Healing the Winter Blues Naturally

Every winter I ask myself, “WHAT AM I DOING IN BOSTON?” There is a lot I love about Massachusetts, but winter is not on that list.
This was before my spiritual awakening. With each leap in sensitivity, I found it harder to deal with extreme weather during the adjustment period.

Here is what I’ve learned over many brutal winters:

1) Wake Up to Light
One of the most challenging parts of winter is the lack of sun. Waking up in the dark can leave me feeling out of it and wanting to crawl back into bed. The darkness encourages our bodies to make more melatonin, which in turn makes us sleepy. Turning on lights in the house, opening shades to let in natural light, or even 10-15 minutes near a happy lamp can help shut off the production of melatonin and ramp up the production of more energizing hormones such as dopamine and serotonin.

2) Eat Light Filled Foods
Being in the sun is an easy way to raise physical vibration. Are you sensitive to energies? Have you noticed how much better you feel in warm, sunny climates? One way to get a dose of sunshine during a harsh winter is to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. I snack on frozen tropical fruit all winter long. Frozen fruit is picked when ripe, so there is a lot of sunshine energy to transfer to you when you eat it.

3) Keep It Warm
One of my most miserable winters ever was when I lived in a poorly insulated, drafty apartment in Boston. It was outrageously expensive to heat. No matter what I set the thermostat to, the apartment always felt cold. I think I barely left the house that winter and I started to wonder if I had Seasonal Affective Disorder. As soon as I moved to a well-insulated place, I had a complete turnaround. When I purchased a house I made it a priority to have insulation and heating that were good for me and for the environment. My house is so warm and toasty in the winter that I sometimes look forward to getting outside to cool down. That’s a good feeling!

4) Bring On the Light
You know what is so wonderful about darkness? Light really shines against it. Each winter evening my house is aglow with candles and the light from our pellet stove. My neighbors leave fairy lights on their trees all winter long. Each evening the darkness comes, but the lights that dance across it create a feeling of beauty and warmth. This feeds my soul.

5) Flow With the Seasons
I used to force myself to get out and be with people during the winter months. It did make the winter months pass more enjoyably, but in some ways it felt forced and difficult. A native New Englander taught me how to flow with the seasons. I noticed that in the summers I was naturally more social and outgoing. I also felt like working less. During the winter, I enjoyed more alone time and being home a lot. I also liked starting new classes and learning, and I didn’t mind working more. This winter, I am planning on taking a couple of courses to expand my spiritual knowledge. Some of them are on-line, and one is in a warmer climate and I will gladly attend in person. I like having something to look forward to during the warm months, and I let myself off the hook for wanting to socialize less.

6) Build a Sense of Community
It may be cold, wet, and dark outside, but if you are in a warm, light filled room with people you love, the atmosphere becomes cozy. During my spiritual awakening, I was less inclined to be with other people. The natural isolation that winter brings didn’t feel right to me, though. I built a community of on-line friends that were having similar experiences. It made such a difference to feel a connection to others. It can be challenging for a lightworker / empath / sensitive to make meaningful connections. But the internet has made the world smaller, and it is so much easier to find one another now.

I hope these ideas help! What are all of you doing to make winter enjoyable this year?