Overcoming the Winter Blues: Ways to Thrive in a Long Winter

Winter is not my thing. I was in college before I learned about seasonal affective disorder and realized that it explained my struggle with winter. Feeling down about this season wasn't all in my head – it was literally dragging me down.

Here are nine ways I’ve learned to make the most of a long winter when my heart longs for summer.

Hear people rave about winter. 

It reminds me to pay more attention to the beauty of the season.

Take vitamins.

Especially remember vitamin D during a Nebraska winter. Some deficiencies are more common and can cause depression and fatigue. Talk to your doctor about what and how much to take.

Do light therapy.

Start the day sitting in light (direct sunlight from a window or at least 10,000 lumens from a special light therapy lamp). It can improve energy, mood, frontal lobe function and healthy sleep rhythms.

Drink warm drinks.

A warm drink has a cozy, warming effect. Plus, peppermint, cinnamon and citrus (in coffee or tea) adds to a feeling of alertness, and teas with valerian or chamomile in the evening can calm anxieties.

Dress for the season.

Being cold tenses my body, seeming to instigate anxiety. Being warm reduces that. I especially love having gloves that let me use my camera/phone without taking them off and enough sweaters to not feel like I’m wearing the same thing every day. Winter got exponentially more bearable with each warm item I added to my closet.

Get outside.

My natural instinct in winter is to stay home. But getting out to other warm indoor places – or even bundling up for a quick walk – can really help break up cabin fever.

Hygge together.

Hygge (a Danish lifestyle of coziness) has become a trendy topic the last few years. But more than the typical coziness of blankets and hot drinks, hygge is also about cozying up together. Spend time with your circle and check in on those you can’t see. Winter doesn’t have to equal loneliness.

Hibernate. Kind of.

I'm learning to let my body get some of the extra sleep it craves. As long as I'm getting the important things done and not slipping into depression, an earlier bedtime isn't a bad thing.

Talk to the doctor.

Talking to my doctor and getting on an antidepressant has freed me to follow through on the things that help me thrive.

What helps you thrive in winter?

Trina Cress is the Career Center and Advising Coordinator