The end of daylight-saving time means longer nights and colder days. I grew up in Montana, with notoriously long winters, and found 5 ways to cope.
Jordan Parker Erb
- The end of daylight-saving time, when the days get shorter and colder, can be a challenge.
- I grew up in Montana, with its notoriously long winters, and found a few ways to cope.
Sunday marked the end of daylight-saving time when clocks fall back and the days get shorter. For many states, it signals the onset of colder weather, and for some, it can be a challenge.
As Insider previously reported, the end of daylight saving can trigger seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD), "a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern," according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
For many, myself included, the winter blues that come with a 4:45 p.m. sunset are inevitable.
However, having grown up in Montana, a northern state notorious for its long, brutal winters, I've found a few ways to cope with the challenges brought on by the end of daylight saving time. By leaning into small actions that benefit my health, as well as by cozying my space, I can make the long winter months more bearable.
I try to take Vitamin D daily.
As Insider previously reported, a lack of vitamin D has been associated with a greater risk of depression. We get some vitamin D from sunlight — but that's harder when the sun sets before 5 p.m.
That said, I try to take a vitamin D supplement daily, but admittedly, I sometimes forget. I typically buy my vitamins from Nature Made — or whatever brand is on sale at Walgreens.
I use a sunrise lamp to help me wake up in the morning.
I sometimes find it hard to wake up in the morning and am even less motivated to get moving in the winter months. I bought the Casper Glow Light a few years ago to help with that.
The Glow Light, which retails at $129, helps wake me up by filling my room with warm light.
The little lamp comes with an app, which you can use to schedule your wake-up time. The Glow Light gradually gets brighter for 30 minutes, which I find is a pleasant, easy way to get me out of bed.
I try to exercise in ways that feel restorative, like hot yoga.
Walking into a hot yoga class on a short winter day feels like a little treat, like being whisked off to some tropical destination without leaving the States.
I've found that warm exercise classes feel incredibly restorative and can help me escape from the feeling of a never-ending winter. Plus, it's easier to motivate myself when I know that what's waiting for me is a warm, relaxing space.
My friends and I embrace seasonal dishes, and gather each week for "Soup Sunday."
My roommates and I invented our "Soup Sunday" tradition two years ago and have been making warm, tasty soups or plates of pasta every winter weekend since.
The tradition — wherein each roommate alternates making a dish for everyone else — helps get us excited for colder months. Sure, we can no longer have a glass of wine on a patio somewhere, but we can at least indulge in a hot, shared dinner once a week.
We also pair our weekly dinners with a TV show to binge-watch, which helps us lean further into hibernation season. It's our way of making the cold, early nights more fun.
I try to "cozify" my space bedroom with things like flannel sheets and a heated mattress pad.
When all else fails, I lean in.
There's no way to avoid shorter, colder days, so I have to embrace them. To help welcome winter, I make my space as cozy as possible.
I change out my light cotton sheets for heavier flannel ones. I pull out my soft, plush throws, as well as my 15-pound weighted blanket, out of storage. I also splurged on a $90 heated mattress pad from Amazon, which I turn on before I go to sleep so I can crawl into a warm, comfortable bed.
By making my room comfortable and welcoming, it makes it easier to spend more time there.
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