Stephanie Fitzgerald, a licensed clinical psychologist, previously dreaded the winter season. Like many, she managed by staying busy at work and hibernating at home, counting the days until the cold, dark season ended. However, this strategy didn’t lead to her happiness. Thus, she delved into the science that could assist her in embracing winter months instead of fleeing from them. In her subsequent book, The Gifts of Winter, she states: “I fell deeply in love with winter … It is a mesmerizing and genuinely stunning season.”
What led to her mindset shift – and can the 42% of us who claim summer as our favorite season also learn to appreciate winter?
1. Address seasonal affective disorder
“I understand what it feels like to not enjoy this season and feel like you’re losing control,” Fitzgerald mentions. Mild winter blues are typical, but seasonal affective disorder is “far beyond that – it’s all-encompassing.” It can develop at any stage of life. “As a neuropsychologist, it’s quite embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t realize I had SAD,” she explains. “I hadn’t faced any issues with winter until my mid-20s, but each year, it became increasingly challenging. Eventually, as soon as the summer solstice passed, I began to feel anxious, thinking: the darkness is approaching, my mood is going to shift.”
She believes the terminology diminishes the condition and makes individuals less likely to seek assistance: “I didn’t feel ‘sad’, I felt utterly terrible.” After investigating the issue, Fitzgerald now manages her symptoms each year from October to April by utilizing a SAD lamp for no less than 60 minutes every morning, employing a sunrise/sunset alarm clock, taking vitamin D, maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and ensuring ample sleep. In her book, she observes: “I feel more balanced, stronger, better equipped to cope, less emotional, and overall lighter.” She recommends consulting a healthcare provider if you, too, are experiencing winter-related depression.
2. Modify your daily routine
“Even after managing my SAD, I realized I was not engaging with winter properly,” Fitzgerald recalls. “I jumped into it with my summer diet and exercise regime; I hadn’t made room for it. So I began to consider living more in tune with the seasons.” One significant change she implemented was going to bed an hour earlier, incrementally by 15 minutes. “As life becomes busier, the tendency is to extend our nights – this phenomenon is known as ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’. I then wondered why I felt so drained. Now I focus on what I gain from going to bed versus what I forgo: rest and energy versus TikTok and doomscrolling. In the summer, I stay up later, but I truly need that extra rest during winter.” While maintaining consistency is crucial for sleep hygiene daily, she notes that a slight seasonal variation aligns with nature’s cycles.
3. Reimagine the calendar
In Fitzgerald’s view, New Year’s Day isn’t on 1 January; it occurs on 1 April. She segments the year into approximately April to June (spring), July to September (summer), October to December (autumn), and January to March (winter). Fitzgerald resides in Warwickshire, UK; a parallel new year in the southern hemisphere would be 1 October.
“My primary advice is: avoid merging autumn and winter into one massive monotonous chunk,” she states. “Post-October, people tend to think: ‘I despise winter.’ However, the winter solstice isn’t until around 21 or 22 December. Winter has hardly begun by Christmas and New Year, and then we yearn for spring. We’re essentially setting ourselves up for disappointment.”
She notes that everyone enjoys autumn for its stunning foliage, yet it is often the wettest, muddiest season. So while the unfortunate truth is that winter has not even commenced yet, there’s also positive news. “There’s an abundance of beauty and delight in winter. January and February are generally quite dry, and March serves as a lovely transitional month.”
If you consider the solstice as winter’s first day, she points out that each day brings more light. She writes: “Contrary to the associations with darkness, winter bestows a gentle radiance that gradually intensifies throughout the season until it highlights the onset of spring.”
For Fitzgerald, the period from January to March represents a “planning, restorative, reflective” phase of the year. “People initiate their new year resolutions on 1 January, yet seasonally, everything is signaling ‘rest’. A majority of resolutions fail by the third week of January. We are more likely to succeed if we align with the seasons.” By April, she asserts, “We have all the daylight and warmth to spring into action.”
4. Exit survival mode
This doesn’t imply that winter is merely a season to endure. “The narrative surrounding winter focuses on how to survive, grit your teeth, and get through it. I used to completely shut myself off from winter. I spent no time engaging with it at all,” Fitzgerald admits. “The year I chose to engage with winter, to genuinely explore it, my mood improved. I uncovered numerous gifts that I had previously overlooked. I witnessed unbelievable sunrises and sunsets; bare trees at their finest; buds and leaves emerging, eager for spring.” She acknowledges that this transformation was somewhat imposed upon her; she was caring for her father-in-law’s dog while he was hospitalized. However, she relished those winter walks so much that she now has two dogs of her own.
5. Employ positive language
“Terms people use to express winter include ‘bleak’, ‘dark’, ‘barren’, ‘cold’, ‘miserable’, ‘depressing’ … It’s unrealistic to expect to maintain this language and savor the pleasures of winter,” asserts Fitzgerald. “I felt it was crucial to present individuals with a different vocabulary around winter. For instance, ‘prinkling’ describes the sensation when you’ve been outside in the cold and your hands and feet begin to warm.” She believes the essence of the season is captured by “‘yutori’, a Japanese term that signifies room to breathe, a feeling of space, taking a moment to pause.” Her book features many more delightful terms that encapsulate the distinct joys of winter, such as “chibbly”: something that is crisp or crackling from frost. After reading it, I found myself quietly uttering “apricity” on beautiful blue-sky days – a word that denotes the sun’s warmth in winter. As Fitzgerald writes, “Experiencing the sun unexpectedly warming your bones on a winter’s day is a new level of happiness.”
6. Maintain social connections
“Winter is a wonderful time for a mental health assessment. There are fewer distractions than in summer, and it serves as a gentle reminder that constant busyness isn’t necessary,” Fitzgerald notes. Simultaneously, humans don’t hibernate like bears, no matter how much we might wish for it, and we need things to look forward to. She observes that countless individuals postpone significant plans until Easter, leaving their calendars empty for up to four months. “You cannot maintain an empty calendar and expect your heart to feel full! Traditionally, winter is a period for connecting with the community, sharing stories, and enjoying camaraderie with friends.” She emphasizes that socializing is vital if you experience low spirits during winter, as your brain craves oxytocin that arises from closeness and physical interaction.
Fitzgerald intentionally schedules gatherings from January through March, whether it’s having tea with friends or attending comedy shows, and observes occasions like the lunar new year and Valentine’s Day (even as a single person). “Opting for celebrations during winter ensures we feel more fulfilled. Each day holds greater significance,” she expresses. “Winter may seem empty, but only if we allow it to.” She adds that winter is ideal for ambiverts – likely the majority of us – who exist somewhere between introversion and extroversion. There is time to go out and celebrate, and time to stay cozy at home.
7. Enjoy a hygge day
In this vein, Fitzgerald “transforms the ambiance” of her home during winter by pulling out blankets, lighting candles, and playing soft, soothing music. She places her wellies by the entrance, and hangs up her warm coat, hat, and scarf. A similar five-minute effort, she notes, can set you up for the upcoming months. She writes: “It serves as a valuable signal for our brains to slow down, reflect, reconsider, and adjust to the season.”
Properly prepared, Fitzgerald hosts what she now terms a hygge day in the lead-up to Christmas, or in the calm between Christmas and New Year. “I created these days in my 20s, even before I learned of hygge [the Danish concept of coziness, conviviality, and contentment],” she explains. “The holiday season can be stressful, and I wanted an atmosphere where my friends and I could unwind without obligations or expectations. A few friends gather to watch movies, cook, eat, read, chat, or sleep – whatever strikes their fancy. Since then, I’ve supported people through various life stages, from infancy to dealing with health challenges.” Guests arrive in their coziest attire, even pajamas, and take what they need from the day. One friend sought adult company while breastfeeding; another brought gifts to wrap away from her children; a third enjoyed peaceful sleep after navigating a challenging year.
8. Modify your exercise routine
During winter, 61% of individuals in Britain cease exercising entirely, notes Fitzgerald. This is not merely due to laziness, or solely the cold and darkness – it is also affected by the amygdala, a section of the brain. Fitzgerald refers to this as “the alarm system of the brain”. When under stress, it can dominate our decision-making, a state identified as “amygdala hijack”. She writes: “Your amygdala doesn’t have much regard for your future self; it focuses solely on immediate gratification. Although going for a run may be beneficial for your future self, the amygdala will argue that settling down on the sofa with some chocolate and binge-watching a series will feel better right now.”
Ironically, one efficient method to calm the amygdala is through exercise, yet the typical Brit spends 42% more time being inactive during winter—an extra six hours each day. “Maintaining exercise is crucial for your mood, particularly if you suffer from the winter blues,” Fitzgerald states. “Your brain craves endorphins, and movement also assists in temperature regulation.”
This situation appears paradoxical. How can we override our brains? “I firmly believe in making seasonal adjustments as well,” she adds. For example, if you can’t muster the energy for a run, a 20-minute walk can still diminish cortisol, leading to a more optimistic outlook. If darkness serves as a hurdle, she suggests walking with someone or joining a dance class. Replacing cardio with strength training will “enhance mental agility and executive functioning, aiding in planning, organization, and decision-making,” while yoga can “lessen stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.” “Even simple daily stretches offer benefits – you can perform them in bed if desired,” she mentions.
Whatever form of exercise you opt for, it will also enhance your sleep quality. “It’s imperative that we don’t perceive winter as an excuse to stop.”
9. Welcome slow cooking
Winter is Fitzgerald’s preferred season for cooking. She maintains that if we tune into our bodies, they desire seasonal foods. In British winters, this consists of protein and root vegetables, perfect for soups, stews, and curries. “Winter meals invite us to slow down and truly savor our food. They require time to prepare and cook, gradually building flavors and incorporating warming spices,” she explains. This benefits our minds in addition to our bodies. She states: “Cooking can engage us mindfully, and we feel better as a consequence. Research indicates that cooking enhances our confidence and self-esteem and promotes improved mental clarity and focus.”
10. Reevaluating your holiday plans
“I’ve begun taking my main vacation during winter, not in summer. I’ve always found it perplexing that when the weather is likely to be pleasant in the UK, we travel elsewhere,” states Fitzgerald. “Winter presents a natural opportunity in our seasonal energy for a break. I was also quite surprised by how much less expensive it is.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean flying long distances to follow the sun, or indeed traveling at all. “Just taking time off to relax at home – what a perfect opportunity to avoid commuting, and experience a change in routine,” she states. If you’re bound by school holiday schedules, even a small getaway can prove beneficial. “Just taking a half-day off work, if that’s feasible, can be incredibly restorative.”
She recommends spending a morning off engaging in a mini winter retreat. Go for a walk, catch a movie, dance to your favorite tracks, or read a book – anything enjoyable that isn’t household chores or life administrative tasks, and provides a break from your routine. “It’s beneficial for our minds to enter retreat mode through physically altering our activities,” she mentions.
The Gifts of Winter: How to Uncover Seasonal Joy, Health and Happiness by Stephanie Fitzgerald (Penguin, £16.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Four additional books to alter your perspective on winter
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
A contemplation on the unproductive phases of life.
Winter: The Story of a Season by Val McDermid
A heartwarming memoir spanning Edinburgh to the Fife coast.
The Light in the Dark: A Winter Journal by Horatio Clare
A journal that reveals the restorative power of nature.
Winter’s Song by Angela Harding
Wintry illustrations and reflections by the artist and printmaker.
