How to beat the winter blues- when it’s not really that wintery?

October 17, 2024 6:32 AM

I’m not a big fan of winter, but my usual winter escape is no longer available. How can I embrace winter when I live in NC and it’s not that wintery?

Typical activities of sledding, skiing (which in fairness I’ve never done), building snowmen, etc don’t really apply as I live in central NC and our winter temps are usually in the mid twenties to mid fifties. I realize that this is plenty warm for other people, but in combination with the lack of sunshine, I really struggle. How can I lean in to winter when it’s not really that wintery?

(I do have a several day trip to Mexico planned, but in the past few years I’ve spent about 3 weeks in south Florida to wait out the end of winter. That won’t be possible this year.)

posted by raccoon409 to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

I feel you. I've found a light therapy lamp helpful in bad winters.

I do better when my feet, hands, and joints are warm. So I've got fingerless gloves that I can wear inside when I need to, several pairs of wool socks, warm slippers, leg warmers and arm warmers, and long underwear for the worst temperatures.

A pleasant luxury I indulged in last year was a lotion warmer. I was surprised how much it improved my mood to have the chill taken off my body lotion.

The cold weather things I enjoy doing are mostly indoors - baking, making soup, lots of hot beverages (even just heating up a cup of water if I can't be bothered to make anything else). I basically just try to get as cozy as possible.
posted by EvaDestruction at 6:52 AM on October 17

I also live in central NC, and I love taking outdoor walks in the winter months. The key to doing this comfortably is having good outerwear. My spouse bought me a down coat as a Christmas gift two years ago and it's been a game changer. I have enjoyed walks in 20 degree weather without feeling the slightest chill, who knew?! Walking in the woods in the winter means I can see birds more easily (no leaf cover), I'm not worried about poison ivy, and I like the crunchy sound my feet make when I'm walking through woods in the cold. Getting outdoor light exposure in the early part of the day makes a huge difference in my mental health, and that's especially true in winter. I also enjoy the sensation of coming in from the cold outdoors and having a hot cup of tea.
posted by little mouth at 7:19 AM on October 17

My partner gets a lot of joy in winter by using grow lamps to nurture seeds into plants for the spring. It's a fiddly, slow-going process but one that is always visible to us in the living room, comes with daylight-ish light as part of it, and shows steady progress as the little plants take root and sprout. It's nice. I've come to enjoy watching this unfold across the room even though it's not my project.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:39 AM on October 17

I have difficulty with lack of sunshine, and I have recently found winters easier to deal with when I lean in to the cozy vibe rather than struggling against it. I'm still figuring out ways to do this, but one small thing I have found surprisingly helpful is through candles, especially scented ones. When I wake up and it's dark and I have to start working, having a balsam candle or Thanksgiving spice candle burning turns the atmosphere from dark and depressing to cozy, for me. I think it's the combination of the candle light and the smell. A wood fire does something similar. I also try to do things I enjoy that I associate with autumn and winter. For instance, eating warm spiced baked apples, or chunky soups, or a walk through autumn leaves. Again, feeling an autumnal mood helps make me feel like the lack of light is cozy rather than depressing (at least to some extent!).
posted by ClaireBear at 7:41 AM on October 17

I also live in central NC (Durham), and I also struggle with winter even though it's not terrible here - though getting out of bed this morning took all of my willpower. Some thoughts:

-You may be Vitamin D deficient - I am unless I take supplements, and that's with a diet full of fruits and vegetables. It definitely impacts my mood if I run out and am lazy about buying more.

-I agree with little mouth that getting the right coat (and gloves, socks, etc.) can make a huge difference. I have an absurdly heavy winter coat for this climate (it was purchased for a different purpose), but I love wearing it in NC - it's like wearing a heavy blanket, and I will often just wear a t-shirt underneath and be nice and toasty.

-I make a point to take advantage of any spring-like day that pops up during the winter - one of the best parts of winter in NC.

-I generally get into baking more in the winter.

-Since you mentioned FL, I visited some friends in North Central FL last winter (which I'm pretty sure is still OK), and while it was still crisp, it was definitely warmer - and a great time to see manatees.
posted by coffeecat at 7:49 AM on October 17

A few other things I remembered that help me:

- I watch a few people on YouTube who are in extreme northern environments and dealing with this. For instance, I enjoy Cecilia on Svalbard (here). Svalbard has Polar Night for over two months - so no sun at all, just total darkness. Watching her channel gives me cozy vibes, as well as tips on how to handle darkness (the candle tip I believe came from her). Watching her channel also makes me feel better about my situation (at least I have actual daylight, so it can't be so bad!).

- As I alluded to above, anything with cozy vibes is helpful for me. So my thickest throws, having the fireplace on, a cup of tea, etc. Basically, anything that helps me feel that the darkness is cozy rather than depressing helps me.

- I try to get out every day for at least a half an hour walk, preferably in the morning. Obviously it's nicer if it's sunny, but even when it's cloudy, I think it helps my body to get the light exposure - I think it helps me feel more awake. Even 10-15 minutes might help.

- In the past, I have found it encouraging to have plants through the winter. I had a few herb plants, and tending to them helped remind me that the summer will be coming back. You can put them in a sunny window, or get a grow light.

- If it gets bad enough, there are actually medical treatments that can help you get through this. You can get SAD lights (I had one prescribed by the doctor before, but I think they are now available even more cheaply on Amazon). There's also medication. I think everyone struggles at least to a small extent with the winter, but if it gets really difficult, there's help!
posted by ClaireBear at 7:53 AM on October 17

Part of what makes winter grim is that the world seems drained of colour. The sky is dull, the sun is low, nothing's in flower. Even Christmas lights are often tasteful whites these days. And everyone dresses in drab, dark clothes too. Look at a busy street in summer and you see all the colours of the rainbow. Look at the same street in winter and everyone's in black, grey, navy blue.

So. If you can find one, get a winter coat in a bright, summery colour that makes your heart sing: think jewel tones, tropical birds, hothouse flowers. And if you can't, or you're not really a bright-clothes person, try for a scarf or a pair of gloves instead. Something to make the outside world feel less monochrome.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 8:28 AM on October 17

I’ve always enjoyed the smell of fall and winter, but maybe that’s because I grew up with untreated allergies and I could actually breathe freely through my nose for the first time in a while. Sound seems to travel differently too. It doesn’t help with the lack of daylight at all, but I find just having things that I like to notice makes it more tolerable.
posted by fedward at 2:03 PM on October 18