7 Tips Against Winter Depression: This Is What You Can Do

The days are getting shorter, the light is getting less, life is retreating indoors again: In the cold season, many people suffer from winter depression. But you don’t have to give in to it without a fight – with a few tips and tricks, you can help yourself get a grip on approaching winter depression.

How winter depression actually develops?

Winter depression is mainly caused by the lack of light. In the cold months, we usually get much less sunlight than in the warm season. This leads to listlessness and fatigue. We tend to curl up at home and move less in the fresh air.

7 tips sagainst winter blues

But you can beat the winter depression – or the winter blues. With a few simple tips and tricks. You can find out what they are in the following.

Tip 1: Fill up with enough light

Admittedly, this tip sounds a bit ironic, since it is precisely the lack of light that is the most common trigger for winter depression. For this reason, you should make sure that you get as much light as you can. Go outside at least once a day.
Even when the sun is not shining, the lighting conditions outside are still more advantageous than in any indoor spaces. Why? Even when the sky is cloudy, natural daylight is three to four times more powerful than artificial lighting and can therefore literally brighten your mood.

Tip 2: Get enough exercise

When it’s cold outside and warm inside, we find it even harder to motivate ourselves to exercise regularly. Yet exercise is a proven remedy for negative thoughts and depressive moods. Walks in the snow, sledding or jogging are not only healthy for the body, but – especially in winter – also for the mind. Overcome your inner pig dog and you will see that a little activity will do you good.

Tip 3: Pay attention to a healthy diet

A healthy and balanced diet gives you new energy and promotes your well-being – an important factor in the fight against the winter blues. Foods containing iron in particular can counteract tiredness and fatigue. They include walnuts, flaxseeds, blueberries, red meat, beet, grapes, lentils, etc. Also, do not neglect enough fluids and hydration. Vitamin C not only strengthens the immune system, it can also reduce inner restlessness and anxiety. This valuable vitamin is found in citrus fruits, broccoli and peppers, for example

Tip 4: Create beautiful moments

In addition to exercise and a healthy diet, don’t forget to indulge yourself now and then. Consciously plan a few hours in which you just take care of yourself and enjoy yourself. A piece of chocolate, a glass of wine, a soothing avocado mask or a good book – anything that makes you feel happy and drives away negative thoughts is allowed.
▶ Speaking of avocado mask: How you can make it yourself, you will learn in the following graphic (Source: Fort Malakoff Klinik).

Tip 5: laugh, laugh, laugh

Laughter is the best medicine. This proverb is no coincidence. Laughter slows down stress hormones and ensures the release of the happiness hormone serotonin. In addition, hearty laughter “trains” the entire body: More than a hundred muscles in the body are used and the cardiovascular system is stimulated.

Just smile at yourself in the mirror, watch funny movies, read entertaining books: all of these can help give laughter a little boost during the dark months.

Tip 6: Structure your days

Bringing rhythm into your day can help put a stop to the winter blues. It’s best to get up at the same time every day – even on weekends. This will prevent your sleep rhythm from becoming confused and you from having to struggle with fatigue during the day. Also, make sure you always eat at the same time. In this way, you can counteract digestive problems that are not very conducive to well-being.

In addition, you can try one or two rituals that you perform at the same time every day: stretching for 10 minutes after getting up, going for a short walk during your lunch break, drinking a cup of tea before going to bed – rituals like these are fixed points that can structure your day and give you a sense of continuity.

Tip 7: Become productive

Why don’t you use the time you’re spending more and more at home for projects that have fallen behind or things you’ve always wanted to do? Cleaning out, small repair jobs, a language course or finishing your doctoral thesis? There is (almost) always something that can be perfectly implemented within your own four walls. With one or the other small – or larger – project, the dark winter time will pass faster than you think.

Goodbye winter depression – with a few simple tricks. Admittedly, in winter we usually have to do more to feel good in our skin and feel happy. But that’s exactly what you should see as an opportunity to take care of yourself a little more consciously again: Get more exercise, go out into the fresh air, cook yourself something healthy and delicious, consciously create beautiful moments for yourself. Maybe you can not only say goodbye to winter depression, but even turn the dark season into something positive..