This article was originally featured on The Conversation.
As winter approaches and daylight saving time has ended, many people are bracing themselves for shorter days, colder weather and what’s often dismissed as the “winter blues.” But these seasonal shifts are more than a passing inconvenience, and can disrupt people’s energy, moods and daily routines.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition that heightens depressive symptoms during the fall and winter months, while the “winter blues” refers to a milder, temporary dip in mood.
In Canada, about 15 per cent of the population experience the winter blues, while two to six per cent experience SAD. Although the exact cause of SAD remains unclear, it’s thought to be linked to reduced exposure to natural light during the fall and winter, which can disrupt our circadian rhythm.
Lower light levels affect brain chemistry by reducing serotonin — a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep and appetite — while keeping melatonin elevated during daylight hours, leading to sleepiness and fatigue.
The good news is that with intention and evidence-based practices, winter can become a season of meaning, connection and even joy. As a clinical social worker and mental health therapist, here are four approaches that research and my clinical practice suggest can make the winter months more liveable.
1. Make time a friend, not an enemy
Winter can make people feel sluggish and unmotivated, and building small but intentional routines can help.
Research in behavioural psychology shows that structured activities, even simple ones, can boost motivation. Try scheduling weekly rituals like coffee with a friend, a library visit or a favourite TV show to function as anchors when energy dips.
Treat your own time with the same care you give others, and plan moments of quality time with yourself.
Another useful tool is “body doubling” — doing tasks in parallel or synchrony with someone else, either in person or virtually. This might mean watching the same movie from different locations, chatting on the phone while folding laundry or working together in a cafe. Shared routines foster accountability and connection.
Structured social routines are elements of cognitive behavioural therapy, a type of intervention used for those experiencing SAD and winter blues, which have been shown to prevent a depression relapse.
2. Remember to go outside
When the temperature drops, it’s tempting to stay indoors. But even brief time outside in the cold offers real benefits.
Exposure to natural light, even on overcast days, helps regulate circadian rhythms, improves sleep and stabilizes mood. Aim to go outside for at least 10 minutes a day: a brisk walk, skating or simply standing outside can lift heaviness.
For those experiencing depressive symptoms, speak with a doctor about bright light therapy. Clinical studies show bright light therapy is one of the most effective treatments for SAD.
Try to reframe snow as an invitation rather than an obstacle. Activities can range from winter picnics, pine cone scavenger hunts or snow painting to more contemplative pursuits like birdwatching, photography or snow-shoeing. For adrenaline seekers, winter sports like snowboarding can also provide a thrill.
3. Cultivate moments of joy
Joy is often viewed as a trait or capacity some people inherently possess, but it can be cultivated intentionally. Small acts of savouring can gradually rewire the brain toward more positive states.
One way to cultivate joy is by finding activities that invite “flow” — a term researchers use to describe moments when we become fully immersed in an activity and everything else fades away.
Flow happens when challenge and skill are in perfect balance; when an activity is engaging but not so difficult that it overwhelms us. It trains the brain’s positive emotion circuits, strengthening pathways linked to attention, motivation and creativity. Activities that invite flow differ from person to person, and can range from puzzling or video games to cooking, crocheting, painting or poetry.
Joy is also collective. Shared laughter, body doubling or acts of hospitality remind us that joy grows stronger when practised in community. Even a potluck dinner, movie night or phone call can counter isolation, making joy a renewable resource generated with others.
4. Create moments of stillness
Mindfulness and meditation are both flexible practices that can be woven into daily life to reduce stress and depression by improving attention, emotional regulation and reducing rumination.
Meditation is a technique for cultivating calm, such as deep breathing, while mindfulness is the broader act of staying present — for example, savouring the taste of your morning coffee. Both are proven to enhance focus, regulate emotions and reduce repetitive negative thoughts.
Research shows that as little as 10 minutes a day of pausing — consciously attending to the present — can significantly reduce stress.
Anchoring these moments in familiar routines can help, such as by taking five deep breaths the moment your feet touch the floor in the morning, pausing after a workout or sitting quietly in your car before entering the house. Apps offering short meditation exercises, sleep stories and reminders can help build this habit as well.
For those living with others, brief daily check-ins, such as asking, “What were your highs and lows today?” encourage reflection and gratitude. Over time, these small rituals of breathing and reflection can help protect against emotional fatigue during the winter.
Winter as a season of practice
Rather than simply surviving winter, we can approach it as a season to learn, adapt and deepen resilience. Making time your ally, seeking wonder outdoors, cultivating joy as a skill and practising meditation and mindfulness in ways that feel personal are all ways to engage meaningfully with the season.
These strategies won’t erase the challenges of shorter days or colder weather, but research suggests they can help mitigate their impact on mood and well-being. By intentionally framing winter as a period of growth, we can change our mindsets to see winter as an opportunity for renewal.
The winter solstice offers a symbolic reminder of this potential: that darkness gives way to light. Celebrating the solstice by lighting candles, gathering in community or setting intentions for the months ahead can transform the darkest day of the year into one of connection, renewal and love for the season itself.
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