Your Winter Medicine: A Little More Light for the Dark Months
In a couple of weeks, the clocks fall back, and most of us feel it right away: dark at dinnertime, mornings that are harder to start, a steady pull toward the couch and the cookie jar.
If winter tends to take a toll on your mood, now is the time to prepare. It's much easier to do while you still have energy and intention to work with than once you're in the thick of it.
In my last article When the Days Get Shorter: 'I Get the SADs' about seasonal affective disorder, I shared that I manage my winter moods every year with a handful of simple habits that keep me steady through the dark months. I've come to call them my winter medicine. They aren't chores. They're tools that deserve a steady place in my life.
Here's what that medicine looks like for me, and what it might look like for you. None of it needs to be perfect. Choose two or three that appeal to you and start this week.
Your Winter Medicine
Light, first thing! Morning light is the single most important signal your body uses to set its internal clock. Get outside within the first hour of waking, even for ten minutes, even when it’s cloudy. Overcast daylight is still far brighter than indoor lighting.
For me, it's often pajamas with a jacket and my husband's muck boots (heavy dew!) to take a walk out to the back field with the dogs and my hot tea. Other days, maybe it's 10 minutes on the back porch with the tea. There's always tea!
One patient's depression improved so well with this suggestion, she informed management that she has a standing daily meeting with her most important client- the sun!
Some people also do well with a light therapy box, typically a 10,000-lux light used for about 20 to 30 minutes in the morning. If you’re considering one, do check out the few precautions they carry such as bipolar disorder, eye conditions, or medications that increase sensitivity to light.
Move every day. Movement is one of the most reliable mood supports we have, and it doesn’t need to be intense. What feels possible for you? A mile on the treadmill counts. So does a loop around the block at lunch or a few minutes of stretching before bed. On the days you least feel like it, aim for the smallest version you can manage. Showing up matters more than the workout.
When I moved into my current office, I noticed a private gym RIGHT next door. Okay, Universe, got the message! So a mile on the treadmill is now my 'least effort' medicine on days when I feel least like moving.
Another trick I've created for myself is committing to ONE yoga pose before bed. When I get down in the floor to do that, though, it often feels so good I end up doing at least 5-10 minutes of relaxing stretches. Adapt your 'movement menu' to your life, your energy level, and times available.
Keep a steady rhythm. Winter invites us to rest more, in keeping with the fields and critters around us. But a consistent wake time, even on weekends, helps keep your body clock anchored when the light can’t do it alone. Regular meals and a predictable bedtime do the same.
As much as I fantasize about Saturdays sleeping in, I've found I do better leaving the blackout shades pulled up and letting myself wake up with the sunrise.
Eat for the season. In Chinese medicine, winter is the season of storing and conserving. At our house, this means soup and stew season! Slow-cooking root vegetables, beans, and broths 'pre-digest' the foods, enabling our digestive system to extract nutrients with less energy required. Skip the cold, raw and sugary foods this time of year, as they can leave you feeling more sluggish.
I'm currently making a project of reaching out to friends and asking for their favorite soup recipes. Imagine how happy your future winter self will be with a list of 10 rocking soups to help you manage on an ordinary winter day, or on a difficult one!
Go easy on the evening glass of wine. Alcohol feels relaxing in the moment, but it disrupts sleep and tends to leave mood lower the next day (ask my sleep tracker how I know). During the dark months, I may occasionally have a glass with dinner, but I usually skip the late-night drink.
A cup of warm herbal tea may not sound as satisfying, but I've learned to jazz mine up- a deep cherry/ blueberry tea with ginger and honey does me well.
Stay connected, on purpose. Winter naturally makes us want to pull in and isolate, which usually makes moods worse. Put connection on the calendar (your 'social medicine') before you need it: a standing coffee with a friend, a weekly yoga class, a walking buddy. When the invitation is already made, the easiest path is just to show up, and it doesn't have to mean a crowded room or busy social calendar.
Write down your winter medicine. You don't need all of this. You need a few things you'll actually do: some morning light, a little movement, warm food, people you enjoy, and support when you need it. Write your list down now and put it somewhere you'll see it in January.
When you need more support These practices help a great deal, but they don't replace primary medical care. If your low mood comes with hopelessness, thoughts of not wanting to be here, or trouble getting through your days, please reach out to your doctor. If you take medication for your mood, talk with your prescriber before making any changes.
How Acupuncture can fit in
Acupuncture works directly with the nervous system, helping the body shift out of a constant low-level stress state and into one where rest, digestion, and repair can happen. For people who get the winter blues, that often shows up as better sleep, steadier energy, a lighter mood, and less of that heavy, stuck feeling. Acupuncture also works well alongside medication and counseling, and I’m always glad to coordinate with other providers to help craft an integrative plan.
An invitation If you'd like help getting ahead of the SADS this year, I'd be glad to work with you. Together we'll look at your seasonal pattern and build a plan to carry you through to spring. Schedule your visit!
Here's to bright mornings, good soup, and getting to spring feeling like yourself!
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