It’s Good To Talk: Caring for your mental health as winter sets in

As the clocks go back and the evenings draw in, many people notice a shift, not just in the weather, but in their mood.

November often marks the start of a quieter, darker season, when energy dips, motivation drops, and we all can feel more withdrawn or low. It’s not unusual to feel like this. It is our body/mind's response to the loss of daylight and transition into winter.

After the bustle of summer and autumn, November can feel like an emotional lull. I often hear people speak of their fondness for the long evenings and open fires, however, for others, it brings a kind of heaviness. Shorter days mean less exposure to sunlight, which can affect serotonin levels and our internal body clock.

This is why many people experience “winter blues”, or in more pronounced cases, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that follows the seasonal pattern.

I often have clients that dip in and out of counselling during this time frame each year as they have identified their patterns and difficult spells connected to the lack of light and the winter months.

The November Slump

Instead of fighting the slowdown, it can help to take cues from nature. Just as trees shed their leaves and animals go into hibernation, we also use this time to rest, reflect, and recharge. Slower doesn’t mean stuck, it means shifting focus and giving yourself permission to do less.

'Light within your home is also important so use candles, lamps and fairy lights to boost the indoor glow'

We are all in a world where being busy is seen as a virtue and doing less is frowned upon. What happened to balance! We don’t have to be ‘on’ 365 days a year. Like all seasons, winter will come and go but let’s make it as manageable as we can with practical ways in which we help ourselves.

Practical ways to explore winter

Seek the light: Try to get outside during daylight hours, even for ten minutes. Morning light is especially beneficial. If that’s hard, light therapy lamps may help. Light within your home is also important so use candles, lamps and fairy lights to boost the indoor glow.

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As Christmas approaches, many people are keen to get up their decorations to bring the light and sparkle into life. It could be helpful to explore practical changes you can make to your home in winter to aid comfort and brightness beyond the festive decorations.

Keep moving: Gentle exercise, stretching, or a short walk can boost mood and energy, even on grey days.

There might be some days where taking a drive, parking up and exploring is an option, other days it might be picking up a coffee and having it at a park bench or the beach. Outdoor experiences don’t have to be all or nothing, most things can be tweaked to suit your needs and wants especially as we cannot rely or wait on the weather at this time of year.

We are blessed in this country to not be too far from beaches so use them for a stroll, paddle or swim. There are huge benefits to cold water therapy. If you have a pet it can be especially helpful at this time of year as their daily walks can be a reason to get outdoors when we may not otherwise be inclined to venture out.

Stay connected: It’s easy to retreat during colder months, but human warmth matters more than ever now. Meet a friend for coffee, call family or friends, or join a local group. Remember the balance – there is a fine line between hibernating and shutting yourself off from the world. Winter nights can be long and it’s fine to enjoy peace, rest and contentment however if you find unhelpful thinking and anxiety creeping into your life then looking at ways to support yourself will be important. Anxiety and depression likes loneliness and your full attention but with connection you are helping and supporting yourself at a time when you might need it – that is what we call ‘good selfcare’.

Plan small joys: Mark the calendar with things to look forward to such as movie nights, hobbies, special occasions or simply an afternoon of doing nothing without guilt. Put your feet up, have a duvet day, a bubble bath or give yourself some tender loving care in whatever ways that supports you best.

Enjoy and indulge in winter recharge. Hopefully everyone is less busy at this time of year and often the rest before the busyness of Christmas can be a necessity not a luxury.

Practice acceptance not resistance: It can be all too easy to wish winter away but accepting and embracing it can make it easier on yourself.

Like anything, winter will offer parts that are not so enjoyable but it may also offer lots of moments of contentment or joyous times sprinkled throughout it. We cannot throw a few months every year of our lives out the window so moving with it by supporting and minding yourself will allow you to go with the flow, not against it.Look for meaning, not perfection: What in winter will give meaning to your life?

Perhaps it is helping others, quiet reflection time, more opportunity for hobbies and creativity or does it allow you to reflect and prepare for change and a fresh start in spring?Allowing yourself to focus on meaning ensures you get a chance to be present in life rather than just getting through it.

Reach out if you are struggling: If you notice your mood low, increased fatigue and a drop in motivation it could be helpful to speak to your GP to ensure you are not alone in managing your mental health.

People often neglect the self-care of their mind and expect and hope the difficult times will pass. Thankfully things can and do change for people in a positive way but supporting yourself throughout this period is very important as it is equally important to know when you need outside help.

This might be available from family, friends or other professionals. Sucking up your feelings and telling yourself that “it’s just winter” and it’s necessary to go through this difficulty every year is not fair on yourself. You deserve better!

And remember…

As much as most people don’t like the darker months they can actually give us space to pause, breathe and notice things that bring comfort, little glimmers of joy, things like a cosy blanket, a chat with a friend, the smell of something cooking.

Put the focus on the small things that can play a big part in connecting with yourself. We might not be able to change the weather or the shorter days, but we can choose how we care for ourselves.

Get outside when you can, rest when you need to, and don’t feel bad for taking it easy. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what helps you feel steady and well.Remember, spring will roll around soon enough. But until then, there’s still plenty of light to be found in laughter, kindness, connection, and quiet moments of peace. Be gentle with yourself, keep reaching out, and let winter be a time to recharge rather than endure.

Even in the darker months, you’re still growing, still moving forward, and still finding your way back to brighter days. You deserve only the best!

All good wishes,

Tracy x