Dusky mornings, grey evenings, and cold chilly days in between winter blues don’t have to be a year’s downtime. For most people, winter holidays are a source of joy, but for others, this season can trigger feelings of tiredness, frustration, anxiety, and stress.
When the days get shorter and the nights get longer and colder, even the best can feel a little blue. However, as the late former lady of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, said, “better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” We all somehow agree with her on this notion.
The winter sadness can be overwhelming during the time of holidays and celebrations. And if you’re dealing with an emotional state of depression or stress, know that you aren’t the only one. There are ways to manage your mood, and we’ve figured out a few ideas that can brighten up your winter blues.
Make the Most of the Celebration Season
Look out for things that make you feel warm, happy, and cosy in winter. Instead of weeping about how cold it is outside, think how great it would be to have a walk in the cold, where streets are decorated with fairy lights. Looks for the best winter has to offer: some sports fun such as ice skating, skiing, snow hockey, snowboarding, and maybe sledging? How cool and fun these sports are to play! Not to mention the food you get to eat in winters—soups, puddings, hot chocolates, lamb and gravy cheese pies, and what not—just yum.
Stay Active
The best way to keep yourself sane in winters and get rid of the blues is to work out. Exercise improves your over well-being. When you work out, your body gets in shape, the fatigue is gone, and eventually, you feel good about yourself. Staying active helps you achieve that healthy lifestyle goal you’ve set about ages back. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Apart from exercise, walking, yoga, swimming, bicycling, and dancing can help improve your physical and mental health. You can benefit a lot from winters if you stay active.
Write a Diary—or Help People Write
If you feel depressed during winters, it might be possible that you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). To get rid of such heavy feelings off your chest – write! Writing helps you big time; it helps you get rid of overthinking and loneliness. When you share your thoughts with your diary, you feel a little less blue, and if you don’t want to write a diary, you can help students with their assignments. Or ask someone in your surrounding or post on forums if anyone would like essay help in UK. Writing and helping people with this task can get you out of depressed feelings.
Laughter Adds Years to Your Life
The popular adage, “laughter is the best medicine”, has proven to be accurate. Laughter is certainly a great way to lift the mood and elevate spirits. So, whether it’s enjoying a comedy at the local cinema or watching your favourite sitcom on a laptop, or hanging out with old buddies, make sure to share a lot of laughter during the winter season.
Good Sleep—Better Mood
Are you up all night in winter? Always tired but cannot sleep, not for a moment? Because it’s the blues that can contribute to insomnia which makes you feel even more exhausted and de-motivated. Explore natural remedies or visit a somnologist for beating insomnia and getting a good night’s rest.
Eat Healthily
Food is always a mood fixer, and no, we are not talking about stuffing your face with all the puddings in the house, but when you feel a little blue, it is ok to reach for carb-y comfort foods. However, extra carb food items can further exacerbate the issue and leave you feeling even more lethargic. So make sure you commit to eating a balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, and protein. A little sprinkle of comfort carbs is good, though.
Spend Time with Loved Ones
Holidays are associated with family and friends. Going out of the house and socializing with loved ones is one of the best ways to battle depression. However, if trying to work out how to share time between them is your reason for stress or sadness, fret not. Take a deep breath. Pick out the days you want to spend with your family. As for friends, try meeting in groups to limit the number of hangouts. And if any are still remaining, try to connect with them online and try to make them understand you’re swamped—chances are, they’ll understand.
Prioritize Yourself
Making time and meeting friends and family seems like an obligation, especially if you have not seen them in the past few months, and it can also be overwhelming. Do not be afraid to set – and stick to – healthy boundaries, including taking time for yourself. Planning time to go for a walk alone, read, or exercise will leave you feeling more thrilled and can improve your mood.
Reach Out to People
There can be many people like you suffering from depression who find it hard to speak up. They can be anyone in your social circle—your friends, family members, or your neighbours. So, reach out and try to make a conversation. Ask them how they are doing. It will not only help them, but you will recover as well. And if you’re feeling stressed, anxious, sad, or depressed and don’t feel like talking to anyone you know, do not hesitate and contact for medical help. Connect with your mental health expert for support and guidance. You are not alone in this blue season.
Freelance your Skills
If you are tired of feeling anxious all the time and want to fix your mood, now might be the best time to freelance your hard-earned skills. Whether you are good at designing, making art, or writing, you can always sell your skills over the internet. With freelancing, you will divert your mind, polish your skills, and make a handsome amount of money. All you need to do is make your blog or sign up on freelance sites, introduce yourself and tell people about your work, and get started!
And if you don’t have a vast network, start with your family and friends, tell them that you have started to sell your paints, or provide essay help in UK to students who don’t have time or skills to write. Just believe in yourself; that’s all you need to pass this winter season.
Fix Your Mess
One way to take advantage of the cold months is to use the time to do things that are hard to take care of when summer keeps you outdoors. Clean your home, rearrange your office or hard drive, learn that new language you wanted to for so long, read a book from your unread pile, or learn something new.
Volunteer to Help
Making time for others is the best approach to keep yourself on track. Look for nearby opportunities and jump in to help. Oscar Wilde once said, “Wisdom comes with winter blues.” So, let’s celebrate the wisdom we’re gaining as we spice up our winter and make our days worthwhile.
Shop Your Worries Away
Well, the best way to keep yourself happy is shopping. winter blues are not always grey. So, take advantage of a holiday sale and celebrations. Go out, look around for your favourite brand and see if something is on sale. You never know if items on your wish list can be bought at half the price. Sounds exciting, right? Also, you can drive around the neighbourhood and participate in your community tree lighting or church service traditions.
Warm Up with a Cup Full of Hot Cocoa
It’s a brilliant idea to cheat on your diet a little during the winter season. Get a glass of hot milk and homemade hot chocolate (highly recommended for those in dire need of mood-boosting flavonoids). Make yourself comfortable in front of a cosy fireplace with a cup full of your favourite hot chocolate. It is not only delicious, but it warms your heart and fixes your mood real quick.
Host a Dinner Party
Winters are always fun with friends and family, especially when you feel blue. So, this winter blues, get out of your PJs and host a small party for your loved ones. You can cook delicious winter treats, decorate cheese boards, or anything that sounds like fun to you. Planning a dinner will give your something to look forward to – and it could also help you make new friends.
Finish Your Daily Tasks
We know it feels heavy, and we know it is not easy to get rid of the grey feelings but completing your tasks one by one will give you enough strength to fight your mood swings and help you get better mentally. Of course, you don’t have to beat yourself to finish everything but start with the most basic one. For instance, making your bed in the morning, so when you go to bed at night, it’s clean and tidy. This trick will help you sleep better – we guarantee!
We understand winter blues holidays can be an especially hard time for grown-ups. But, if you’re incapable of being with your friends or family this season, look for opportunities that allow you to be around others. Every season has its charm, and you need a good eye to look beyond the blues.