Why Gray Winter Weather Affects Your Mood (and How to Cope With the Winter Blues)
If you live in the Midwest, especially in Michigan, we have entered the gray part of winter. Sunlight is limited. The sky is often overcast. It can feel like we have another two to three months before spring starts to show up.
Less sunlight and shorter days can affect mood, patience, and energy levels. Many people notice lower motivation or increased irritability during this time. Feeling more tired than usual is also common. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.
In this post, I will explain why gray winter weather affects mood and mental health. I will also share practical strategies for coping with the winter blues.
Why Gray Winter Weather Affects Your Mood
Gray winter weather often impacts your brain, your daily schedule, and your feelings of burnout.
How Winter Weather Impacts Your Brain Chemicals
Lack of sunlight can affect the chemicals in your brain. Extended periods of gray weather can reduce serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mood, sleep, and appetite. Lower sunlight can also affect melatonin, a hormone that controls your body’s sleep-wake schedule. Changes in melatonin can make you feel more tired and fatigued.
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal 24-hour clock. It helps signal when to be awake and when to sleep. When sunlight is limited, your circadian rhythm can get off track, which may impact your energy, focus, and overall mood.
Winter Shrinks Your World
Winter weather often limits what we can do each day, especially outside of work. The days are shorter, and there is less sunlight. This reduces the window of time for outdoor activities or spontaneous plans. Outside of the winter holidays, people tend to make fewer plans and leave the house less. These changes in routine and increased isolation can have a real impact on mood, energy, and overall mental health.
The Pressure to “Be Productive Anyway”
We often overlook the seasonal barriers that make it harder to meet our social and physical self-care needs. At the same time, society pushes us to stay productive “no matter what”. This can make it easy to miss when symptoms are worsening. Many people end up masking their struggles just to get through this season, which can take a toll on mood, energy, and overall mental health.
Winter Blues vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
“Winter blues” is a general term. It is usually mild and tends to resolve on its own within a short period of time. Some people, however, experience more than the typical winter blues. They may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is sometimes called seasonal depression.
SAD is a specific type of recurrent depression that occurs at certain times of the year. To be diagnosed with SAD, a person typically experiences the following over a two year timespan:
A consistent pattern of depressive symptoms starting at a particular time of year, such as fall or winter
Full remission of symptoms during another time of year, such as summer
At least two depressive episodes that align with seasonal onset, with few or no nonseasonal depressive episodes
Seasonal depressive episodes that outnumber nonseasonal episodes over the person’s lifetime
Whether you are experiencing the winter blues or a more recurring pattern like SAD, it can be helpful to get support during this gray time of year. Consider reaching out to your primary care doctor or a mental health provider for guidance and support.
How to Cope With the Winter Blues (That Actually Helps)
It can definitely feel like this gray winter weather will never end. Below are some strategies you can try to help reduce the impact of the winter blues.
Light Matters More Than You Think
Since winter weather limits our sunlight, it can help to get more sun whenever it is available. Even a small increase in sunlight can support the brain chemicals that help regulate mood and energy. Try spending a few minutes outside during the daytime. You might also move your home workspace closer to a window or arrange your furniture so that blinds are open during the limited sunny hours.
Light therapy is another convenient way to get light when sunlight is scarce. It usually involves sitting in front of a light box or lamp for a set period of time. These devices provide a specific level of light. Before starting light therapy, talk with your doctor or mental health professional to see if it is right for you.
Adjust Your Expectations (Not Your Worth)
Noticing when you feel disappointed or frustrated about not meeting your expectations can be helpful. These feelings can be a signal to adjust your expectations during the gray winter months. Take a step back and normalize the natural shifts in energy that happen this season. Be gentle with yourself about how much you can accomplish, considering shorter days and lower energy levels. Rest and self-care are not indulgent, they help regulate mood and protect your mental health over the long term.
Create Small Anchors in Your Week
Maintaining a weekly routine and adding enjoyable activities can give you something to look forward to while supporting your physical and social self-care. This might include a yoga class, coffee dates, FaceTimes with friends, or joining a book club. Winter makes it easier to isolate and slow down, which can reduce movement and social connection. Finding small ways to keep up your regular social and physical self-care routines can help you stay balanced and supported through the season.
Support Your Nervous System
Focusing on foundational activities that support your nervous system can help keep your body grounded during the gray winter season. Look for small ways to maintain consistent sleep, nutrition, and movement habits. These habits can help regulate stress and mood, and they don’t require a lot of motivation.
For example, you might start a simple “getting ready for bed” routine while watching TV on the couch. You could prep some freezer-ready meals to have on hand when you don’t feel like cooking. Or take a quick lap around the living room whenever someone scores a touchdown during a football game. Small, consistent actions like these can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the season.
When Therapy can Help
Therapy can be helpful whether you are experiencing mild symptoms of the “winter blues” or noticing a seasonal pattern that returns year after year. If these changes are affecting your ability to go to work, connect with loved ones, or enjoy your usual hobbies, it may be a sign that therapy could helpful. Therapy can help you notice shifts in mood and energy, implement self-care and behavioral activation strategies, and maintain accountability as you move through the season.
Getting started is easier than ever with the popularity and accessibility of virtual therapy. If you want support this winter to manage the gray season, you can schedule a consultation call with Create Wellness Counseling to see if working together would be a good fit.
Resources
Beat the Winter Blues. News in Health: National Institutes of Health. (January 2013). https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/01/beat-winter-blues
Circadian Rhythm. Cleveland Clinic. (03/15/2024). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm
Easy habits to fight off gloomy-weather depression. The Ohio State University: Wexner Medical Center. (2/25/2017). https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/our-stories/fight-off-gloomy-weather-depression
Melatonin. Cleveland Clinic. (4/28/2025). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23411-melatonin
Seasonal Affective Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder
Serotonin. Cleveland Clinic. (3/17/2022). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
