Winter is coming…

Technically it’s already here but I tend to be in denial until after Halloween.

There is something quite romantic about winter, the thought of cosying up, the dark, warm clothes and layers… ooh and hot chocolate, which I am guzzling by the bucket load right now!

BUT

And it’s a big but, it’s also a major transition in our lives, especially if you live in Scotland, it can feel like we go from all the daylight to virtually none in the blink of an eye and I personally have spent most of my life struggling with that.

Many moons ago I accepted that SAD (seasonally affected depression) is just something I get and I spent most of the year dreading the winter, knowing I wasn’t going to feel “like myself” for a few months.

Last year, I realised that part of my issue was resisting my intuitive call to slow down. The reality is winter IS a time of less sun and colder weather and in nature, everything dies off because it’s not possible to flourish during this time. Our incredibly smart mama nature hibernates and banks up all those resources ready for spring. When I started paying attention to this glaringly obvious fact I realised that my biggest issue wasn’t the winter- it was the hamster wheel nature of my life - the expectation of me both culturally and personally to be able to keep going at the same pace, to keep hustling and pushing and fighting against that voice that was telling me to SLOW DOWN!!

Now you might be reading this and thinking “yep sounds good, we’d all love to hibernate in winter Lynz but HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??” and you’re right, it’s not. It’d be amazing if we lived in a world that truly honoured the seasons, one where we all slowed down and took stock in the winter but we don’t, so how do we then honour ourselves and what we really need?

The world has changed to be switched on 24/7 but our biology hasn’t and so it’s no wonder so many of us are exhausted at this time of year and that in turn we end up feeling depressed, anxious and generally just in a low mood. I hate to mention it but it’s at this point we have to throw in Christmas and the extra load that bears on our mental health. The overly commercialised nature of this holiday has us all thinking we should be spending the day like a hallmark card, full of perfection… but the reality is it often feels contrived and forced and then of course there’s the memory of the loved ones lost and not being able to be with the people we love or the comparison of your version of Christmas to the ridiculously curated squares on our favourite social media app…

It makes sense right? That we’d struggle because we are struggling, struggling against our natural instinct and connection with mama nature…

So what can we do? How can we support ourselves when it’s not possible to wrap up in a blanket and snooze until the sun comes back?

Firstly we have to surrender to the fact that things need to slow down, and that doing these things isn’t so that we can do more but so that we can replenish ourselves in preparation for the spring.

Secondly, these are the things I have found to be useful and I have built these habits up over a number of years, looking at it now might seem overwhelming, remember the idea is to find what works for you and your life and to build habits up slowly over time so that they are sustainable for you.

Daylight lamp*

Ideally, at this time of year, we want to sleep more, naturally, we’d like to go to sleep and get up when the sunsets and rises, it helps regulate our circadian rhythm BUT when that’s not possible a daylight lamp is something I’d never go without now and you can get many versions to suit many budgets.
I’d recommend using it at night as well as in the morning, get into bed with a good book and preset it for the length of time you’d like to read for, it’ll then gradually go from light to dark, helping you to wind down and signalling to your brain that it’s time for sleep. Then in the morning, it’ll come back on gradually around 10-20 minutes before your alarm- like the sunrise- signalling to your brain that it’s time to get up. The amazing thing is that those signals mean you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day and are less likely to want to snooze even if it is dark or overcast outside!

Tea

I swear by herbal tea. I use a special blend that is made bespoke for me by Lucie Bradley but she also has some in her shop you can buy or you can get various blends in the supermarket.

Sleepy herbs, similar to your lamp, help let your body know it’s time to wind down, regulate your central nervous system and prepare you for not only falling asleep but getting good quality sleep too.

Herbal Medicine

Leading nicely from tea into herbal medicine and supplements. I am NOT an expert on this, I work very closely with Lucie, so please do seek her or another professional out for more information.

The reason it works is because most of us struggle due to stress and external factors, herbal medicine and supplements help balance you, your hormones and your central nervous system, meaning you have more resources and are much more resilient to external stressors. It needs to be bespoke to you. Before working with Lucie I had a cupboard full of supplements I barely used. You need to work out what you are deficient in and what will be supportive of your life and honestly, this work changed everything for me, so I’d highly recommend it. I like to prepare for colds and flu season, by using Lucie’s Winter Readiness box, particularly the cold and flu tincture and the throat gargle which are lifesavers when you inevitably pick up winter bugs!

Boundaries

This is a biggie!
Boundaries with work = less stress,
Boundaries with your phone = less stress and less overconsumption of info/comparison etc,
Boundaries with your friends and family = more time to nurture and look after yourself.
All of that = more resilience and less overwhelm which can really help when the world already feels energetically heavy - like in winter.

This is probably the most challenging task. I highly recommend the book “Set Boundaries and Find Peace” it’ll change your life, especially if you find yourself saying yes to others and no to yourself or often feeling resentful, burnt out and in need of an escape - boundaries are your friend.

Get Outside

Try to get outside in the daylight for 20 minutes a day, even if it's raining, even if it’s grey, you’ll still get the benefits that daylight brings us, which will help with mood, sleep and even managing stress.
Noone's expecting you to go full-blown barefoot in a forest, but just a little time outdoors or you can just sit near a window or gaze at some greenery and it’ll give you even 1% of that much-needed energy.

Limit caffeine

Try your best to limit caffeine intake to one cup per day and before 11am. Too much caffeine plays havoc with your endocrine system and can leave you feeling burnt out - not what you need when it comes to winter mood and experience.

It’ll be hard at first as if you drink a lot of caffeine, you'll likely have become quite addicted to it but over time you’ll feel the benefits. Opt for herbal tea instead or even a hot chocolate and bank up that extra magnesium!

*you should always check with your doctor if you feel that there may be a reason why you shouldn’t use a SAD/Daylight lamp