
Protecting your Mental Health in Winter
We all know that protecting your Mental Health in Winter is vital, not that it isn’t important the rest of the year. But many people struggle in the darker half of the year, and I am one of those people, so I thought it would be useful to chat about it this week.

Why the Winter can Affect Mental Health
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter, we are halfway through January and this year feels damper and colder than usual. Most nights I am having to use fingerless gloves indoors and a hot water bottle in bed which already makes me feel down.
On top of this, there is much less hours of daylight, and the weather makes it difficult to go outside. Another factor is that there is less to do, many places that I enjoy like museums and stately homes are closed this time of year.
I think another factor, for those of us with chronic illnesses, is that often our pain flares in the winter. Damp and cold can often affect pain levels and how well our joints feel, and when you are in heightened pain it can really make you feel depressed or frustrated.
It is well known that people struggle with depression more in the winter, and Seasonal Affective Disorder often creeps up this time of year. I live with chronic depression, and it can often flare in the winter, which means I have to work hard to protect my mental health in the winter.
So, I was thinking about how you could protect your mental health in the winter, and how maybe if we all try to do it then things could change. Maybe then we could stop dreading the winter and instead enjoy what can be a very lovely time of year… but that will take time!
I think for me, the thing that causes me the most affect to my mental health, is the fact that I cannot easily spend time in our garden. We have such a lovely space outside and in the spring and summer I love going and sitting with the dogs and just enjoying the sun and warmth.
But here in England this time of year it is too cold and too damp to even think about going outside other than to quickly take the dogs out. Waking up and knowing I will be cold until I get back into bed is also something that makes me want to get nothing done and to just stay in my bed cocoon!
I have also been finding over the last two winters, that my feet and hands are extremely cold and painful. They have no colour in them either, and my mom thinks it might be Raynaud’s, but it makes my fingers and feet painfully cold, and the pins and needles is awful.
As well as this new symptom, I find that my joint pain is increased this time of year, and that makes it harder to walk. The short distances I can walk are even less in the winter, which makes me more reliant on my Rollator which can change how people see me. This in itself is frustrating and does affect my mental health.
Damp and cold can often affect pain levels and how well our joints feel, and when you are in heightened pain it can really make you feel depressed or frustrated. Share on XTips for Protecting your Mental Health
- Get some sun – Whether this is by sitting by a window while you read, going outside for a while or using an SAD lamp. Getting some sun is very important, as it increases the production of serotonin which in turn increases your mood.
- Exercise – For me this is choosing something from my accessible exercise playlist and doing a workout before bed. I love the videos I added because they range so much in ability level from exercises to do in bed to light cardio seated. Regular exercise can help your mood as well as pain levels so it can be worthwhile.
- Keep talking – It is important to be social, something that can be more difficult when the weather is bed. I have just suggested to a friend that we have video chats while we craft together. Maybe you like to chat in an online forum or messenger, but no matter how you prefer, spending time with your community helps support our mental health.
- Self-care – I know this comes up a lot, but it is so important, whether that is taking up hobbies that are away from screens like adult colouring and crochet (my hobbies) or taking a healing bath. Taking time to do things that are caring, and loving to yourself is so important as it helps you to feel cared for.
- Mindfulness – Yep, it’s my favourite for a reason, mindfulness helps me to notice my thoughts before they spiral which is invaluable. I find it especially useful this time of year for seeing how my pain and fatigue are being affected as well as my mental health.
- Take notes – Keeping an eye on our symptoms and how they affect us is so important. I use Visible to track mine on my phone which is free and really great I highly recommend.
- Ask for help – If these things are not enough, it might be time to reach out for help from a medical professional who can help you find better solutions. But maybe just talking to a friend or family member could be enough, just be open and honest.
Protecting your mental health in winter sometimes feels overwhelming and difficult but having a daily routine with these tips incorporated could help. Its all about doing a little every day to improve how I am feeling, and I use all of these tips daily, so I hope they help you too. Let me know in the comments the things you do to help your mental health if I have missed something.
Thank you xx
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2 Comments
Kaz
It does sound like you have Raynaud’s, my Mum has it and is on medication for it. I use a SAD alarm clock all year round. The artificial sunset and sunrise really help me. For me, feeding the wildlife in the garden really helps as I am getting out in the fresh air every day ( no matter the weather). Thank you for providing a great resource for winter.
admin
Yeah I think I do too I need to see my doctor to get some clarity. These are such good tips thank you for sharing my friend xx