Beating the Winter Blues: How To Improve Your Mood

Winters can feel extremely long. Getting stuck inside drains our motivation to do the things we enjoy and it is also tough to face the onset of a new year. In fact, by the end of February, over 80% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions. While everyone may experience some level of the winter blues, the elderly are particularly vulnerable. They may feel more alone and discouraged if winter becomes an extended stay-cation for months on end. What can we do to rally back and not let winter get in the way of a fruitful year? 

The Foundation: Healthy Measures

The foundation of our action plan begins with the basics. While they may not give us immediate happiness, maintaining strong health creates compound effects that are proven to uplift spirits over time. We can benefit from exercise and eating healthy diets by producing energy to spark creativity, stimulate social desires and remove negativity. If it is challenging to come up with ideas for meals or exercise, you can join classes near you or see how your senior care community offers support.

There are also external factors that can be adjusted. First, you can improve the lighting in your living space. This can help with waking up in the morning and balance longer evenings in the winter. You can also organize your favorite music and explore new songs. Playing bright and happy music has been extensively researched as a way to raise spirits. Lastly, social activities are highly beneficial. Making the effort to have conversations with other people at communal gatherings or on the phone with friends or family makes a huge difference to your day. 

Set Goals, Get Excited About Them

Going through days, weeks and months without much to look forward to can take a toll on your overall health. To help, set goals of different levels, some that are personal, short-term, or long-term. They don’t need to be lofty New Year’s resolutions! Here are some examples of short-term goals:

• New hobbies: knitting, puzzles, origami, drawing, instruments
• Learn new things: Reading daily news, researching a topic, trying a new language

You can also plan for bigger things to get excited about too! One way could be helping to plan for events. Collaborating on the details of a family trip or visiting a new place helps you have fun getting creative. You could also rally together your community to participate in a volunteering event. Our residents donated to the homeless in the past and that brought everyone together in a great way. Once you have events down, mark your calendar and you can post it around your home to keep it fresh in your mind!

Find A Supportive Community

It is usually an uphill battle going against the winter blues. Many of our residents face similar challenges during the cold season, so we always try different approaches to help everyone out. Most importantly, we do things together as a community with our caretakers involved so that no one is alone. If you are looking for a supportive senior care community for your loved one this winter, contact us and we’d be happy to tell you more about all Tennyson Court has to offer.