Winter can be a challenging time of year. Darker days and bad weather can be a drag on our mood and sense of well-being. In some cases, this can be far worse than just feeling down in the dumps. Conditions such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can be hugely debilitating for sufferers.
It’s not just the weather that can bring us down. The festive season brings with it a range of extra pressures, from extra expense, too long to-do lists, packed social calendars and potentially fraught family get-togethers.
As we move into winter, it can be an opportunity to reflect and restore ourselves, meaning we can face the darker months with new energy. Unfortunately, for many of us, the darker months can bring on negative thoughts and concerns. Perhaps in the past, we’ve suffered from SAD, stress and depression during the winter months and we fear their return. Looking at how we approach the season, or how to be psychologically prepared for winter, can be hugely beneficial.
What stress management strategies can you use better prepare for the coming months and how can we become more psychologically resilient all year round?
Winter preventative care
If from past experience you know that winter can be a challenging time it’s even more important to consider winter preventative care. It’s much better to have preparatory strategies in place rather than acting reactively once you feel stressed or are suffering from a low mood.
Talking therapies
Psychotherapy isn’t just for when you’re feeling stressed or depressed. It can be a means to help build greater resilience. Just as eating a vitamin-rich diet can boost your immune system, visiting the gym can help your physical health, talking therapies can help you build stress resilience. Beginning psychotherapy in autumn before the winter arrives can be helpful as you get ready to face the winter ahead. A therapeutic relationship with a therapist can be supportive through the winter, helping you to challenge negative thoughts and develop a more positive approach to the season.
Stress management strategies
There’s no getting away from the fact that the festive season can be hugely stressful, particularly if you’re the person in the family who takes care of most of the arrangements. Before you find yourself in the middle of the preparations it can be helpful to have some stress management strategies in place. Can you schedule time out during late November and December to do something purely for yourself? It might be as simple as going for a countryside walk or booking a spa day, but having moments like these in the midst of the preparations can make all the difference. Learning to say no is also important. Don’t take on extra Christmas and New Year preparations out of a sense of duty. The same applies to social events. Don’t agree to more than you feel comfortable with and make sure you allow time for yourself.
Understanding our own limits can transform the festive season from something to be dreaded, to something that we can look forward to.
Get Outdoors
Whether we’re suffering from SAD or we’re overburdened with stress getting outdoors during daylight hours has been shown to have a positive impact on mood. Setting a daily schedule for a walk, whatever the weather, can help you gain a sense of achievement. Physical activity can release endorphins that raise your mood and when the sun does shine during the winter, it can nourish and sustain you through the darker days.
Watch your diet
If we’re feeling stressed and out of sorts as winter approaches it can be easy to let our diets suffer. The extended festive period, in particular, can mean we eat and drink more than we should. Highly processed foods can play havoc with our blood sugar levels and consequently our moods. Pacing what you eat and drink over the Christmas period can make a real difference in how you feel. Be sure to eat lots of fresh fruit and veg, and drink water throughout winter to help your immune system and give you energy.
Don’t be hard on yourself
As the New Year comes into view we may decide that this is the year we’ll get fit, land that ideal job or stop worrying. This can place even more demands on us when we’re already feeling under stress. Instead, resolve to be kind to yourself until Spring comes into view.
Winter is a time of retreat, rest and recuperation when we approach it with the right frame of mind.
