Clinical psychologist Stephanie Fitzgerald, once a winter-dreader, now shares her science-backed strategies to transform your mindset and embrace the colder months, offering practical tips to combat seasonal blues and find joy in winter.
Stephanie Fitzgerald, a chartered clinical psychologist, transformed her deep-seated dread of winter into a profound love for the season. Recognizing that her previous coping mechanisms of 'hibernating' and 'waiting for it to be over' were ineffective, she delved into scientific research to reframe her perspective. Her book, 'The Gifts of Winter,' outlines her journey and provides ten key strategies for embracing winter. 1. **Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):** Fitzgerald emphasizes that SAD is more than just winter blues. She manages her own symptoms from October to April using a SAD lamp, a sunrise/sunset alarm clock, vitamin D, healthy eating, exercise, and sufficient sleep, advising professional help for those struggling. 2. **Adjust Your Daily Routine:** She advocates for living seasonally, primarily by going to bed an hour earlier in winter to prioritize rest over 'revenge bedtime procrastination,' aligning with nature's rhythms. 3. **Rewrite the Calendar:** Fitzgerald suggests celebrating winter's true beginning at the winter solstice (late December) rather than October, appreciating the distinct beauty of January to March as a restorative, planning, and reflective period, rather than rushing to spring. 4. **Get Out of Survival Mode:** Instead of simply enduring winter, she encourages active engagement and exploration of its unique beauty, such as sunrises, sunsets, and bare trees, as she discovered through winter walks. 5. **Use Uplifting Language:** She proposes replacing negative winter descriptions with positive, evocative words like 'prinkling' (the feeling of warming hands), 'yutori' (room to breathe), 'chibbly' (crisp with frost), and 'apricity' (the sun's warmth in winter). 6. **Keep Socialising:** Fitzgerald highlights the importance of social connection in winter, advising people to plan meet-ups and celebrations throughout the colder months to combat isolation, boost mood, and create anticipation. 7. **Have a Hygge Day:** She recommends creating a cozy home environment with blankets and candles, and hosting informal, obligation-free gatherings with friends to relax, connect, and recharge. 8. **Adapt Your Exercise Regime:** To counter the brain's tendency to become sedentary, she suggests modifying exercise (e.g., shorter walks, dance classes, strength training, yoga) rather than stopping altogether, emphasizing its role in boosting mood and regulating temperature. 9. **Embrace Slow Cooking:** Fitzgerald sees winter as an ideal time for mindful cooking of seasonal root vegetables and proteins, fostering a sense of absorption, confidence, and mental clarity. 10. **Rethink Your Holiday Plans:** She suggests taking main holidays in winter, or even micro-breaks and home retreats, to align with the season's natural energy for rest and a change of routine, which is beneficial for the brain.
