Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a common issue during winter months. These pick-me-ups may provide some relief for the winter blues.
For most of my life, I’ve struggled with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that’s triggered by the seasons changing.
The Mayo Clinic says that SAD essentially functions like clockwork, with most people reporting symptoms that begin in late fall and stretch through the winter months until spring rolls around again. That’s certainly been my experience.
I love the cold weather, but it’s difficult to manage my regular depression and SAD when it gets dark so early in the afternoon, limiting my ability to go outside to enjoy and experience the world. It’s easy to slip into the depression cycle and allow it to repeat endlessly without intervention. This year, though, I’m trying to be more mindful of my mental health and how I can best take care of myself through the remaining weeks of winter.
Dealing with winter blues in a productive, healthy way looks different for everyone. Lately, I’ve been finding music and movies helpful for escape and entertainment. I made myself a playlist of upbeat, high-frequency songs because they apparently help reduce stress and improve your mood. (Plot twist: They do actually make me feel lighter and happier, even on the days when it feels nearly impossible to access joy).
I also set an intention for myself to watch more movies, so I created a Letterboxd account to build and maintain my watchlist. This has helped in two different ways, because:
1. I’ve been watching and enjoying a wider array of movies than I have previously, and
2. Letterboxd has been a better alternative to traditional social media apps, which tend to trigger my depression as well. Instead of scrolling on Instagram at night, I’ve been reading other people’s reviews of movies and finding some really funny and insightful content in doing so.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution to SAD.
Managing your symptoms is a trial-and-error process, but I promise it’s worth the time and effort to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. Below, I’m going to give you a few ideas that may serve as little pick-me-ups when you’re struggling with your winter blues, too.
There’s a line in one of my favorite songs, “Daylily” by Movements, that goes, “The warm nights are coming soon and you’ll be just fine.” The warm nights are coming soon, and we’ll be just fine. In the meantime, I hope you find these suggestions helpful.
Learn a new hobby or try a new activity
Since we’re being honest with each other here, I want to start this section off by letting you know that my personal efforts to pick up a new hobby have been largely unsuccessful.
Did I buy a 10-pound container of air dry clay, sculpting tools, a set of paints, and Mod Podge because I was absolutely positive that I would be great at pottery? Yes, yes I did. How many things have I actually made with my 10 pounds of clay? Approximately three, none of which turned out particularly well, though I did enjoy the experience of trying something new.
Learning a hobby is a great way to combat SAD symptoms (I promise it is! Honestly!) because it gives you something to do when you’re stuck inside the house during the cold, dark, gloomy months. I gravitated toward pottery because I liked the idea of doing something with my hands that didn’t require me to use a screen, and that I could also do while I was listening to an audiobook or that high-frequency playlist I was telling you about.
The supplies I bought to start my not-yet-successful passion for pottery were relatively inexpensive, which is another bonus if you’re trying to beat your winter blues on a budget.
Here are a few other options you can try at home (we’re going to get into some activities you can do out and about in North Carolina momentarily):
- Painting/drawing/sketching
- Journaling—gratitude journals, hobby journals, or simply writing out your stream of conscious thoughts are all great options
- Working on a puzzle—also a good activity to pair with a podcast or playlist
- Pick up a cookbook (or pull up some Food Network videos on YouTube) to try out different dinner recipes
- Download Duolingo and learn a new language or skill, like math or chess
- Sewing, crocheting, and cross-stitching
- Curling up with a book—it can be any genre and in any format, as I think audiobooks are sometimes more entertaining than physically reading a book
Many of the supplies for these hobbies can be purchased at Walmart and Hobby Lobby at affordable prices. Speaking from experience, I’d suggest maybe buying small quantities (like, I don’t know, a two-pound container of air dry clay…) until you figure out whether you really enjoy the activity you’re picking up or if maybe you’d be better suited to something else.
In terms of reading, I encourage you to get a library card if you don’t already have one. Going to your local library gets you out of the house and around people, which helps with depression, and it also gives you access to an unlimited amount of books, ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, movies, video games, and so much more, for FREE! I visit my library at least once a week, even if I just go to browse the new titles to see what’s out and to say hello to the librarians while I’m there.
As a bonus, you can also download the Libby App or access it via desktop, which is essentially a digital version of your local library. Ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines are also available through Libby at no cost.
Enjoy some winter activities outdoors or indoors, depending on your preference
Taking up an outdoor activity is helpful in combating SAD because it allows you to challenge yourself, it gets you up and about, and it presents you with an opportunity to connect with your community, which can help with the isolating side effects of depression.
Visit North Carolina suggests the following, and I’m inclined to agree with them, because they usually know what they’re talking about:
- Snowshoeing at Sugar Mountain Resort
- Snowboarding and/or skiing at Highlands Outpost or Appalachia Ski Mountain
- Hiking/camping near Cape Lookout National Seashore or Croatoan National Forest
- Trekking out to the Roanoke River Lighthouse
- Birdwatching at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge or the Cliffs of Neuse State Park
For activities you can do inside instead, there’s pickleball, tennis, swimming, pilates, yoga, and dance classes, to name a select few. I’d recommend doing a basic Google search for something like “indoor pickleball courts near me,” or “dance classes in my area,” to narrow down your options. Reading reviews for each place or class is also a good idea because it saves you time, money, and frustration.
Reconnect with nature
This one may seem counterintuitive because it’s difficult to get outside in the winter when the weather is bad, but hear me out: What if you don’t actually have to venture into the wilderness to reconnect with nature?
According to Psychology Today, “Some research suggests that listening to nature’s sounds helps heal our body, restore its natural balance, boost our mood, reduce anxiety, and increase a feeling of well-being.” I’ve found a few YouTube videos that fit this theme, and I often play them on the TV while I’m writing, reading, or cleaning my house as a way of boosting my mood and feeling like I’m connected to the world around me, even when I’m stuck inside. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Wind Blowing Peacefully Through Trees Sound
- Relaxing Nature Ambience Meditation
- Underwater Ocean Sounds
- 12 hours of Bloody-Belly Comb Jellyfish + Ambient Music (not quite the same, but I find this incredibly peaceful)
- Forest Birdsong Nature Sounds
- 74min of Nature Escape with Forest Bird Sounds and Adorable Little Birds
And I’ll leave you with one last suggestion: On the days when it’s nice enough to go for a walk, leave your headphones at home sometimes and allow yourself to be fully present in your surroundings.
I like to have little “iSpy” walks where I make myself look up into the trees to see if I can find or hear any birds, and I use the Merlin Bird ID App to identify the different species in my area. It reminds me to slow down and be grateful for this moment of time I’m living in, and it teaches me something new about the creatures who inhabit my neighborhood alongside me.
I know that joy is more accessible some days than others, and that these won’t always do the trick when you’re in the throes of SAD, but I hope they at least provide you with small pockets of comfort. And, as always, help is available if you need it. Please click here to find mental health resources in your area.
