If winter has you feeling blah, don’t worry—I got you! This survival guide for winter depression is packed with easy, feel-good tips to help you stay cozy, cute, and actually enjoy the season.
Winter can be a whole vibe, but let’s be real—when the days are short, the air is cold, and everything feels kinda blah, it’s easy to slip into a funk.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing, and even if you’re not clinically dealing with it, winter can still take a toll on your mood, energy, and overall glow.
So, what’s a hot girl to do?
She survives, thrives, and keeps showing up for herself.
Last year I definitely let the winter scaries get the best of me, so this year I’ve done a few things to help keep my sparkle and sizzle throughout the cold, gloomy days. And boy has it helps so much!
So if you’re feeling the winter blues creeping in, trust me, you are not alone but there are way to help! Here’s your ultimate survival guide for winter depression—packed with practical tips to keep you feeling good, looking good, and slaying the season.
This post is all about the ultimate survival guide for winter depression. We will get through it together!
A Hot Girl Survival Guide For Winter Depression
1. Keep Showing Up for Yourself
Let’s start with the most important thing: you.
When the cold makes you want to hibernate, remind yourself that you deserve to feel good.
That means keeping up with your routines, staying hydrated, and treating yourself with kindness.
Some days will be harder than others, and that’s okay. The key is to keep showing up—whether that means making your bed, journaling, or just putting on your favorite cozy sweater, do it for yourself and for your sanity.
For me, this means adding in some extra dedication and getting myself up in the morning earlier to have a morning routine and get a workout in before the rest of my day starts.
Especially with the sun setting super early during the winter, I’ve found that just waking up and enjoying the morning makes all the difference for me.
2. Mix Up your Exercise Routine & Stay Consistent
If you are feeling bored of your workout routine or losing motivation, try switching it up!
Repeating the same workout, or even the same kind of workouts can get boring real quick (and actually prohibit growth if it is static for too long). So make sure you are switching it up, challenging yourself more and keeping it interesting!
Exercise will also be your best friend in getting you through these winter months. When you exercise, endorphins and serotonin are released naturally boosting your mood and energy levels.
So it is literally impossible not to feel at least a bit better after exercise!
So switch it up and make sure you are getting in that workout.
3. Stay Social
This is such a big one. Winter is hibernation season and it seems like everyone stays in way more. But trust me, staying social and planning fun get-togethers with your friends or getting out of the house and trying new things is important.
So get out there and have some fun.
4. Winter Uglies
Ah , the winter uglies. Let’s talk about it.
There is just something in the air during winter that can really affect how you view yourself. In the summer you are tan and sparkling and just thriving.
But in the winter, the cold air can make you feel…well ugly. Obviously you are gorgeous all year long but there’s some extra things I like to do during the winter to feel a bit prettier. Because look good, feel good, play good. I honestly believe that motto so much.
Here’s what helps me:
- Face Tanning Drop: Listen, I have naturally fair skin and I love being tan but I also love embracing my natural skin and the beauty it brings in the winter BUT face tanning drop can give such a gorgeous glow and bring back some life in your face if you are feeling a bit ghostly.
- Keep up your normal shaving/hair removal routine: Even though you aren’t wearing shorts or bikinis anymore, keeping yourself groomed can make all the difference in feeling comfortable in your body.
Recommended Read: 55 Little Things in Life That Make you Happy
5. Invest in a Cozy Heated Blanket
Girl, I LIVE for my heated blanket during the winter.
There is seriously nothing better than hoping into a warm bed at the end of the cold day. I got my heated blanket for end $70 and it was lasted for years!
Seriously, if you my go-to winter depression survival guide item is a heated blanket. It is so warm and cozy and just makes me look happy all bundled up.
6. Try a Sunlight Lamp
Winter means sunlight hours. The sun rises later and sets earlier.
For my morning girlies, a sunrise lamp will be game changer. I got a $30 lamp from Amazon to start.
And honestly, it really does making getting up when it’s still dark so much easier.
Will it ever be complete easy? Probably not. But getting up will ALWAYS be worth and having a sunrise lamp gives my body time to adjust like a natural sunrise would.
If you have a Hatch, please let me know if you like yours because I’ve been wanteing to invest but I haven’t pulled the plug.
7. Plan a Tropical Trip
Take trips during winter if you can. Book a little getaway or vacation to some place warm and sunny and just get away from your everyday life.
Sometimes I feel like I schedule so many vacations and just fun things during the summer months and then winter comes along and by February, I’m bored and cold and feel like I’m trapped in a never ending routine.
And that gets boring and a little depressing.
So book a trip, schedule a vay cay and take a break from the winter.
8. Take it Day by Day
Sometimes winter is just hard and seasonal depression will creep up on you. So take it day by day and just know that summer will come again and winter doesn’t have to be depressing.
Keep showing up for yourself, making it fun, planning out your days and trips, investing in selfcare, romanticize all the wonderful things winter brings like beautiful snow, and holidays, and cozy clothes, and winter sports, and so many other great things.
Winter doesn’t have to steal your sparkle.
With a little intention and self-care, you can make it through this season feeling strong, happy, and as radiant as ever. So, grab that heated blanket, put on your cutest winter fit, and remind yourself: life is full of wonderful seasons and winter is beautiful.
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