Tips to beat the winter blues

As the days get shorter and colder, it’s easy to fall into a low mood. Coupled with pressure at work, or the stress of festive planning with possible travel or family disruption, it can all feel too much.

Luxembourg-based psychologist Alison Adams and Feldenkrais practitioner, Iryna Sagaidak, who supports people to reset their nervous system and manage chronic pain or stress, give their tips for surviving the winter slump.

Recognising the triggers and symptoms

Stress, money, family and general busyness at the end of the year are often the reasons, but symptoms can include fatigue, low energy and mood, and feeling that things you used to do with ease start to take a lot of effort, said Sagaidak.

“People have trouble with sleep, appetite, and from the somatic perspective, this could be a sign that the nervous system is out of balance,” she added.

“People have trouble with sleep, appetite, and from the somatic perspective, this could be a sign that the nervous system is out of balance,” she added.

Sagaidak often sees changes in her regular clients including a persistent feeling of sadness, hopelessness and irritability, and constant tiredness, lack of motivation and feeling drained. Some sleep excessively, while others have trouble falling asleep or disrupted sleep patterns.

“Often this results in increased cravings for carbs or sugary foods and weight gain, but also isolating from others and losing interest in activities we once enjoyed,” she explained.

How important is daylight?

“Even if you love winter and don’t mind shorter daylight hours, the lack of sunlight and shorter days very likely do still get to you on some level,” said Adams.

She explained that decreased sun exposure has been associated with a drop in serotonin, “the neurotransmitter in our brains”, that plays a role in learning, memory and happiness.

Adams said that winters in Luxembourg can carry a sun exposure “double whammy” as the daylight hours can be extremely grey and overcast, exposing us to little or no actual sunlight. “Insufficient serotonin levels can lead to a deflated mood, escalating all the way to serious depression in some people.”

Lack of clear daylight hours also messes with our internal clock or circadian rhythms. Adams also cites sleep schedules, lower energy levels even with adequate sleep, and increased fatigue. Furthermore, a decrease in vitamin D weakens our immune system, “so we get sick easier and for potentially longer too.”

What can you do to combat a winter slump?

“Don’t beat yourself up, be kind and gentle with yourself, but also don’t deny the situation,” said Sagaidak, highlighting that our nervous system has two operating modes – “fight or flight”, and “rest and digest”.

“One is surviving, the other is restoring. With external stressors, our nervous system gets stuck in a reactive mode. That’s when we can bypass the mind and go instead through the body to remind the nervous system how to let go and rest.”

Sagaidak explained that the key is to support your nervous system to find balance through moments of safety, comfort and joy. This might mean slowing down, reducing external stressors and prioritising rest.

“Gentle movement practices help calm an overactive nervous system and re-awaken connection to your body. Listen to your body’s cues for when it needs rest or nourishment, and respond with compassion rather than pushing through.”

Adams said that most of us already know what we should do to take care of ourselves, but that people get discouraged, and instead of adjusting to what works best for them, often revert to bad habits that do not help them feel better.

“I believe that taking care of our bodies first and foremost is paramount. Our brain and body talk to each other all day long and you cannot affect one without affecting the other. You don’t need to be the picture of perfect health; you just need to listen to your body and fuel it with the right stuff,” she said.

She advises that you stay hydrated, monitor alcohol consumption, eat a balanced diet with healthy foods but room for some treats, and get quality sleep as often as possible. Ensure exercise has a place in your life although “you don’t have to be a marathon runner”, and rest in a meaningful way.

Here Adams suggests reading a book, playing a game with your children, or even mindfully watering your plants, which will “feel more genuinely restful than being exposed to random stuff on the internet for hours on end”.

“Talking to a professional can be hugely helpful but is not possible for everyone. Taking care of our mental health often boils down to incorporating a lot of small best practices that combined can make a big difference,” said Adams.

“Talking to a professional can be hugely helpful but is not possible for everyone. Taking care of our mental health often boils down to incorporating a lot of small best practices that combined can make a big difference,” said Adams.

Being honest about the state of our mental health is also important. “I believe the most crucial facets of mental healthcare revolve around you and what you want to do. What brings you joy, what calms you down or boosts your mood? Self-care should feel good, not yet another chore.”

Adams also suggests taking a bubble bath, having a movie night with a friend, or getting frustration out in a fitness class.

“There is no one singular thing you can do to make all your problems go away or have perfect mental health. Like physical health, mental health has many components, so knowing what relaxes us and makes us smile makes it easier to apply these when we need them,” she said.

Easy steps to reset your nervous system

The Vagus nerve is the part of our nervous system responsible for “rest and digest” mode, and we can stimulate and reactivate this nerve with the following practices, said Sagaidak.

• Use humming and slow breathing through your nose using your belly, breathing in as it comes naturally, and then breathing out for a little longer. Then in gentle movements move your head to your shoulders, hugging and rocking while you are humming.

• Feldenkrais practice reduces unnecessary tension and promotes a sense of calm. Use small, exploratory movements to wake up the nervous system, exploring your sensations as you move. You can realign your skeleton using slow deliberate movements, such as tilting the knees or even movements sitting in a chair or on the floor. Try grounding exercises where you sense your feet on the floor and breath deeply.

• Get daylight as soon as you can after waking to set up your circadian clock. Even on a cloudy day, the light outside is more intense than that inside a building. If this is not possible, use yoga or exercise to kick start your circadian clock.

• Maintain regular eating and sleeping schedules for stability. Humans are like animals and the nervous system loves regularities, so routine will automatically reduce stress hormones.

• Connect with supportive people you feel safe with to co-regulate the nervous system and calm feelings of isolation or stress. This could be church groups, language cafes, or even talking to the bartender or the person serving you in the bakery.

• Give yourself a hug as the nervous system does not differentiate much between self-hugs and ones from other people, so you still get the benefits of raising your levels of oxytocin, one of the four happiness hormones.

When to seek professional help?

For Adams “there is no threshold for how bad or serious things have to be to talk to a professional. If you have a counsellor, psychologist, coach, psychiatrist or other professional you trust, that relationship is a great resource for expressing doubts and exploring feelings.”

She said helplines are an immediate resource that can be most helpful when you’re feeling lonely or unsure what to do with your thoughts and feelings.

“It can be reassuring to know that the person on the line does not know you, yet still genuinely cares, and they can help you regulate until your feelings are more manageable as well as recommend other resources,” said Adams.

You can find more information on helplines in the article below.