Do you feel cranky and less energetic in the winter?  If you do, you are not alone.  Some people – about 500,000 in the US – suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) every winter, while 10-20% suffer from a mild form of the winter blues.  Symptoms of the less severe malaise include a feeling of gloominess, overall tiredness, and lack of energy.  If you are wondering if your symptoms are the more common winter blues or the more concerning SAD, you should, of course, see your doctor.  The suggestions here are for the everyday Winter Blues.

• Exercise:  Of course! Nothing makes you feel better than the physical activity.  And while it is harder to make yourself get up and do it, get out of the house and go do it, go out into the cold to do it – it truly will make you feel better. 

• Find your Indoor Winter Project: Whether you re-decorate a room, refinish a piece of furniture, clean out and organize a closet, just remind yourself that you would rather do this now (during the gray winter weather) than when it is 75 degrees and beautiful out.  And you will feel a fabulous sense of accomplishment when you are done

• Set a Spring Time Goal – with others if you can:  Sign up for that 5K, 10K, or half-marathon in Spring Time.  Get a couple of friends to do it with you.  And then train together.  Having a goal that is a few months out will help to keep you in a great fitness routine during these cold months.

• Socialize:  While you may feel like hibernating under a blanket sometimes, it’s important to get together with your friends and family.

• Do Something New:  Go listen to an author at Unlikely Story Bookstore.  Take a class you’ve never taken before at Sheehan Personal Training.  Go check out Time Out Market in Boston or Plant City in Providence.  

• Surround Yourself with Plants: Even if it’s brown outside, it can be green inside.  

• Get Audible:  If you commute (especially if you drive), it’s a must-have for anyone in the Boston travel nightmare (especially in winter) that is 2020.  It’s a life-changer.  You will start to enjoy your time behind the wheel.

• Splurge on the really amazing oranges at the grocery store:  The little clementines with the leaves.  Trader Joe’s has them.  Wegman’s has the best.  Somehow citrus makes you feel sunny.  And the Vitamin C doesn’t hurt.

• Get Outside:  Whenever you possibly can, get outside.  Even if it’s a 15 minute walk, it will improve your mood.  And when the temperature is mild, drop everything and go for that winter hike.  All the chores and errands can wait.

• Plan a trip: Whether it’s a little day trip right now, a quick getaway to somewhere warm, or the summer family vacation, there’s nothing like trip-planning to boost your mood.

That’s a lengthy list of tips to lift your spirits – and it is a lot of “get up and go, go, go.”  Remember that it’s also OK to rest, reflect and linger.  Winter seems to be the season that was made exactly for that purpose.  

• Explore hygge (learn to pronounce it – sounds like Hoo-Ga) – and implement some coziness and simplicity into your home and lifestyle

• Try that meditation app.  You know – the one you bought and it’s on your phone, but you have yet to try.

• Go to Meredith’s Stretch Class – Sunday morning at 9:15.

• Commit to stretching 15 minutes a day.

• Make your house smell peaceful and amazing with essential oils.

Finally, if you are still feeling blue (again, remember the suggestion to see your doctor) – and just remember that we don’t live in Fargo.  Take a look at the tips that go out to the good people of North Dakota and you will feel better instantly!

For more reading and viewing:

Simple Tips for Beating the Winter Blues – Hoda & Jenna

9 Scientifically Backed Ways to Beat The Winter Blues – Real Simple

Beat The Winter Blues – from NIH

7 Ways To Beat The Winter Blues Without Medication

15 Hygge Ideas for Winter – from 40 Aprons

How To Recognize Symptoms of SAD