The winter months are sometimes tough to get through mentally. When I put myself in summer mode, my mood boosts. Here are my tips on how to beat the winter blues, including light therapy and a tropical mindset.
How To Beat The Winter Blues
Retirement planners always ask you “What’s your retirement dream?”
Some might say to play golf everyday, to travel to the corners of the world, to dive into hobbies like painting (like mom!), or to simply enjoy the cozies of home with a book and tea without the stress of work.
In my ideal life I’d spend my winters somewhere warm and sunny.
My bones ache for the warmth of the sun this time of year. Shorter days, lack of sunlight, too much sickness going around. While I do think movement helps a lot (like winter walks and winter sports), this season is just too long overall. (And I know some of you live in places far colder for far longer – I don’t know how you do it!!) I start craving the longer days of spring and summer the second the new year begins.
The years it has been possible to do so we’ve traveled to St. Lucia and The Keys in the colder months. Nothing boosts your mood like literal sunshine. But in the years that you can’t travel for whatever the reason, how do you channel that warm sunshine on your face feeling?
Seasonal Affective Disorder
I think that I do have a tendency towards seasonal depression. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is also known as winter depression. People with SAD can have symptoms that mimic depression. While doctors aren’t exactly sure the reason some people experience SAD, they hypothesize that the lack of daylight in fall and winter affects the body’s circadian rhythm. Serotonin (the happy hormone) and melatonin (the sleep hormone) are often off balance as well. (I also just started taking this CBD to see if that helps my moods!)
Symptoms of SAD
- lack of energy
- withdrawing from social situations
- changes in sleep schedule, which can mean sleeping more or less than usual
- feeling sad, low or hopeless
The best treatment for SAD is light therapy
People find 30 minutes of light therapy to really improve their mood. This might mean getting outside in the sunlight, but if the sun is hidden behind clouds, a light therapy lamp can help. There are lots of different ones on the market, and they are not too expensive. Spend time under the bright lights, close your eyes and imagine the real warm sun. Do any of you have one??
In addition to light therapy, adding the summer routine in the winter tricks the mind into a summer vibe
So, I thought, if I can’t go to the Caribbean, I will bring the Caribbean to me!
Tips To Beat The Winter Blues
Put on beach music
The Beach Boys. Reggae. Kenny Chesney.
Make a tropical drink
Embrace the pineapple with Julie’s Pineapple Mint Sangria, this Paloma with grapefruit, or this Summery Rose Cocktail, which looks right up my alley! Or stock up on Coconut LaCroix!
Follow resort Instagram accounts
Like this one. Take me virtually to the Maldives!
Warm your body
If you have a safe way to do it, go to a sauna (or slide into a sauna blanket), an indoor pool, a hot tub or simply take a hot bubble bath! Make your body feel like it’s summer and sweat. I’ve been living in the sauna this winter.
Shop for a new bathing suit, summery clothes, or patio furniture
They might be on sale! Check out my Amazon black bathing suit post, casual summer travel clothes, and porch furniture. Think ahead to your stocking your pool bag, too!
Watch Moana with the kids
Or your favorite beach movie. Or Survivor!
Eat all the tropical fruit
Bonus: it’s in season! Grapefruit, mango, pineapple. Get it frozen or order the tropical smoothies from Daily Harvest (they have new protein smoothies). Make coconut sorbet, this tropical smoothie bowl, mango pineapple smoothie, or this tropical bean salad.
Have a summery dinner
Like burgers or skewers with pineapple or cold peanut noodles or summer pasta salad. Bring on that summertime healthy diet vibe. Enjoying fresh summer fruits – that are frozen – is another way to bring the flavors of summertime to your winter plate (or glass).
Read a good island novel
I love anything by Elin Hilderbrand. It’s prob not surprise I have never read any of her winter books – only the Nantucket summery ones! But the St. John winter series is perfectly tropical. I loved the Paradise Trilogy!
Wear tropical or summery scents
Dime Beauty has a couple that smell like summer – 7 Summers and Malibu Nights (use code KATHEATS for a discount). Even a fresh bouquet of flowers can help brighten up your living spaces. Or perhaps bring a palm to your living room!
Plan a summer vacation – using travel points!
If you’ve tried everything and can’t seem to beat the winter blues, book a summer trip. The best way to do it? Use travel rewards from credit card points (my favorite way to travel!). I have an entire blog post about how to travel using credit card points and our credit card strategy for earning travel rewards. I also have a blog post comparing the Capital One vs. Chase credit cards (spoiler: we have both!).
Leah says
One thing I like to do for a cold January or February Saturday is to plan a fiesta. Decorate with bright colors, put on some fun Latin pop music, make a taco bar and invite a few friends over. It cheers everybody up!
Kath Younger says
Totally agree!