November! Is there a worse month on the calendar for those of us in the Northern hemisphere? People complain about the February blahs but, in my mind, the November doldrums are far worse. Unlike February, in November spring is a long way away, and the days are getting darker not lighter. Today’s post has some winter survival strategies to get you through the dark dreary days of November. And they’ll probably help for the rest of winter too!

Why is November such a dreary month?

There are three main reasons November is a difficult month – the darkness, the weather, and a general lack of excitement.

First the darkness. With the switch back to standard time on the weekend, the sun rises here in Kitchener at just after 7 a.m. That gives us a bit more light in the morning than we had last week, but it gets dark just after 5 p.m., giving us about 10 hours of daylight. That makes it difficult to get outside.

Then, there’s the weather. Lack of daylight aside, November is known for bone-chilling weather. The vibrant colours of autumn give way to grey skies, rain, and often early snow or freezing rain.

Finally, there’s not a lot of excitement this time of year. In Canada, the fun of Thanksgiving and Halloween is behind us, and Christmas festivities are still a few weeks away. It’s no wonder some people have started turning on their Christmas lights in early November. Tempting though that may be, we have a “no decorating before December 1” rule in our house.

For some people, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a serious mental health issue this time of year. Even those of us who don’t suffer from SAD find it hard to get out of bed and stay motivated when it’s cold, dark, and dreary.

But there are things you can do to lessen the November doldrums.

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Winter survival strategies

Last year, I was quite concerned about the combined effect of dark dreary November days and pandemic fatigue. Although things are better on the pandemic front this year, it’s still important to adopt coping strategies.

I’ve found three things that really help me.

Stay active

Making time for a daily workout is a great way to boost mood and energy levels. If the idea of venturing out in the cold to visit a gym is too much for you, there are lots of excellent workout options for people of all fitness levels – even the staunchest of couch potatoes – on YouTube.

I try to get a 20 to 30 minute workout in every day year-round.

Get outside every day

Something that really helped me last year during the pandemic restrictions was getting outside in the fresh air every day. It’s dark by the time I reach the end of my work day, so I make a lunchtime walk a priority no matter the weather. Even just 15 minutes outside clears my head and gives me energy for the afternoon.

Use a light box for 30 minutes every morning

Last year, I decided to buy a light box – sometimes called a light therapy lamp – and I found it made a huge difference in my energy levels through the winter. The one I bought cost me around $50 CDN.

I sit my light box on my desk and turn it on turn for 30 minutes every morning at the start of my work day.

If you’re interested in a light box, the University of British Columbia provides a few tips and things to watch for. Check out their website for full details and safety precautions.

• Look for a light that emits 10,000 lux light.
• Cool white fluorescent lights work best. Do not use sun lamps, halogen lamps or tanning lamps as they can damage your eyes.
• Make sure your light has an ultraviolet filter.
• Start with 30 minutes a day, as soon as possible after you wake up.
• Keep your eyes open when using the lights, but don’t stare directly at the light.  

I definitely found my light box made a big difference in my energy level during the dark dreary winter days last year.

I hope these ideas are useful for you. And, to look on the bright side, it’s only 133 days until spring starts. But who’s counting?

What are your winter survival strategies? Tell us your tips below.