Winterize Your Mental Health

The air is getting colder, the sun is setting earlier, and the holidays are quickly approaching. This time of year is a perfect storm for stress, anxiety, and depression. However, you don’t have to let the winter blues get you down. Keep reading to learn how you can winterize your mental health, and get through this season while staying happy and healthy.

With the changing of the seasons and the clocks, we often spend more time indoors and get less sunlight. Less fresh air and sunlight can lead to seasonal depression and increased anxiety. Making it a point to get outside each day, even if for a brief time, can do wonders for our mental health. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, sunlight exposure was found to be associated with improved overall mental health (Wang et. al. 2023) . Sun exposure has been found to increase vitamin D levels and helps to regulate cortisol, both leading to improved mental health outcomes. Sunlight is also associated with exercise, meaning the more sun exposure we get the more likely we are to be physically active, which also prompted positive mental health outcomes. Stepping outside on your lunch break, sitting near a bright window, or even parking a little further away so you’re spending some time walking in the sun are small ways to get more sunlight during the winter months. 

Another strategy for winterizing your mental health is the DBT tool Cope Ahead. Cope ahead is an emotion regulation tool that can help us prepare for a stressful situation ahead of time, so we know exactly what we will need to do to get through it. Cope Ahead involves 5 steps: 1) Describe the situation that is likely to be stressful or difficult to manage. 2) Decide what specific coping strategy or problem solving skills you will use in the situation. 3) Imagine the situation as vividly as possible. 4) Rehearse in your mind how you will effectively cope with the situation, and 5) Practice relaxation after rehearsing. Using this tool to prepare for stressful situations will make it more likely that you will be successful at coping with or problem solving in the moment. So if you know that spending time with family will be tough, or you know that the holidays bring up feelings of grief, use Cope Ahead to have a plan for navigating the various challenges that come with winter and the holidays.

Our final recommendation for winterizing your mental health is to make space for positive relationships. In our current culture, we often hear talk of setting boundaries and protecting your peace around the holidays, encouraging folks to turn down social commitments and focus on themselves. While self care certainly is important, if we become too rigid in our boundaries and isolate ourselves, our mental health will suffer. According to Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), turning toward connection and community can increase hope in times of uncertainty and disconnection (Jean Baker Miller Training Institute). Our brains are biologically wired for connection with others, so it is no surprise that when isolated, our mental health suffers and we are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and more. The key is engaging in healthy, growth fostering relationships, which according to RCT, involve the following 5 things: 1) clarity, 2) creativity & productivity, 3) zest, 4) a sense of mattering, and 5) a desire for more connection. Take some time to assess the relationships in your life, and make it a priority to remain connected to those relationships that foster growth.

Need a little extra support with your mental health this winter? At Mind and Body Therapeutic connections we are committed to helping our clients gain access to the tools that will keep them healthy. On December 13th, at 11am we are offering a free workshop on Overcoming Holiday Stress. This workshop is an opportunity to gain practical tools such as meditations, breathing techniques, mantras, and affirmations to release stress and increase self compassion. Starting in January we will begin our second Menopause Wellness Program to offer comprehensive support for individuals experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Also coming in January is our Winter Blues therapy group that will focus on the development of tools to help individuals manage their mood through the winter months. To learn more about our workshop and groups, visit www.mindandbodytc.com or call 919-791-5611 option 1. 

Additional info & Resources:

Association Between Sunlight Exposure and Mental Health: Evidence from a Special Population Without Sunlight in Work- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10277019/

Cope Ahead PDF: https://eymtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cope-ahead.pdf

The Development of Relational-Cultural Theory Beginning: Self-in-Relation:  https://www.wcwonline.org/JBMTI-Site/the-development-of-relational-cultural-theory