despair, worthlessness or in a low mood; being lethargic and finding it harder to get up; gaining weight; finding it hard to concentrate; and having a decreased sex drive.
It is caused by lower serotonin levels from the lack of sunlight; higher melatonin levels, which makes you feel sleepy; and a disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. Therefore, sufferers of SAD struggle during the darker months, unless they undergo treatments to help with their symptoms.
What can you do to beat the winter blues?
Now you know why winter might be harder on your mental health than other times of the year, it is important to put strategies into place to help cope with the challenging season.
Make the most of sunlight
You can’t make the day last longer, but you can plan to do as much as possible during daylight hours that you know will boost your mood.
For instance, you could set time aside to go for a run or a walk while it is bright outside, instead of leaving it till the end of the day when it is pitch black and you are more likely to skip it.
If you struggle to meet friends during the winter, you could arrange to see them during the day for a coffee or a walk instead. This enables you to socialise while also getting some fresh air.
Thanks to employers offering more flexibility these days, you could ask to start work later or have a longer lunch, so you can get outside when it is light, and make up your hours at the end of the day.
Schedule exercise
It is all too easy to give up on exercise during winter, but it is well-known for boosting energy levels, making you feel good about your body, and lifting your mood.
Even if you can’t make it out during daylight hours, if you schedule times in your diary for working out, you are more likely to stick to it.
You might book a spin class, which will make you attend, or you could arrange to meet a friend at the gym, with this commitment making it harder to miss.
Hiring a personal trainer during winter is also a good idea, as you are more likely to fit in exercise if you have an appointment for it.
Eat well
Even if you are craving hearty, warm foods during winter, this doesn’t mean you have to overindulge in calories.
There are plenty of healthy recipes that will fill you up and give you all the nutrients your body needs.
For instance, vegetable soups, lentil casseroles, baked root vegetables, roast dinners, and chickpea curries are packed with vitamins, proteins and slow release carbs without causing you to pile on the pounds.
Set a schedule
One of the best ways to handle the winter blues is to make a schedule. This will ensure you do not oversleep in the morning, which could result in missing the important daylight hours; you are able to fit in things that boost your mood; you make time for yourself to relax and process difficult emotions; and you connect with others.
Having a set plan that you stick to also gives you a feeling of control, which can help manage stress.
Talk to someone
Even with the good intentions, winter can be a difficult time for many people. That is why talking with a therapist, as well as eating well, exercising, getting out in the daylight and socialising, can help.
According to Shilagh Mirgain from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health: “Early intervention is key. If a person is finding that they’re experiencing lower mood or not enjoying things and they’re noticing impairment … reaching out early for help is critical to safeguard one’s mental health.”
Speaking to a professional can help you process your emotions, and prevent loneliness from setting in. It can be hard to be open and honest with friends and family, particularly if they are the cause of a lot of challenging feelings, which is why seeking help from a therapist could be the answer.
