Maybe you’ve been feeling uncharacteristically lethargic in the weeks since the clocks went back an hour for daylight savings. Maybe you’ve suddenly started feeling apathetic about your piling schoolwork as you approach the end of the semester. Maybe you’ve found yourself trading your usual upbeat playlists for more melancholy music. Maybe you just haven’t been feeling like yourself.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The rapid change to 4:30 p.m. sunsets and frigid New York City winds can take a toll on mood and energy levels, triggering what’s often dubbed the “winter blues.” In this guide, I’ll cover coping mechanisms, tips, and off-campus activities to help you get through to spring.
Reach out for help
In some people, seasonal changes can have a more drastic effect on feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, leading to depressive symptoms like social withdrawal, oversleeping, decreased energy, and feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, sadness, and disinterest. If you’ve been experiencing more serious symptoms, the first action step is to consult a mental health professional.
At The New School, you can schedule a free in-person or virtual appointment with a licensed counselor through Student Health Services. The counselor will help you put together a treatment plan and, if necessary, can recommend off-campus treatment options.
In addition to one-on-one counseling, Student Health Services offers psychiatric services, therapeutic groups, mindfulness sessions, and alternative treatments like acupuncture. On the school’s Student Health Services page on mental health, you can find more detailed information and a comprehensive list of health and wellness resources for students.
Revitalize with Vitamin D
One of the main culprits contributing to seasonal blues, especially in New York City, is decreased sunlight exposure. The sun provides us with a natural energy source in the form of vitamin D, an essential nutrient associated with bone health that has also been found to combat fatigue. With busy class schedules and early sunsets, it can be difficult to dedicate enough time to soaking up the sun this time of year, but there are other ways to meet your body’s needs.
One simple way to increase vitamin D intake is through dietary adjustments. Just a few blocks from campus, at the Union Square Greenmarket, students can support local farmers and vendors by filling their bags with fresh, nutrient-rich produce. Operating year-round, the farmer’s market is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. While you’re there, look for foods that act as natural sources of vitamin D, like mushrooms, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, fruits like pumpkin, squash, and melons, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines.
During the winter, New York City only gets a few hours of peak sunlight, generally in the late morning and early afternoon. If your schedule permits it, this is a great time to go for a walk around the neighborhood or meet up with friends at the park. If classes, work, or study sessions make it impossible to get outdoors, you can try artificial light therapy to supplement the missing exposure.
While light therapy has been shown to make a positive impact on circadian rhythm, improving sleep and mood with proper use, light boxes are not a regulated product. As a general rule of thumb, a light box should have an illuminance of 10,000 lux and contain a UV filter to minimize exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. For those interested in light therapy, the Center for Environmental Therapeutics, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching environmental therapies, provides guidance for discerning and selecting an effective device.
Get Active
As annoying as it may be to hear, increasing physical activity can boost your energy levels and improve your mood, helping to alleviate common symptoms of seasonal blues.
With temperatures dropping and final exam season approaching, it can be hard to find the motivation to get outside, but exercise doesn’t always have to be a chore. Simply increasing the amount you walk each day can make a tangible impact on how you feel; a daily dose of fresh air and a change of scenery is one of nature’s best medicines.
To make your walk more appealing, make it into a social activity. When you’re struggling, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of self-isolation, but spending time with loved ones is essential when trying to pull yourself out of a funk. Grab your friend, bundle up in cozy winter attire, and pick up a hot beverage to warm your body as you move.
Tired of walking the same routes through Union Square or Washington Square Park? Venture downtown for a walk along the river at Battery Park, where you can end your urban hike with a ride on the Seaglass Carousel, a small amusement ride with luminous fish that pay homage to the park’s role in housing the New York Aquarium before it was relocated to Coney Island in 1957.
Alternatively, head uptown and look for turtles on a stroll around the ponds at Central Park. While at the park, visit the Gottesman or Wollman Rinks, where you can make the most of the cold weather with ice skating until they close for the season on March 8 and 15, respectively.
Seasonal Activities
This time of year, the city is full of wintertime activities and events that may help add some much-needed excitement to your day. In addition to ice skating, the city boasts a variety of holiday markets, including the Urbanspace market just minutes away from campus at Union Square. The Union Square Holiday Market is open every day until Dec. 24, and features 185 unique vendors selling everything from art, jewelry, and clothing to candles, skincare, and street foods. Urbanspace has three more holiday markets across the city, at Bryant Park, Herald Square, and Columbus Circle.
If you’d rather stay out of the cold, there are plenty of indoor markets, too. Located inside Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, the Grand Central Holiday Fair is open until Dec. 24, providing a convenient opportunity for non-native New Yorkers to browse for gifts before embarking on their train rides home for the holidays.
FAD Market provides a more curated, fashion-forward shopping experience at its three locations across Brooklyn. Found in Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Dumbo, the holiday market series is open until Dec. 21.
On Dec. 20 and 21, Japan Village in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, is hosting a pop-up Japanese Holiday Market where you can find one-of-a-kind gifts from 15 different Japanese artists. The event is from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and you can register online ahead of time for free.
Self-care
One of the most critical steps to getting through a slump is reserving time to take care of yourself. With busy schedules and growing lists of coursework, it can feel impossible or even detrimental to take a break to focus on wellness. In reality, the more you push it off, the more unmanageable your problems will feel. Carving out time to relax and practice mindfulness helps us implement healthier habits and improve our mood in the long term. Relaxation can boost productivity by making it easier to manage stress, allowing us to tackle our responsibilities without sacrificing our peace of mind.
Mindfulness practices take many forms; if meditation isn’t your thing, that isn’t your only option. Listening to music, playing an instrument, or creating art can all be meditative if practiced mindfully. Engage wholly with your passions, dedicating your full attention to your chosen activity.
If you enjoy writing, try taking 10 minutes to journal. Venting your feelings can be cathartic, but also look for prompts that can foster a change in perspective. What are you grateful for today? What are your favorite activities that can only be done in the winter? What’s something that went right this week? What’s something you’re looking forward to? You may struggle to find a starting point. It may feel unnatural if you’re not used to this type of writing. Try to push through the discomfort to fill one page. You might be surprised by the outcome.
When you’re hit with the seasonal blues, it’s not uncommon to want to distance yourself from others. Whether spurred by a lack of energy or a fear of burdening your friends, sometimes it feels more comfortable to just withdraw entirely from social interactions. Resisting that urge is crucial; community is one of the most valuable tools for getting through a slump. Involving your friends in your self-care activities has many benefits: it gives you something to look forward to, nurtures your relationships, and makes it easier to take steps in taking care of yourself.
Self-care can look like journaling and meditation, but it can also look like a night spent with friends applying sheet masks, painting nails, and debriefing your week. It can look like renting a room at a karaoke bar with a friend and singing duets until you lose your voices, or creating a shared painting. Don’t have the energy? Self-care could look like inviting a friend over, enveloping yourselves in blankets, sharing a bowl of microwave popcorn, and watching a favorite movie. What matters most is that you don’t let yourself suffer alone.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357). In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or call 911.