When I moved to the Arctic city of Tromsø, more than 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it was in spite of a life-long bias against winter. During the Polar Night, which lasts from late November to late January, the sun doesn’t rise at all. I assumed that the long, dark winters in Tromsø would have a negative impact on mental health — but in fact, my stint in the Arctic taught me three general strategies for embracing the season. The first is to Appreciate Winter: look at winter for what it is, rather than focusing on what it isn’t. The second is to Make It Special: lean into the activities and feelings that are unique to this time of year. Revel in cosiness, enjoy delights made possible by winter’s darkness, and create and savour rituals that imbue the season with meaning. The third is to Get Outside: layer up and enjoy the outdoors in all weather.
The clock change has consequences, so allow yourself time to adjust
It’s unreasonable to think that a sudden one-hour change in daylight won’t affect us physically or emotionally; at the very least, this abrupt change disrupts our circadian rhythms, messing with our sleep schedules, in a way similar to jet lag. It may take us time to adjust. So during the transition, make extra space for rest — sleeping more or simply slowing down a bit can sustain us. Attending a restorative yoga class, taking a long bath, cooking a comforting meal, or re-watching a favourite movie are all low-stimulation ways to replenish ourselves this week.
Many people dislike the early darkness that follows the end of Daylight Saving Time. Instead of hating the early darkness, create a sunset ritual to mark the end of the day: enjoying a cup of coffee or a pot of tea, lighting candles, or putting on our fuzzy socks. Those of us commuting as it gets dark can enjoy the sunset colours on our way home from work, or can take a sunset or early dusk walk after the workday ends. We can enjoy the darkness: movie nights can begin at 6 p.m., dinner can be by candlelight, evening workouts and showers can use soft lighting, these activities made cosy by the lack of sun. Call it your darkness celebration.
The ‘nap bishop’ writes extensively about the guilt people often experience when they listen to their bodies and slow down
Force yourself to slow down
One of the most inspiring proponents of rest is Tricia Hersey, the founder of an organization called The Nap Ministry; people call her the Nap Bishop. Hersey preaches the gospel of rest, and her book Rest is Resistance details how “rest is about much more than naps.” As the Nap Bishop, Hersey writes extensively about the guilt people often experience when they listen to their bodies and slow down. Hersey’s view of rest is as expansive as it is urgent. My favourite example of hers is not responding to text messages or emails right away — a suggestion that is revolutionary in its simplicity, in how obvious it is once someone else says it aloud.
Winter is the time for ‘quiet hobbies’
Alongside the literal rest of sleeping more, winter is a time for cultivating the other rest practices described by Hersey. As we retreat into our winter selves, it is the perfect season for finding rejuvenation in small comforts, creative pursuits, and quiet delights. It is a time of year especially for unhurried crafts, for pastimes that rejuvenate by letting our mind wander. That could be listening to music, reading, making cookies, baking bread, sitting by the fire, crafting, going to art classes, binging TV, reading the Sunday paper, puzzles, cuddling, tree pruning, sending holiday cards, sharing a big pot of soup with friends, having dinner parties, sauna, home decorating, playing games, and “sitting on the porch swing with a blanket and hot toddy.” These will provide micro moments of happiness.
Have a ‘winter adaptation week’: as it gets darker, pick a week to say no to extraneous requests and activities and fill your calendar with deliberate space
The onset of winter is a real event — treat it as such
The mindset that “winter is full of opportunity” or even “winter is wonderful” is not negated by irritating winter experiences. When we’re out in the bitter cold, or clearing the snow off our car, or overheating in our layers on the bus, we can acknowledge that there are unpleasant aspects of winter. But that does not contradict that winter is also wonderful and full of opportunity.
Have a ‘winter adaptation week’: as it gets darker, pick a week to say no to extraneous requests and activities and fill your calendar with deliberate space. You can also spend a week inviting small, peaceful moments into your day: sit and listen to a song before heading out of the door, drink tea slowly, luxuriate in baths or showers, stretch before bed. Add one deliberate rest practice into each day, even if each is only a few minutes long. If you have small children, try letting things take longer together: extended bath time, slower meals, colouring, and unhurried walks. Let yourself do less to transition into the season. You could even take a family nap: declare it a snooze day, stay in your pyjamas, and pile up pillows and blankets in the living room. If you have kids at home, call it a daytime slumber party and watch a movie while drifting off.
Force yourself to notice nature
Take one picture each day of something you noticed that brings you winter-related delight. Seasonal foods, warm clothing, holiday decorations, winter nature, and twinkly lights are all fair game; the important thing is taking a moment to pause and capture. It can be especially powerful to notice nature — and then how that nature makes you feel — in your everyday life. On your daily commute, inside your home, or walking outside, notice where nature is present, what is unique about that nature in winter, and what emotions that nature inspires. For me, there’s nothing quite like that wintery crispness. Cold weather slows down molecules in the air, making it harder to detect odours, which is why cold winter air often smells so clean. One study looked at smells in nature across seasons, and “fresh” was the most common descriptor of winter woods.
Use different language to talk about winter
Think about how powerful it would be if we used our language to celebrate winter. If, instead of telling us to “stay inside” because “it’s gonna be a cold one,” the weather forecasters told us to “get ready for a cosy weekend.” Imagine if, instead of hearing your colleagues come into the office talking about how wet and nasty it is out, they commented on the smell of the rain. This is the power of having words like “hygge” or calling staying in on a Friday night “Friday kos” (Friday cosy)— labelling winter pleasures helps them feel more real and gives them more substance. We can use our language to continuously and consciously shape our experience, which influences not only our mindsets, but the mindsets of the people around us. In speaking lovingly about winter, we can shape how the season feels.
Extracted from How to Winter: Harnessing Your Mindset to Thrive In Cold, Dark or Difficult Times by Kari Leibowitz (Pan MacMillan, £18.99)
