With the shorter days and colder winter months, many people experience what is often called the winter blues. It’s not uncommon to feel fatigue, sadness, difficulty concentrating, and a disruption in your sleep schedule during the winter season. Adding a dose of grief to the seasonal mix can increase the impulse to isolate, ignore self-care habits, can exacerbate feelings of depression. So how do you fix the winter blues? Below are some of the common challenges we face in the winter months, followed by specific self-care ideas for you to try.

1.   Lack of Sunlight During the Winter Months

The longer nights and shorter days has an effect on our bodies: levels of Vitamin D and neurotransmitter serotonin both drop, while levels of melatonin increase. This combination can upset your mind and body balance and leave you feeling tired, irritable and blue.

 TIPS:

These activities, when intentional, gives the mind a rest from the intense grief responses you may have.  

·      Go outside.

·      Open the blinds and work in 1-2 hours a day in natural light.

·      If you can afford, buy a natural light and use it every day.  

2.   Lack of Movement

Yes, the snowy roads, cold temps, and icy sidewalks are all barriers to easily enjoying the outdoors. Yet, it is well documented that even a small amount of regular exercise can have a huge impact on your physical and emotional health.

TIPS:

·      Move your body for at least 20 minutes every day. You don’t need a pelaton bike to do this.

·      Whenever possible, go outside for a brisk walk (the colder temps usually are a natural response to moving faster!)

·      Join a community exercise program.

·      Follow yoga or other exercise from a You Tube channel.

·      Ask a friend to join in these activities keeps us accountable.

·      If possible, enjoy OUTDOOR winter activities like skating, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing.

3.   Cabin Fever and Grief

Spending extended weeks, even months indoors can result in feelings of restlessness, irritability, intense emotions and rumination about the past. This has been called ‘cabin fever’. Please know this can be good time to focus on your grief AND balance this with constructive ways to use your mind. These activities when intentional, gives your mind a rest from the intense grief responses you may have.

  TIPS:

Structure your day/week as much as possible. This may be a good time to focus completing smaller talks around the house to feel productive. From the array of suggestions below, choose a few key points to add purpose and connection with others.

  ·      Avoid the news.

·      Focus on upbeat or comedy shows to watch in your screen time.

·      Find non-electronic new ways to occupy and distract your mind like puzzles, suduko, movies, home repairs, hobbies, artistic expression,

·      Reconnect with people you have lost touch with.

·      Call a counsellor to learn about grief or join a grief group to make good use of this quiet season of living indoors.

·      Arrange for regular coffee or supper visits with friends and family.

·      Use the internet to join online groups.

·      Join or start a book club.

·      Learn something new like cooking, baking, even a new language.  

·      Register in a community/university class to learn something you have been curious about.

The effect of our long, cold winter months can be quite negative. The snowy season can be more challenging for someone in their first couple years of grief. The general rule to beat the blues is to do the opposite of your first response. Key factors to keep in mind is to increase your daily quota of sunlight, get your body moving, and choose meaningful ways to connect with others. The next blog post continues this topic with more ideas you can choose to help minimize the winter blues this year.

 Yours in living and loss,

Brenda