7 Ways To Take Care Of Your Mental Health During The Winter

How the f*ck does one take care of their mental health ? This is what I asked a coworker earlier this week when I was starting to write this story.

In truth, I get easily overwhelmed by the plethora of advice on the internet. Its hard to know who to trust, what to believe, and whether any of the tips will lead to real change.

And mental health now seems to be a catch-all for everything from conditions such as clinical depression and anxiety, to taking care of yourself via gemstones and meditation.

It doesnt help that Canadians are knee-deep (literally! Some of them are head deep !) in winter, arguably the worst season of the year for mental health.

From Blue Monday and seasonal affective disorder , to short, dark days, and bitterly cold temperatures, the winter months can make it tough for us to feel good , and it can exacerbate our current mental health load.

Its important to note that the following suggestions arent one-size-fits-all. It can take a lot of time and resources, as well as trying out different methods to figure out what makes you feel good mentally, but these tips are a good place to start.

Easy tips to help lift your mood throughout the year. Story continues below slideshow.

1. Notice how youre feeling

If youre going about your days feeling off or generally crummy, take some time by yourself, in a place where you feel comfortable, and sit with those feelings. Let yourself feel whatever emotions come out.

I believe that it is far healthier to lean into your experiences of pain , rather than trying to numb your emotions, says clinical social worker Jennifer Rollin in Psychology Today.

Rather than trying to suppress your feelings, work to be a mindful observer of them. Notice the emotions that you experience and where you feel them in your body. Then, try to cultivate a curious and nonjudgmental stance. Our emotions are often messengers which signal something important that we need to pay attention to, Rollin says.

2. Identify your feelings

Once youve sat with your feelings, its time to identify the source of them. Did you recently have a baby and are crying a lot? Are you having panic attacks during your commute to work? Do you hardly ever see the sun?

Sometimes anxiety can present itself in more subtle ways, such as difficulty managing daily tasks and avoidance , or it can be more obvious like catastrophic thoughts (ie. This plane is going to malfunction and Im going to die) and irrational fears ( ie. My baby is breathing too slowly, he must be sick).

Write down things that have happened in your life recently: maybe its a new baby, a layoff, a move to a new city, a death in the family, dark and cold days, or a stressful work environment. If you can pinpoint what might be making you feel lousy, thats a good jumping point to figuring out what kind of help you need and where you can get it.

WATCH: How to create habit habits. Story continues below.

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3. Reach out to someone you trust

Going through a period of mental unwellness is tough, but going through it alone makes it all the more difficult. If youre struggling, reach out to someone you trust, whether it be a friend, family member, pastor, mentor, doctor, social worker, or therapist.

If you feel like you cant talk to a loved one, reach out to your companys Employee Assistance Program , a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 365-days-a-year free program that offers crisis counselling, including suicide prevention and intervention and can refer you to mental health services. Calls are answered by mental health professionals.

You can also find mental health resources and counsellors through your local hospital, community centre, and place of worship.

4. Be specific when asking for help

Asking for help doesnt come naturally to most of us. What exactly should you do or say? The thought alone can be overwhelming, which is why some people dont do it its a skill that must be practiced.

HealthLine suggests being specific in your approach . If you know youre feeling crappy, but you dont know what you need, let someone know how youre feeling, for example, Im feeling (depressed, anxious, suicidal), and I dont know what to do but I dont want to be alone right now. This lets the person know how youre feeling, and hopefully they can help you figure out your next steps.

Here are some other phrases you can use when asking for help:

Im going through a rough time with my mental health right now. Can I talk to you about it?
Im having a hard time taking care of myself and I dont know what to do or who to ask for help. Can you help me?
I dont have anyone else to talk to about my mental health. Can I talk to you?
Im feeling really low right now. Can you distract me?