The 2025 Ultimate Winter Self-Care Guide
Your source for beating the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder.
The 2023 Ultimate Winter Self-Care Guide
Your source for beating the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder.
Related ARticles
- The Ultimate Winter Self-Care Guide
- Ways to Beat the Winter Blues
- Winter Blues vs Seasonal Affective Disorder
An APA poll from 2022 found that nearly two-thirds (66%) of adults noted behavioral changes during winter. Even more, it found that:
- 21% reported becoming moody
- 20% reported losing interest in things they enjoyed
- 28% reported feeling fatigued during the winter months
- 17% reported trouble sleeping
- 33% reported sleeping more
- And 19% reported eating more sweets during the winter months
Winter tends to impact our mental, emotional, and physical health negatively. We NEED sunlight to function properly. And winter forces us inside while depleting daylight hours. The sun gives us essential vitamins and allows our bodies to produce serotonin and melatonin. Sun deprivation has many adverse effects on us, including:
- Irregular sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm)
- Low energy and productivity
- Mental illness such as seasonal affective disorder
- Weakened immune system and bones
- Weight gain
- And more
Winter can have a harsh impact on all aspects of our health. This time of year can lead to the winter blues and possibly its more severe form, Seasonal Affective Disorder. This leaves us questioning how to care for ourselves or stay happy during the winter months. While self-care tips are helpful, they will do no good if implemented inconsistently.
This guide will explain the basics and importance of self-care in winter. We will share some winter care tips. You will also find a step-by-step method to create your winter self-care routine and plan.
What is self-care, and why is it important?
Self-care is the act of taking care of one's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. This vague term has many applications. It can be as simple as brushing teeth and exercising or as complex as seeking cognitive behavioral therapy. In short, self-care is the act of being mindful of and fulfilling your own needs.
"In the same way you wouldn't ignore the oil light on your car, you shouldn't ignore the cues your body is sending you."
Self-care is vital to your overall health. It acts to relieve stress and ensure your mental, emotional, and physical well-being are intact. Poor self-care can lead to poor health and a depleted quality of life.
A study found that 75% of those practicing self-care believe it relieves stress. Increasingly interesting:
- 64% saw a self-confidence boost
- And 67% saw an increase in their productivity.
As Rebecca Dolgin puts it, "Self-care, and its close cousin, self-help, are about being in tune with what your body and mind require to function optimally. In the same way you wouldn't ignore the oil light on your car, you shouldn't ignore the cues your body is sending you." The foundation of self-care lies in understanding your body's needs. This means being self-aware of your physical, emotional, and mental needs.
Planning and starting early enough is vital to winter season care. It's essential to start your routine in September when days get shorter and continue through April. Doing so will help curve the effects of winter on your body and make it easier to implement. Starting too late can make this process much more challenging as you'll feel less energy and motivation.
Step 1: Identify Your Challenges and How You'll Solve Them
Before you create your survival plan, it's crucial to identify the key challenges and struggles you typically face during the colder months. Doing so will give you the fundamental problems to focus on alleviating.
No one's struggles are the same. Some might struggle with their energy levels and sleep, while others may have a more intense experience and face mental health struggles. Start by asking yourself, "what do I struggle with during winter?" Here is a list of common challenges:
- Low energy levels
- Poor sleep quality
- A lack of motivation
- Poor diet
- Depleted mental health
Once you've identified your challenges, it's time to select a few methods of alleviating your winter pain. As mentioned earlier, no "one size fits all" solution exists. Below, we've highlighted a list of winter self-care ideas proven to beat the winter blues.
Winter Self-Care Tips
- Get eight hours of sleep per night and keep a consistent sleep schedule (try these sleep tips)
- Brighten your environment with better lighting: incorporate lighting throughout your living space so there are no dark areas.
- Add bright light therapy to your morning: this method simulates sunlight to increase serotonin production (the hormone responsible for mood and energy levels)
- Add vitamin D supplements to your diet: We tend to lose our vitamin D during winter months. Adding this to your diet can boost your vitamin D levels, resulting in a stronger immune system, better moods, and more.
- Add indoor plants to your environment: Plants in your living space are proven to relieve stress, increase creativity, and foster positive moods. The added greenery is a great way to counteract winter's cloudy aesthetic.
- Eat foods that'll give you a boost of energy (e.g., fatty fish, dark chocolate, bananas, oats, berries, nuts, and seeds).
- Exercise for 30 minutes three days per week: exercise is arguably the #1 method to fight the winter blues. Even a simple walk can increase your mental health.
- Get involved in your community. Being social and supporting a good cause is a great way to stay active during cold months. Selfless acts combined with social interaction can aid in good mental health.
- Spend time outside: while this is hard in cold months, sun exposure (even on cloudy days) is ultimately the best way to prevent sun deprivation.
- Watch funny shows and movies: Laughter can be great medicine, and watching humorous shows and films can foster a positive mood.
When you're working out these self-care tips for the winter months, it's vital to ask yourself these key questions:
- Do I see myself using this approach? f you aren't interested in something, chances are you won't do it. Getting some joy from an activity is vital to ensuring its implementation.
- Can I afford it? Implementing a tip is pointless if it causes financial stress. This is a crucial thing to consider.
- Am I overloading myself? While it can be tempting to choose everything on this list, doing so can lead to burnout. Start small and see how you handle it.
- Do I have time? Time management is crucial when adding any new routine. Making time for self-care and creating a routine that fits your schedule is essential.
- What's worked in the past? Going off experience is an excellent way of identifying what works.
Being strategic in your planning is vital when overcoming the winter blues. It's important to consider whether you have seasonal affective disorder or the winter blues. While seasonal affective disorder self-care is similar to self-care for the winter blues, SAD is more intense and more likely to require cognitive behavioral therapy.
Step 2: Create Your Daily Self-Care Checklist
Now that you know what you struggle with and what will help, it's time to implement those tips. Your daily self-care checklist will include the key tactics you identified in step one to fight your winter blues. It will be your "go-to" and give you structure and ensure you take the steps needed to overcome your challenges. Not only that, but it will make things much easier on those days when your winter woes peak.
Jessa Pangilinan of Happier Human puts it perfectly:
"A self-care checklist serves as a guide to help you maintain your designated habits. It is meant to help you monitor yourself."
It's important to note that your initial checklist might change as you go through it. You might notice some of the things on your list aren't adding value, or you don't have any interest. Be aware of any items on your list that don't fit well and replace them.
Here are a few "dos" and "don'ts" when making your checklist:
- DO include your sleep schedule. It's a universal rule that you should get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Ensuring healthy sleep habits is a core area of self-care.
- DON'T add too many items to your list. It's best to start small and add as you go. Adding too many things can leave you overwhelmed.
- DO keep your checklist where you're most likely to use it. If you are a tech-head, many apps like Google Tasks and Evernote make to-do lists. If you're more traditional, keep a journal with your checklist next to your bed or on your desk. Regardless of where it is, your checklist should be easily accessible.
- DON'T add sabotaging activities such as alcohol, social media, or retail therapy to your self-care list. These items can do more harm than good.
- DO consider your work hours. If you're a morning person, it might be easier to tick off items in the morning and vice versa.
- DON'T keep doing items that don't help. Your self-care routine will change. Specific tactics might work for a while and stop working with time. Don't be afraid to throw items out.
Self-care can vary depending on the person. Your winter routine might focus more on fitness while another person reads and writes. Everyone's needs, schedule, and lifestyle will vary. So will their self-care routine.
Step 3: Create Your Calendar of Winter Activities
As cold weather sets in and days become shorter, hibernating can be almost instinctual. One tactic for combating these feelings is behavioral activation, which involves scheduling positive activities to boost one's mood.
Therapists frequently recommend this tactic to depressed patients as it helps break them out of their cycle and boosts their mood. The idea is that scheduling an activity may give them something to look forward to. Additionally, it can give them an even more tremendous mood boost than unplanned activities.
Take this method further and plan out your entire winter, or at least a significant portion. Creating a calendar of winter activities can give you structure and make things easier to handle. Here are a few ideas to help:
- Plan a vacation (it can even be a local vacation)
- Go to the spa
- See a movie with friends or family
- Volunteer in your local community
- Check things off your bucket list
- Join a club that meets frequently
- Plan out a more extensive project such as a home modification
If your motivation depletes during winter, add one-time or monthly tasks. This might be housework (such as cleaning), doctor appointments, and future events/obligations. Add these to your calendar to stay organized and motivated to stay on your to-do list.
"If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail" — Benjamin Franklin.
While not the most exciting activity, planning can make a massive difference in your quality of life during winter. Self-care is vital to your mental, emotional, and physical health. Neglecting it, especially during winter, can deplete all three of those core areas.
Helpful Winter Wellness REsources
About the Author
Brandon Landgraf is the Digital Marketing Manager for Carex Health Brands. He finds passion and fulfillment in creating content that enhances, improves, and enlivens others' quality of life. All of his written work is formulated to not only offer essential advice and tips but back it with proven studies and experts. His mission is to connect with readers and provide steps to make their lives better.
You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.