How to Beat Winter Fatigue Syndrome

You might’ve heard of seasonal affective disorder (commonly referred to as SAD or the winter blues), but what about winter fatigue syndrome? While considered a part of SAD, winter fatigue is a very real struggle for millions of people each year. Fewer hours of sunlight, colder weather, and other seasonal factors culminate in feelings of exhaustion that go beyond just needing another cup of coffee throughout the day. Fortunately, learning how to beat winter fatigue is possible and can be done with a few simple lifestyle adjustments that support your overall well-being.

Today, we’re discussing how to beat winter fatigue syndrome by recognizing what it is, identifying symptoms, and giving you actionable tips and techniques to try. From sunlight therapy to using a zero gravity chair daily, these ideas will have you feeling better and ready to take on each day this winter.

What Is Winter Fatigue Syndrome?

First of all, what is winter fatigue syndrome? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, millions of people in the United States experience seasonal affective disorder every year1. While technically, it can occur at any time, the overwhelming majority of people affected experience it during the cold, grey winter months. Additionally, women are considered four times as likely to be diagnosed with SAD as compared to men. Winter fatigue syndrome is considered a milder form of SAD, but included in the condition.

Winter fatigue syndrome is the constant feeling of being tired or having low energy that many people experience during the colder months. Its causes are often linked to there being fewer hours of sunlight during the day and the body’s response to other seasonal changes.

While winter fatigue isn’t its own medical diagnosis, it’s recognized by medical professionals as part of SAD and has the potential to negatively impact your mood, productivity, and overall wellness throughout the winter season.

Additional Info: Are you struggling with SAD? See our guide to seasonal affective disorder treatment and self-care ideas after this article to learn more ways to feel better faster.

Symptoms of Winter Fatigue Syndrome

Experiencing winter fatigue syndrome can make you feel like you’re running on empty all the time, no matter how much sleep you’re getting. The lack of sunlight and colder temperatures during winter months make it difficult to stay motivated and keep up with your usual physical activities. Some people crave more comfort foods (which may lack the nutrition of your usual diet), find themselves feeling more irritable, or struggle to concentrate while finishing tasks at work or home. Recognizing symptoms is the first step in learning how to beat winter fatigue syndrome and get back to feeling better.

Common symptoms of winter fatigue syndrome include:

• Feeling tired all the time
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Craving for comfort foods or having an increased appetite
• Experiencing mood swings
• Being more irritable
• Lacking motivation to be active

How to Beat Winter Fatigue

When it comes to how to beat winter fatigue syndrome, it’s best to make small but meaningful changes to your daily routine. Even simple lifestyle adjustments can have a significant impact on overcoming winter fatigue and treating its symptoms. Some of these techniques, like using a zero gravity chair for rest or sleep support, are helpful all year round to keep your mind and body in top condition.

Along with our guide to winter health tips, try out these lifestyle adjustments and see how they help with how to beat winter fatigue this season:

1. Prioritize quality sleep
2. Eat nutritional food
3. Stay active against winter fatigue
4. Relax in a zero gravity chair
5. Get more sunlight exposure

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep to Reduce Fatigue

One of the best winter self-care tips you can follow is prioritizing quality sleep. More than just the quantity of sleep you’re getting, making sure you’re getting quality sleep is immeasurably important for how to beat winter fatigue syndrome.

When there’s more hours with the sun down, you might be tempted to stay up later, but keeping yourself to a consistent sleep schedule supports your mental and physical well-being. Try to get up and go to bed at the same time every night to keep your body and mind on a consistent routine. You should also look into starting a nighttime routine like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or relaxing in your zero gravity chair. Avoiding blue light exposure from screens also helps your body know it’s time to wind down for the night.

Quality sleep also means setting yourself up to fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night. This means ensuring you’ve set up a positive sleep environment by keeping it dark in your bedroom, reducing distracting sounds, and setting the right temperature for your comfort.

2. Eat Nutritional Foods to Help Energy Levels

Another of the best habits you can set for how to beat winter fatigue syndrome symptoms is eating right. When the weather turns cold, many of us look towards comfort foods filled with carbohydrates. While this may not be terrible in moderation, many comfort meals tend to lack the well-rounded nutritional benefits of our usual diets.

Eating the wrong kinds of foods or lacking enough nutritional foods can have a direct negative impact on your energy levels. To avoid this factor of winter fatigue, make sure you’re choosing a well-balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Foods containing vitamin D and B12 can also be helpful during the colder months to stave off winter fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Overly processed foods, sugary snacks, and other unhealthy choices can make you feel lethargic and exacerbate winter fatigue syndrome feelings.

3. Stay Active Against Winter Fatigue

When it’s cold outside, it can be more challenging to get as much physical activity as you do during the warmer months. It’s harder to make yourself go outside in colder temperatures, and sometimes, the weather simply doesn’t permit you to get outdoors at all. Making an effort to continue staying active, however, is important to treating winter fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Staying active keeps up your energy levels and supports better moods. Even a short walk each day can make a positive difference. If you’re unable to get outside, consider indoor activities you can do like a quick workout, yoga, or daily stretches. You can even do recliner exercises using a zero gravity chair to combine opportunities for activity and recovery using one versatile tool.

4. Relax in a Zero Gravity Chair

Speaking of zero gravity chairs, they’re up next on our list of tips and techniques for how to beat winter fatigue syndrome symptoms. There’s a wide array of zero gravity chair benefits ranging from better blood flow and faster bodily healing to deeper relaxation and better quality sleep support. They all stem from the design of the zero gravity position.

Your legs are elevated above your heart level and your body weight distributed evenly along your body when in the zero gravity position. This makes relaxing easier than ever and reduces excess pressure on your lower back and pelvic areas. The design of this position helps you avoid pain from sitting too long as compared to traditional recliners.

Additional features like heated zero gravity chairs and those with vibration massage or air pressure massage functions take your experience even further. These features keep your muscles even more loose and help you unwind, supporting your physical and mental well-being in one place. While not meant to replace your bed for sleeping overnight, zero gravity chairs also give you an ideal spot for the health benefits of napping to support sleep and rest to beat winter fatigue syndrome.

5. Get More Sunlight Exposure

One of the biggest factors associated with SAD and winter fatigue syndrome is a lack of sunlight exposure. This could be because the weather is keeping you inside more often or because the sun goes down earlier while you’re still working. Getting some sunlight exposure is important to keep up your energy levels and treat winter fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Being exposed to sunlight helps maintain your body’s natural circadian rhythm. It also supports your body in producing the proper serotoninto keep up your mood and energy. Ideally you should try to spend 15 to 30 minutes outside each day in the sunlight, but that’s not always possible. If you’re unable to get outside into natural sunlight, tools like a light therapy box have been shown to help.

Beat Winter Fatigue Syndrome This Season

Nobody likes feeling down, especially when the days are shorter and the weather is gloomy. This season, use these tips and techniques for how to beat winter fatigue syndrome and be ready to take on each and every day. Everyone responds differently, so don’t be disheartened if it takes a little trial and error to determine what works best for you. Look for ways to combine methods like using zero gravity chairs for exercise and relaxation. As always, if feelings of winter fatigue won’t go away or get worse, contact a medical professional for help.

Disclaimer: This content is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare professional when considering implementing changes to your health or workout routines to ensure it’s compatible with your needs.

Additional Sources

1. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder