5 Ways to Cope with the Mid-Winter Blues

It’s that time of the year again when we feel like winter is never ending and spring will not appear.  The hard part of winter is always that post-holiday slump.  This feeling is called the Mid-Winter Blues.  A lot of people have this type of feeling and it’s quite common.  I usually get this feeling in January or February every year.  Thus, I love to do a blog post about how to cope with the mid-winter blues each year.  Check out my previous years’ posts by clicking the following links:  2022, 2021, and 2019).

It’s a hard time of year when you get off the post-holiday happiness and into the dreaded and cold winter months.  Most of us don’t know how to deal with this type of feeling and start to feel sadder as the winter leads on.  Thus, I’ve compiled a list of how to cope with the Mid-Winter blues.  Without further ado, check out my post below on ways to cope with the mid-winter blues.

Early Spring Cleaning

There is no such thing as being too early.  So, if you’re having a hard time with the mid-winter blues then give yourself a home project.  And there is no better home project than tackling your Spring Cleaning a little bit earlier.  Starting your spring cleaning earlier can also help you break up the spring cleaning into smaller chunks.  For instance, if you have five rooms in your house that require spring cleaning then you can plan to tackle each room per week until spring starts.

Organizing an earlier spring-cleaning schedule also helps to have something to look forward to each week (or whatever schedule that you set).  You get an excited feeling when there is something to look forward to.  Plus, you’re tackling a huge home project in the meantime which relieves stress as well.

Exercise

This goes without saying but exercise is the biggest solution for a lot of things in life.  This also includes getting out of the funk of the mid-winter blues.  Exercising also helps with creating a happier feeling (although you may or may not like to exercise) and thus, people continue to exercise to get that happier feeling again.  Exercising releases a chemical called endorphin.  This endorphin (or endorphins) releases a positive feeling in your body thus, making you feel happy.  In return, exercising makes you feel happy thus, why people continue to exercise.

In addition, you don’t have to do extreme workouts for it to be considered an exercise routine.  For those people who don’t enjoy exercising or hate high-intensity/extreme workouts, try to do them consistently but also try to do low-intensity workouts such as yoga, brisk walking, etc.  Exercising doesn’t always mean moving your body in high-intensity workouts or lifting weights.  Anything that can keep your body moving for about thirty consistent minutes a day is good exercise – whether that’s a high or low-intensity workout.

Get Some Vitamin D

The best and easiest way to get over the mid-winter blues is to get some Vitamin D.  The best source of Vitamin D is our lovely sun.  Our bodies crave that Vitamin D especially from being outdoors in the sun.  Being stuck indoors all winter does not help with receiving that daily dose of Vitamin D. 

However, not everyone lives in a milder winter climate that can allow them to go outside and enjoy the fresh air and sun.  For those that do live in a milder winter climate area, it is recommended that you get some vitamin D by going outside.  For those that live in a colder climate area, try a Vitamin D lamp.  They mimic the sun’s sunlight which has proven to help with the mid-winter blues.

Make Plans

This tip is the easiest one yet- to make plans!  Having plans gets us excited for something to look forward to.  So, pick up your phone and text (or call) that one friend or favorite cousin that you have been meaning to hang out with for a while.  Making plans also help you reconnect with old friends or family members that you haven’t seen in a while.

Also, don’t feel like you must make big plans to go out to eat at some healthy restaurant.  You can make low-key plans like having dinner and a movie at your place or having a board game night.  Anything type of activity that you and your company enjoy works well.  As long as you both have something to look forward to instead of the long winter months.

Weekend Getaway

Saving the best tip for last!  Plan a quick weekend getaway with either your friends, family, or significant other.  This is another activity that will help you have something to look forward to.  Planning a getaway that is quick and easy will help you get out of that mid-winter funk.  Also, be open to exploring a small city or town within two-three hours away.  You can also plan a vacation to a mountainous area to have that final winter feel but in a different environment.

Also, short trips are manageable over a weekend, and you don’t even have to worry about spending vacation days.  A weekend getaway is the easier and most fun way to help cope with the mid-winter blues.  So, gather your people and plan that short trip that you have been meaning to do!

Overall, managing things to look forward to is the best way to cope with the mid-winter blues.  Whether that’s planning your spring cleaning earlier than usual or making plans with family/friends or planning a quick weekend getaway; any type of activity that you can look forward to helps with dealing with the end of the winter slump.

Lastly, I hope you my list of ways how to cope with the mid-winter blues.  Which one of these ideas was most beneficial to you?  Let me know in the comments below!

Much Love,