How to Navigate the Changing Seasons and Beat the Winter Blues

It’s official: the days are shorter (goodbye, Daylight Savings) and the weather is getting dark, cold and rainy. It’s no secret that getting less sunlight can affect how we think, feel and just generally go about our day-to-day lives. But if you suspect you’re feeling more than just the winter blues, there are many ways to support your mental health in the darker months. We spoke with experts to understand the signs and impacts of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and—even for those who may not necessarily identify with the technical term—offer simple strategies to feel well until spring.

What is seasonal affective disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that coincides with the changing seasons and lasts for a shorter period of time.  “There’s a significant increase in seasonal affective disorder between November and February,” says Lauren Legere, founder and clinical director of Latitude Counselling and co-founder of Latitude Wellness in downtown Vancouver. “Seasonal affective disorder often is more withdrawal from connecting with folks,” she adds. “It’s definitely more tied to the lack of vitamin D that they’re getting.”

With shorter daylight times in B.C. over the winter (the Lower Mainland sees between 8.5 to 10 hours of daylight per day in the season), Legere explains that this impacts our circadian rhythm and reduces our serotonin levels (a hormone and neurotransmitter). “Both a reduction in serotonin and disrupted circadian rhythms are linked to lower mood and motivation,” she says, “so dark, rainy months are exacerbated by those biological factors.”

What are some signs of seasonal affective disorder?

Since SAD is a type of depression, there are some similar symptoms. “Usually, we see more lethargy, [and] trouble focusing,” she explains. “We see exhaustion past the point of having a restful Sunday and still feeling tired, and usually a low mood.” The key, Legere notes, is that since SAD is characterized by a lack of daylight. Once the sun comes out, you should start feeling better.

How common is it to feel changes with the seasons?

It can be normal to generally feel down and less motivated in the winter. But Legere notes that more people are being diagnosed with SAD than before. “It’s hard to say whether it’s a true increase in statistics or if it’s just that people are talking about it a little bit more,” she says. “The stigma around mental health is shifting a little bit.” Legere is seeing more people referred by their doctors who suspect they have SAD and are encouraging their patients to seek help. “The other confounding factor is the world events that are happening, and that life generally is really heavy.”

So, it’s also important to give ourselves grace and recognize that we may operate differently in the winter than in the summer, notes Brea Johnson, a Vancouver Island-based yoga educator and founder of Heart + Bones Yoga. She notes that we should put less pressure on ourselves and give ourselves more “kindness and compassion, [and] that if we don’t have the same energy, that’s okay.”

What strategies might help people feel well in the winter?

There are many simple strategies to navigate seasonal mental health changes. A light therapy lamp (also known as a “happy lamp” or a “SAD lamp”) can be a useful trick to replace some light you might be missing. “Vitamin D is also a huge one,” Legere notes, since SAD comes down to sunlight deprivation. She suggests whatever supplements might work for you. “Make sure that we’re drinking a lot of water, which sounds straightforward, but it’s something that I see people underestimate,” she adds. It’s important to eat balanced meals (that include Omega-3s and good protein levels), too.

Practice self-care and continue exercise routines. Take micro-breaks and get outside (even when it isn’t sunny, and even just for a few minutes). Johnson notes that yoga, both in being a practice of movement and mindfulness, can help us bring awareness to both our mental and physical health.

“When we recognize movement in all its forms, whether that’s a walk, some yoga poses, some stretches or lifting a weight, the more we do those little things more often, the better,” says Johnson, adding that it’s about doing things in a way that’s going to be consistent for you. “Little movements (and moments of mindfulness) more often.”

How can you integrate these strategies into our daily lives?

Some quick, little movements Johnson says you can easily add to your routine include legs up the wall (simply lie down and put your legs up against the wall) and shoulder circles. “There are 17 muscles that connect to the shoulder blades,” she says, noting that you can do this anywhere, like in the car or at work. “It seems like a very simple thing, so simple that we might discount it because it’s not an hour on the yoga mat.”

Johnson reiterates that it doesn’t have to take an hour and a half at the gym or in a yoga class—that might not be realistic for everyone, nor might we have the energy. “Especially as we go into winter, maybe I’m going to park slightly further away at the grocery store. Or even, get a few more steps in while the kettle’s boiling,” says Johnson.

Ultimately, Legere reminds those feeling the effects of seasonal changes that nobody has to go through anything alone. “There are people out there, whether it’s the humans in your community or in your network. There are professional folks who can help support you.”