October is the right month to prepare for winter, because in January the energy to prepare is exactly what is missing. Small changes made now, while the days are still long enough to notice them, are easier to keep than changes attempted in the middle of the hardest weeks.
One thing to say clearly before the list. These steps help many people get through winter with more daylight, better sleep, and fewer canceled plans. They do not replace treatment when depression is present. If you are not sure which side of that line you are on, Post 2 in this series lists the early signs of seasonal depression and the signs that mean it is time for an evaluation.
1. Move the morning routine toward a window, or outside for 10 minutes
The single most useful change for most people is getting light into the eyes early in the day. Morning light is the signal that sets the body clock, and in winter that signal arrives late and weak. Move breakfast, coffee, or the first emails of the day to the brightest window in the house, facing the glass. Better still, step outside for 10 minutes before 9 a.m., even on a cold or overcast morning. Outdoor light on a gray day is still far brighter than indoor lighting. The action for this week: pick the spot, and put the coffee maker or the laptop charger next to it so the habit has no extra steps.
2. Set a fixed wake time seven days a week
Oversleeping is one of the main winter pattern symptoms, and sleeping in on weekends pushes the body clock later, which makes Monday morning harder. Choose a wake time you can hold every day, including Saturday and Sunday, and set the alarm across from the bed so getting up is required to turn it off. Bedtime can vary a little. Wake time is the anchor. The action for this week: pick the time, set the alarm for all seven days, and keep it for two weeks before deciding whether it needs adjusting.
3. Put a light therapy lamp on the breakfast table
Light therapy lamps are widely used for the winter pattern, and they only work when they are used, so location matters more than brand. Put the lamp where you already sit in the morning. When choosing one, look for three things: 10,000 lux brightness at the recommended sitting distance, a UV filter, and a size large enough that you do not have to stare at it. The National Institute of Mental Health describes typical use as sitting in front of the lamp for 30 to 45 minutes each morning. We do not recommend specific products. Our earlier post on what light therapy is covers the basics, and Post 4 in this series addresses whether a lamp is enough when seasonal depression keeps returning. If you take medications or have an eye condition, ask your provider before starting.
4. Schedule outdoor movement before 2 p.m., not after work
In summer, an evening walk is easy. In December, sunset in Denver is before 4:45 p.m., so the after-work walk happens in the dark and quietly disappears. Move it.
A 20-minute walk at lunch gets daylight, movement, and a break from the screen in one step. If the workday cannot bend, a weekend morning hike or a walk with the dog before 2 p.m. counts. The action for this week: put a recurring 20-minute block on the work calendar between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and treat it like a meeting.
5. Stock the kitchen for the carb-craving weeks
Cravings for bread, pasta, and sweets are a documented winter pattern symptom, and willpower is a poor plan for a symptom. A better plan is to make the easy choice a good one. Stock foods that are high in protein and fiber and take no preparation: Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, nuts, hummus, cut vegetables, canned beans, and whole grain bread. Keep them at eye level in the refrigerator and pantry. The action for this week: write a standing grocery list of ten grab-and-go items and keep it on the phone so the November shop does not require thinking.
6. Put two standing social commitments on the calendar through March
Canceling plans is one of the earliest signs of the winter pattern, and it tends to get worse the longer it goes on. The fix is to make some plans hard to cancel. Choose two recurring commitments that involve other people and put them on the calendar through the end of March now: a weekly class, a standing coffee, a volunteer shift, a rec league, a book group. Recurring plans with other people expecting you are much harder to skip than open-ended intentions. The action for this week: pick the two, send the invitations, and add them to the calendar as repeating events.
7. Dim screens and overhead lights after 8 p.m.
Light in the morning helps set the body clock. Light at night pushes it later, which makes the next morning harder. After 8 p.m., turn off overhead lights and use lamps instead, switch phones and laptops to night mode, and keep screens out of the bedroom. This does not need to be strict to help. The goal is a clear contrast between a bright morning and a dim evening. The action for this week: add lamps to the two rooms you use most at night, and set the phone’s night mode to start automatically.
8. Write down last winter’s worst weeks and book a check-in before they arrive
Seasonal depression tends to follow the same schedule year after year. That is one of its hardest features and also its most useful one, because it can be planned around. Take a few minutes to write down when last winter was hardest. Many people name mid-January through February.
Then book a check-in with a therapist or psychiatrist for two to three weeks before that window opens. If you already have a provider, send the request now. If you do not, October is a good time for a first evaluation, before schedules fill. The action for this week: write down the dates, and book the appointment.
9. Know who to call, with the number saved in the phone
The last item is the simplest. Save the numbers now, while things are steady.
Your therapist. Your psychiatrist. Axis intake at (720) 400-7025, for a first appointment at any of our four Denver area clinics or by telehealth anywhere in Colorado. And 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which can be called or texted 24 hours a day. Having the numbers in the phone removes one step on a day when everything feels harder. The action for this week: add all of them as contacts.
When the checklist is not enough
If mood drops anyway, or if this is the third winter in a row that has followed the same pattern, that is the point to see a psychiatrist. The same is true if any of the items above feel impossible rather than merely inconvenient. Not being able to get out of bed for the fixed wake time is information, not a failure of discipline.
It does not mean the checklist failed. It means the seasonal pattern needs more than home setup, and there are treatments for it, including options for people who have already tried light therapy and medication. Post 4 explains what those options are. Post 6 is for people who are taking an antidepressant and still feel low in winter.
Intake appointments at Axis are covered by most insurance, and no referral is needed.
Not sure where to start? Call one of our four Colorado clinics or start with telehealth.
- Aurora: (720) 400-7025
- Denver Tech Center: (720) 400-7025
- Boulder / Louisville: (720) 400-7025
- Westminster: (720) 400-7025
If you are having thoughts of suicide or of not wanting to be here, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
