Daylight saving time—a prominent villain in our sleep story—has ended, and now we are faced with “falling back.” With the arrival of shorter days, many people experience “winter blues,” which may appear as low energy, less socializing, difficulty concentrating, and generally feeling down.
Thanks to early sunsets, it can be dark by 5:00 p.m., which can make our internal clocks go into a tailspin. To help us cope with losing daylight, we tapped Dr. Elisabeth Crain, a psychotherapist and expert in behavioral psychology.
Below, she shares her top five tips for coping with the time change.
1. Prepare ahead of time.
“When considering seasonal behavior, it’s important to observe animals in nature and how they deal with the changing seasons,” Dr. Crain says. (Stay with us here. Animals naturally prepare for them. Just think of a bear hibernating in the winter.)
“Humans are highly evolved animals that live in four different seasons, each of which provides different things. Focusing on the things we love about the season can help ease the transition. It’s not as jarring and doesn’t catch us off guard,” Dr. Crain says.
“For example, fall is the time for pumpkin spice lattes, cashmere and wool sweaters, and the changing colors in the leaves. There is excitement in all of those things. When we create anticipation around the season, we can better prepare for the time change and embrace the things we love about it.”
2. Bring in the senses.
“When getting ready for the winter ahead, think about what sensory elements you can bring into your space. Maybe it’s soft blankets, cozy socks, or candles with yummy scents like pine or pumpkin,” Dr. Crain says.
Go buy cozy things? You don’t need to tell us twice. We also love the idea of taking a nice warm bath before slipping into all the coziness.
“The smell of a fireplace, the lights on a Christmas tree—these are all things that engage our senses. As part of your ‘winter survival toolbox,’ try activating all five senses to better support your mental health,” she suggests.
3. Lean into the nostalgia.
“Think back to your childhood and the things you loved about the new seasons—pumpkin carving, decorating your Christmas tree, lighting fires, or making hot cocoa. Those nourishing and comforting memories can be another helpful tool,” Dr. Crain says.
4. Know that seasons come and go.
“Remember that seasons come and go, and each season—just like life itself—presents change,” Dr. Crain says. “When we can maximize the things we like about each season, we can better transition to the time change and mitigate the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).”
“If you don’t like the season, know it will be gone and replaced by another soon enough,” she says.
5. Take inventory.
“We can look at the upcoming months of less sunshine as an opportunity to go inward, to be more pensive, to become more insular, and to practice self-care and reflection,” Dr. Crain says. “So much of our health is a psychosomatic response, so do an inventory of your self-care routine and see if it feels like enough. Are you moving around during your day, going for walks, and getting out in nature? Tap into your body and be present in your body. When we take care of ourselves, we show up better for others.”
The colder, shorter days are tough, but incorporating these tips can help you navigate the end of daylight saving time. Embrace that extra hour of sleep, enjoy the earlier sunsets, and go buy that cozy cashmere blanket!