The beginning of February marks the middle of winter for the northern hemisphere. For many people, winter can a dreary and depressing time. Why is this the case? Are children also thus affected by winter, or is the sense of gloom limited to adults? Can anything be done to help those of us who feel discouraged during the winter months?
We did a little research into the above questions, and learned a few things which we will share with you. We learned that there are multiple reasons why winter can drag down our emotions, especially because of the reduced light and/or sunshine that people living in wintery climates experience. The combination of less daylight and colder outdoor temperatures also discourages people from getting fresh air and exercise (two other possible remedies for combating gloom). We learned that children are affected by these struggles in a similar way as adults are affected. We found many suggestions of things to do to combat the so-called "winter blues" including the idea of getting out of the house within 2 hours of waking up, and exercising (outside, if possible).
(Author's note: my teen son invited me to try this out, so this morning we got up a few minutes earlier than usual, threw on our coats, and briskly walked around the block before beginning our regular morning routine. It was an invigorating and sweet way to begin this dreary, gloomy winter day! We will do it again.)
Below you will find links to a few favorite articles we encountered in our research which address the above questions. We hope that the next time you experience mid-winter (whether right now or in a few months, depending on where in the world you live), you will find some of this information and these ideas helpful. Together, let us take steps to combat the gloomy feeling that winter can so easily invite in our own life and in the lives of our children!
If there were no tribulation, there would be no rest; if there were no winter, there would be no summer.
~ St. John Chrysostom
- Here is a resource that offers a quick overview of the difference between the Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Included in the graphic illustrations: who is susceptible to these seasonal changes in their well-being, where these struggles are the strongest, and ideas for how to help overcome them.
- Here are 8 great scientifically-backed ways to beat the Winter Blues.
- Find 30 simple ways to beat the Winter Blues in this collection of tweets.
- This article helps its readers to identify whether or not their child is suffering from Winter Blues and then offers a variety of really fun outdoor and indoor activities to help your child to combat them.
- This blog post offers 10 practical things to do to make your winter less "meh".
- This blog post was written to be used during the month of January. Although January is already over, this post is still useful because it contains so many fun and outside-the-box/outside-the-self ideas. (And we can tuck away the day-specific celebrations for NEXT January!)
- Here's a list of 16 indoor and outdoor activities for having fun with kids in the winter.
- This article offers more ideas of ways to help kids beat the Winter Blues.
- We need light!"The amount of daylight we get each day has a dramatic effect on our mood too. Without this daylight our body produces substances that make us feel lethargic and lacking in energy." Read about how to handle the lack of light in a winter atmosphere here.
- This article offers creative ideas for indoor activities to do with children during the winter.