Do you often wake up in the middle of winter feeling down or blue and not know why you feel so unmotivated? If so, you might be experiencing SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. I know that winter moods are difficult because we don’t have control over the weather or the short, dark days.

What to do?

So what do you do? Many people have found relief by scheduling time to connect with others or engaging in low energy activities such as reading. But there are a few things you should know before you grab a warm blanket and head for the couch. 

First of all, let me be the first to tell you that depression is a liar. 

When you are depressed, you might think that staying in bed for a day or two of rest will help you find the energy you need to get back to all the tasks you want to avoid when you feel unmotivated or don’t have any energy to spare.

The problem is, depression is a liar.

By staying in bed and not maintaining some structure or routine for yourself and neglecting the basic things you do to care for yourself on a daily basis such as shower and connect with others, you will actually start to feel even more depressed and have less energy and motivation.

Break the Cycle

There are things you can do right now to start breaking the cycle of SAD. Try to keep your routine as structured as possible, even if it’s just the basics: Shower, eat, light exercise such as a walk, and connecting with others you enjoy. 

On days when the sun peaks out, even if it’s just for a few minutes, make sure you bundle up and go outside!  Even during the winter months getting outside is important for our health and wellbeing.   

While we can’t control the weather, we can control what we do during the winter months to care for our mental health to the best of our abilities. Don’t listen to the lies depression tells. Take a moment and do something to take care of yourself and your health instead.  

Learn more About Me and the Services I offer.

Tonya Molnar, PhD, LMHC, MHP specializes in insomnia and sleep health, trauma, and chronic pain and illness therapy with additional training in CBT-i for insomnia and CBT for chronic pain and illness management. As she completes her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, it is her honor to serve clients in Washington State using a telemental health approach at this time.