Why Everything Feels So Much Harder In Winter & Getting Around It

I thought I'd dodged the winter blues this year as they usually arrive at the beginning of November but the past week they crept in big time. Which sucked obviously, no-one enjoys feeling like they can barely get themselves out of bed in a morning because it's so dark and cold and they've got a to-do list that is longer than them. And in general, everything feels so much more difficult in winter, infact somedays it feels impossible. For some they love the season, it fills them with festive joy but many like myself dread the cooler months. There are a few things that can lead to that feeling as well as a few fail-safe ways to make the next few months a little easier on your mind.

THE DARK

For many, they can deal with the ice cold weather but the dark is what really gets to them. And it's something that I really struggle with, I'm a big morning person and getting up so early means I'm awake in the darkness and then only getting about 8 hours of light if we're lucky lately it feels like it's been getting dark at around 1pm some days. I mean, obviously we're fortunate that we're not in Alaska and only getting 4 hours but it can be still a tough change from the warmer months. There really is no way to get around the dark, and I truly feel for those who work in an office setting as they leave in the dark and then get home in the dark. If you don't get outside at some point you essentially never see daylight which is so hard on the mind and body. We need Vitamin D, it's essential for humans and it's all too easy to lack in it during A/W. So often SAD is laughed about like it's not something serious but it can be so difficult to deal with.

WAYS TO DEAL WITH IT

Like I said, there is no easy way to deal with the lack of sunlight but here are some of the things I find useful;

Daylight bulbs or a possible light box.
Getting out when possible. For people who work in an office setting maybe getting out for lunch, I used to this when I worked in retail and it worked a treat.
Finding something about the colder season that you do enjoy, for me it's the colours.
Talk to people, chances are they might feel the same way as you.

THE COLD

I am a summer girl, I love being warm and the closer I am to sweating the better. I don't like the cold, I hate needing to wear a billion and one layers to stay warm and this A/W feels particularly cold. In fact, it snowed in November and I don't remember the last time that happened so it's safe to say the end of December into January and February are more than likely going to be rough. And unless you can afford to have the heating on all the time or never leave the house, which let's face it is not an option you have to find a way to handle it. And it's not just the cold temperature that is hard to deal with, it's the brisk wind and then icy rain and in combination together it can be pretty rough.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Some would probably scoff at the fact people in the UK think it's cold. But, hey, it's all we know and here is how I make sure I try and stay as warm as possible;

Dress appropriately, winter is not the time for bare legs and you can still be stylish whilst keeping warm.
Wrap up at home, heating bills are costly and walking around in a t-shirt like it's the middle of summer isn't going to be something that you can do. Making sure you're still dressed appropriately even indoors is key.
Invest in a good pair of gloves, scarf and coat.
Thermals are you new best friend.

THE STRESS

As lovely as the festive period can be it can also be incredibly stressful and it's not something that is spoken about enough. Between the financial stress, the worry of being able to fit everything into your schedule, tax return season [if you're self-employed] as well as handling it when you're not feeling too hot mentally can be incredibly draining. And the festive season can also be an incredibly sad time of year for many, but there is a tonne of pressure to feel happy which isn't always possible.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Take time out whenever possible.
Plan, plan and plan some more and allow wiggle room.
Be kind to yourself, don't beat yourself up for not being able to do everything.
Try and get as much sleep and rest as you possibly can.
Don't be afraid to say no, you're not a robot and can't feasibly do everything.
And never apologise for lacking in festive cheer.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHARE

Like I said, there is a lot of pressure on people to be incredibly happy around the festive period and in winter. My social media feeds are always full of people either of happiness, so excited that it's nearly Christmas or others are a little more subdued and quiet on the subject which is usually me. And it seems that the world is always so quick to judge people who don't enjoy the season, the word Scrooge gets thrown around way too much. Which in turn can be so dangerous for people out there who are really struggling and feel like they can't speak out. Everybody should feel like they're able to share how they're feeling regardless of whether it's the popular option or not.