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As winter With daylight saving time on the approach and the end of it, many people are preparing themselves for shorter days, colder weather and what is often dismissed as the “winter gloom.” But these seasonal changes are more than a temporary inconvenience, and can disrupt people’s energy, mood, and daily routines.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition that causes increased depressive symptoms during the fall and winter months, while “winter blues” refers to a mild, temporary decline in mood.
In Canada, about 15 percent of the population experiences the winter blues, while two to six percent experience SAD. Although the exact cause of SAD is unclear, it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to natural light during the fall and winter, which can disrupt our circadian rhythms.
Low light levels affect brain chemistry by reducing serotonin – a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep and appetite – while melatonin remains elevated during daytime hours, causing sleepiness and fatigue.
The good news is that with intention and evidence-based practices, winter can become a season of meaning, connection, and even happiness. 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 livable.
1. Make time a friend, not an enemy
Winter can make people feel sluggish and unmotivated, and creating small but intentional routines can help.
Research in behavioral 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 favorite TV show to act as an anchor when energy is low.
Take care of your time as much as you take care of others, and plan to spend quality time with yourself.
Another useful tool is “body doubling” – working in parallel or synchronously with another person, either in person or virtually. This could mean watching the same movie from different locations, talking on the phone while doing laundry, or working out together in a café. Shared routines promote accountability and bonding.
Structured social routines are elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of intervention used for people experiencing SAD and the winter blues, which has been shown to prevent recurrence of depression.
2. Remember to go out
When the temperature drops, it feels like staying indoors. But even spending a little time outside in the cold has real benefits.
Even on overcast days, exposure to natural light helps regulate circadian rhythms, improve sleep, and stabilize mood. Aim to go outside for at least 10 minutes a day: a brisk walk, skating or simply standing outside can ease heaviness.
For people who are experiencing depressive symptoms, talk to a doctor about bright light therapy. Clinical studies show that bright light therapy is one of the most effective treatments for SAD.
Try reframing snow as an invitation rather than an obstacle. Activities can range from winter picnics, pine cone scavenger hunts or snow painting to more contemplative activities like bird-watching, photography or snow-shoeing. For adrenaline seekers, winter sports like snowboarding can also provide thrills.
3. Develop moments of joy
Happiness is often seen as a quality or ability that some people naturally have, but it can be consciously developed. Small acts of savoring can gradually rewire the brain toward more positive states.
One way to cultivate happiness is to find activities that invite “flow” — a term researchers use to describe those moments when we become completely immersed in an activity and everything else fades away.
About the author
Gio Dolcecore is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Mount Royal University.
This article was first published Conversation And it is republished under a Creative Commons license. read the original article,
Flow occurs when challenge and skill are in perfect balance; When an activity is attractive but not so difficult that it overwhelms us. It trains the brain’s positive emotion circuits, strengthening pathways associated with attention, motivation and creativity. Activities that invite flow vary from person to person, and can range from puzzles or video games to cooking, crocheting, painting, or poetry.
Happiness is also collective. Shared laughter, physical doubling or acts of hospitality remind us that joy is stronger when practiced in community. Even a potluck dinner, movie night, or phone call can combat isolation, making happiness an inexhaustible resource generated with others.
4. Create moments of peace
conscious And Attention Both are flexible practices that can be incorporated into daily life to reduce stress and depression through meditation, emotional regulation, and reducing rumination.
Meditation is a technique for developing calmness, such as deep breathing, while mindfulness is the broader act of living in the present – for example, savoring the flavor of your morning coffee. Both have been proven to increase focus, regulate emotions, and reduce repetitive negative thoughts.
Research shows that taking as little as 10 minutes a day to pause—consciously paying attention to the present—can significantly reduce stress.
It can help to incorporate these moments into familiar routines, like taking five deep breaths as soon as your feet touch the floor in the morning, pausing after a workout, or sitting quietly in your car before entering the house. Short meditation exercises, sleep stories, and apps that provide reminders can also help form this habit.
For those who live with others, brief daily check-ins, such as asking, “What were your ups and downs today?” Encourage reflection and gratitude. Over time, these small rituals of breathing and reflection can help protect against emotional fatigue during winter.
winter as practice season
Rather than simply surviving winter, we can see it as a season of learning, adapting, and deepening resilience. Making time your ally, seeking out wonder outside, developing joy as a skill, and practicing meditation and mindfulness in ways that feel personal are all ways to connect meaningfully with the season.
These strategies won’t erase the challenges of shorter days or colder weather, but research shows they can help reduce their impact on mood and well-being. By intentionally defining winter as a period of growth, we can shift our mindset to see winter as an opportunity for renewal.
The winter solstice provides 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 coming months can transform the darkest day of the year into one of connection, renewal, and love for the season.