As the temperatures drop and days shorten, the seasonal shift from bright, lively days to darker, quieter ones affects our bodies, minds, and even social rhythms. 

While we might chalk up winter woes to the cold temperatures or the holiday rush, the distress we sometimes feel during this season is often physiological. Our brains experience seasonal changes, just like the rest of our bodies. These changes, influenced largely by light and daylength, can affect mood, energy, and stress levels.1

This winter season, understanding the unique stressors that come with it – from disruptions in serotonin production to more sedentary habits – can be the first step to effectively managing its impact. 

Why does winter feel so stressful?

Several factors contribute to this seasonal stress:

  • Changes in daylight patterns. During winter, shorter days and less sunlight throw off the body's circadian rhythms and reduce serotonin levels.1 This disruption can lead to increased stress and mood issues.
  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Often called the "winter blues," SAD is related to common hormonal changes that happen in winter, like excess melatonin and less serotonin, as well as vitamin D deficiency.2 Even if you don't have SAD yourself, seeing a loved one struggle with mental health through the season can be its own stressor.
  • Less physical activity. Nobody wants to go for a run when it’s freezing outside. Studies show that physical activity significantly decreases in the winter, while sedentary behavior – like online shopping and post-holiday naps – spikes.3,4 While it's fine to rest, too much sitting is linked to higher stress reactivity.5
  • Holiday pressures. Winter holidays – which include Christmas, Hannukah, New Years, Kwanzaa, and others – are supposed to be marked with joy, but the reality can be quite different. Almost 40% of people report higher stress levels during the holidays because of financial strain, family gatherings, and the pressure to create the perfect celebration.6
  • Loneliness. People often feel lonelier in winter due to a mix of environmental and psychological factors. Disrupted circadian rhythms and reduced serotonin can produce moods that make hanging out with loved ones feel harder or less rewarding. Plus, there’s the social hibernation effect – with people staying indoors, casual interactions and spontaneous meetups all but disappear.

Tips for tackling winter stress

Winter’s unique stressors can feel heavy, but there are simple, effective ways to manage them. Here are experts' top stress relief tips for winter.

1. Get your daily dose of sunlight (or light therapy)

It's great if you can bundle up and spend time outdoors every day in the winter, even if it’s cloudy. But if this isn't possible, bring the sun indoors with bright light therapy.

A 10,000-lux light therapy box (sometimes known as a SAD lamp) can act as a mood booster by mimicking sunlight and enhancing serotonin production.2,7 Use it for 30-45 minutes every morning to regulate your circadian rhythms and trick your brain into thinking it's a sunny spring day.2

2. Get moving

Physical activity is one of the best ways to combat stress at any time of year. Exercise releases endorphins, your brain’s feel-good chemicals, which can elevate your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety.

Sometimes you need to be a bit more creative to move your body in the winter. One of the best options for stress relief is yoga, which combines movement with deep breathing for a holistic approach.8 But the best exercise is one you'll enjoy, so ditch the gym membership if you'd rather take dance classes or join a team sport.

And if walking is your thing, don't let the cold or snow hold you back. A stroll through the park can trigger a physiological relaxation effect just as well in winter as in spring.9

3. Prioritize sleep

With shorter days and longer nights, your sleep schedule can go haywire in winter. People with SAD have more REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and shorter REM latency (the time it takes to enter REM sleep) than those without SAD.10 These sleep dysregulations are often linked to mood changes, depression, and fatigue.10

While the temptation to hibernate is strong, oversleeping can exacerbate feelings of lethargy and moodiness. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and avoid the temptation to snooze for too long on weekends. Practicing good sleep hygiene – like dimming lights and keeping away from blue screens before bed – can help you regulate your circadian rhythms.

4. Manage your holiday expectations with mindfulness

For many, the winter holidays are the perfect time to reconnect with a deeper sense of meaning and spirituality – a key domain of health. But holiday stress can arise from high self-imposed expectations, whether through gift giving, event planning, or maintaining family traditions to a tee. These perfectionistic tendences can increase cortisol – the body's stress hormone – and lead to stress dysregulation.11

Practicing mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and focused breathing, can help reduce cortisol and keep you grounded in the midst of holiday busyness.12 Even just a few minutes of intentional mindfulness practice a day can promote calm, helping you respond more smoothly to holiday demands.

Mindfulness also supports healthier coping by encouraging you to pay attention to the present.12 Instead of ruminating on whether or not someone liked your gift or how to be the perfect host when guests arrive for the holidays, try to focus on enjoying each moment as it comes. Taking a mindful approach to the holiday season allows you to look beyond the demands and reflect on its more profound significance – like the values of compassion, unity, and faith that bring people together.

5. Eat for stress resilience

Winter holidays often lead to indulgent eating: think sugar cookies, rich casseroles, and holiday cocktails. The promise of "starting fresh" in the new year can make it easier to give healthy habits a temporary pass.13

While it’s fine to indulge occasionally, sticking to a balanced diet can help manage stress levels. A diet high in fiber (think veggies, fruits, beans, and whole grains) can reduce inflammation in the brain and make you more resilient to stress.14 Certain nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids from fish, can help reduce stress by lowering inflammation and cortisol levels while enhancing cellular repair responses.14,15

If you live in a region with long, dark winters, talk to your health-care provider about taking a vitamin D supplement to boost your mood and keep your stress response healthy.16

6. Stay connected

Humans are social creatures, and isolation during the colder months can be a chronic stressor. Loneliness is linked with increased cortisol levels, inflammation, and mental health challenges.17

Surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family can significantly buffer against winter stress. If in-person gatherings aren't possible, connect with loved ones via phone calls, video chats, or even writing letters. You can also explore local groups or online communities that align with your hobbies or interests.

Depending on where you live, winter may seem like an endless stretch of cold, gray days, but with a little effort, you can thrive rather than just survive. Small, intentional changes – like getting outside, staying active, prioritizing sleep, and connecting with others – can turn even the shortest days into an opportunity for resilience and well-being.

A word from Thorne

Thorne offers a variety of stress support supplements to help you cope during the winter holiday season. And as sunlight becomes harder to come by, so does your body’s capacity to make vitamin D. Thorne offers a variety of vitamin D products to support your body’s increased need for vitamin D during the winter months.

References

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  2. Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder. [Accessed Oct. 24, 2024]
  3. Ferguson T, Curtis R, Fraysse F, et al. Annual, seasonal, cultural and vacation patterns in sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1384.
  4. Garriga A, Sempere-Rubio N, Molina-Prados MJ, Faubel R. Impact of seasonality on physical activity: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;19(1):2. 
  5. Chauntry AJ, Bishop NC, Hamer M, et al. Sedentary behaviour is associated with heightened cardiovascular, inflammatory and cortisol reactivity to acute psychological stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2022;141:105756.
  6. Even a joyous holiday season can cause stress for most Americans. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stress. [Accessed Oct. 24, 2024]
  7. Chen ZW, Zhang XF, Tu ZM. Treatment measures for seasonal affective disorder: A network meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2024;350:531-536. 
  8. Mind and body approaches for stress and anxiety: What the science says. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/mind-and-body-approaches-for-stress-science. [Accessed Oct. 24, 2024] 
  9. Yao W, Zhang X, Gong Q. The effect of exposure to the natural environment on stress reduction: A meta-analysis. Urban For Urban Green 2021;547.
  10. Bertrand L, d'Ortho MP, Reynaud E, et al. Polysomnography in seasonal affective disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2021;292:405-415.
  11. Suh H, Liou PY, Jeong J, Kim SY. Perfectionism, prolonged stress reactivity, and depression: A two-wave cross-lagged analysis. J Ration Emot Cogn Behav Ther. 2022:1-5.
  12. Rogerson O, Wilding S, Prudenzi A, O'Connor DB. Effectiveness of stress management interventions to change cortisol levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2024;159:106415.
  13. Abdulan IM, Popescu G, Maștaleru A, et al. Winter holidays and their impact on eating behavior-a systematic review. Nutrients. 2023;15(19):4201.
  14. Naidoo U. Eat to beat stress. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2020;15(1):39-42.
  15. Madison AA, Belury MA, Andridge R, et al. Omega-3 supplementation and stress reactivity of cellular aging biomarkers: An ancillary substudy of a randomized, controlled trial in midlife adults. Mol Psychiatry. 2021;26(7):3034-3042.
  16. Hansen AL, Ambroziak G, Thornton D, et al. Vitamin D supplementation during winter: Effects on stress resilience in a randomized control trial. Nutrients. 2020 Oct 24;12(11):3258.
  17. Ahmed M, Cerda I, Maloof M. Breaking the vicious cycle: The interplay between loneliness, metabolic illness, and mental health. Front Psychiatry. 2023;14:1134865.