We should be used to it, those who live with such contrasting seasons closer to Earth’s poles. Yet even the most stoic among us can struggle when sunlight becomes scarce. Here are eight ways to fend off the seasonal slump, combining science-backed strategies and the ethos of coziness to keep your spirits bright until the first flowers blossom once more.
1. Soak up every ray
When the sun does come around, treat it like gold. Situate yourself by the sunniest window. Bundle up and eat your lunch outside. Open the curtains or shutters wide and soak it all in. When you’re outside, take off your sunglasses for half an hour or so, so your eyes take in the light as well. Even just brief exposure to natural light helps regulate one’s circadian rhythm and lifts one’s mood.
2. Try a light therapy lamp
For those especially gloomy weeks, a valgusravi lamp (light therapy lamp) can be really beneficial. Sit near it for twenty to thirty minutes each day to mimic sunlight and help rebalance your body’s internal clock.
3. A regular sleep schedule
Resist the urge to oversleep or nap excessively. Going to bed and waking up at consistent times trains your body to maintain a healthy rhythm, even when daylight is scarce. With the time change, you might need an enjoyable ritual to wake yourself up, like a hot shower, stretching in your back yard, or drinking a cappuccino with breakfast. Connect your alarm to a song, radio station, or CD that you consistently enjoy. When virtually six months of the year are dark and cold, you’ve got to find your ironclad reasons, big and small, to look forward to waking up each day.
4. Stay active
We should all be moving around throughout the day, no matter the season. Some even say this should be happening every half hour, which can be a real challenge when you’re busy. But all other benefits aside, movement is an effective antidepressant. You might go for a brisk walk in your local park before you start to work or walk to work if that’s possible. An evening swim at your local indoor pool (in major cities, a number of schools and community centres have affordable swimming) will get your blood flowing. Keep limber and flexible with a calisthenics and yoga session in your living room, with an instructional video playing to guide you along. If you can, take part in a winter sport like hockey, ice skating, or skiing (Eesti Elu even has a startup guide for cross-country skiing) to make the outdoors more inviting. All of this can release endorphins and combat the feeling of sluggishness.
Sometimes we feel guilty about spending time indoors during the summer… Well, now’s the time to make up for that.
5. Eat the “light”
According to research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, omega-3 fatty acids “may make an etiological contribution to mood disorders…” and “deficits in omega-3 fatty acids have been identified as a contributing factor to mood disorders.” Thus, flexing your inner Estonian with omega-packed foods like salmon, herring, and flaxseed could be worth exploring, along with a vitamin D supplement. Likewise, salmon and tuna are rich in vitamin D.
6. Keep warm inside
This is the season for hubasus (“coziness”), our own version of the Danish hygge. Light candles. Make special pots of tea. Bake your own kringel or piparkoogid and invite friends over for board games and a catch-up. If you’re musically inclined, learn some new songs you’ve been meaning to play. And to reference Nick Drake’s love song “Northern Sky,” you can “brighten your northern sky” indoors with a bit of LED lighting in key points of your home. The lights are very energy efficient and can boost the mood. No need to deprive ourselves of warmth outside of the Christmas season.
Sometimes we feel guilty about spending time indoors during the summer… Well, now’s the time to make up for that.
7. Screen glow
Blue light from phones and computers can cause eyestrain and trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. Dim screens in the evening, and if you’re a Mac and/or iPhone user, Night Shift settings throughout the day can make looking at your screens less harsh for your eyes.
8. Don’t fight it
Canadian and Estonian winters are long. However, they’re also part of what makes the return of light so special. Adjust to nature’s pace: slow down, rest, and find small rituals that make the dark months meaningful rather than a test of your endurance.
In the end, the lack of sunlight is inevitable, but the gloom doesn’t have to be. With a touch of hubasus, you can turn the darkest season into a joyful one.
