The Winter Blues for Moms & How to Feel Like Yourself Again (E77)

Winter Blues

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You've got the fuzzy socks, the peppermint mocha, maybe even one of those sunrise alarm clocks, and yet something still feels off. You're dragging, irritable, more anxious than usual, like you've lost your spark. If you're sitting there wondering, is it just me? It's not. In today's episode, I'm diving into the very real reasons winter feels harder for moms, and what you can do to feel like yourself again.

I am Krissy Bold. I'm a stay at home mom to two little boys, and this is Mom's Guide to Finding Herself.

Let me take you back to last January. I had one of those days where everything felt heavier emotionally and literally my youngest had his two year molars coming in. The sky had been gray for what felt like 87 days straight, and the sound of my toddler asking for snacks again made me want to cry. I wasn't sad exactly.

But I also didn't feel okay. I was convinced something was wrong with me. It turns out what I was feeling was normal, but that didn't make it any easier. That was [00:01:00] the winter that I learned about seasonal affective disorder. The impact of less sunlight and how our already maxed out mental load gets even heavier in the colder months.

Before we can shift how we feel, we have to name it and the winter Blues for moms doesn't always show up with a neon sign that says, Hey, you're struggling. Sometimes it sounds like snapping at your partner over a dishwasher or feeling like you're walking through molasses by 3:00 PM It can be Brain fog so

thick that you forget what you're saying mid-sentence. That slow burn irritability where every little thing sets you off. Comfort, food cravings with zero motivation to cook. Or canceling plans. Even when you desperately need connection, you're still showing up, you're still functioning, but on the inside you're glitching.

So what makes winter extra tough for moms? Let's unpack a few key reasons. First up is sunlight, or rather the lack of it.

[00:02:00] Sunlight isn't just a nice perk. Actually helps regulate our circadian rhythm, our serotonin levels, and our melatonin. So when we lose those longer days, our bodies lose their rhythm.

We stay groggy. Our moods dip and sleep either becomes elusive or way too hard to get out of. Then there's the great outdoors. Sure, being cozy is cute for about a week, but being trapped inside with these little kids who'd never stop moving, touching or yelling, that's not cozy.

That's a sensory overload cocktail. And for moms, we're not just trying to survive the day. We're trying to entertain and clean and feed and soothe and stay somewhat sane while doing all of that. And then there's sick season. Don't even get me started. I am not just talking the actual sicknesses, although that's hard enough.

It's the decision fatigue around it. Should we cancel plans? Do I need to call the doctor? going to watch the [00:03:00] kids if I get sick? It's the mental spiral every time someone sneezes and sniffles.

As a quick side note, if sixth season is making you want to scream into your scarf, go listen to episode 71 with Dr. Mona Amin. She shares such helpful insights about managing all the illness and burnout this time of year. Now let's talk about the post holiday slump.

The holidays can be magical, of course, but they also ask a lot of us as moms, the planning, the hosting, the gifting, the organizing, the remembering, all of the things. You are in high gear for weeks, and then suddenly, bam, it's January, the lights come down, the magic fades, and it's just cold and quiet and a mess.

And the emotional hangover is real. And then there's the loneliness. This might be the hardest one to name out loud. You're never technically alone. There are kids clinging to your legs, [00:04:00] asking for snacks, needing help, but somehow you still feel invisible because adult connection is rare. And even when it happens, it often doesn't go beyond surface level.

Mom, small talk. You miss being known, like really known. So yeah, it makes total sense if you feel like you're barely holding it together, but before you spiral into thinking something is wrong with you, let me hit you with a little truth. You're not alone and you're definitely not the only mom feeling this way.

This isn't just anecdotal, it's real, and the research supports it. One in five adults experience seasonal affective disorder. Women are four times more likely to experience it than men.

And moms are especially vulnerable due to indoor isolation, disrupted routines, and a lack of downtime. You're running on low light, low energy, and high expectations. No wonder you're feeling off. So let's move from the, [00:05:00] oh, this is hard to, okay. What now? This is where I bring in my reset method, something that has helped me to realign when I feel like I'm unraveling.

I teach this in depth in the Find Your Thing mini workshop inside my mom Identity Starter kit. You can find out more information at momidentityproject.com/starterkit.

So let's walk through what reset actually means. R stands for Recognize. You can't shift what you won't name. Say it out loud. I'm overwhelmed, I'm touched out. Or I'm anxious and tired and sad and confused. Whatever it is, recognize it. E stands for express. Let it out cry. Text your best friend. Journal one messy page, scream into a pillow.

Holding it in doesn't make it go away. Expression leads to release. S stands for simplify. Cut the non-essentials out. No, you don't need to bake from scratch. No, you don't have to organize the junk drawer today. [00:06:00] Ask yourself what's the easiest way that I can do this. E stands for experiment. Tiny changes can have big impact.

Try a morning light box. Move your body for five minutes. Start a silly family dance, break after dinner. Try something, see how it feels, adjust, and then T stands for trust this part is the hardest. Trust that you are doing your best. Trust that this season will pass. Trust that small shifts matter.

Trust that you are still you, even if you feel lost in the fog right now. The reset method is my go-to, but I wanna give you a few extra ideas to layer in little things that don't take a ton of time or energy, but can seriously help.

I already kind of mentioned this, but a helpful tool is light therapy. Set a happy light by your coffee maker. Use it while the kids eat breakfast. Even 20 minutes of light exposure in the morning can help regulate your circadian rhythm and [00:07:00] support serotonin production, both of which are crucial for energy and mood.

Studies show that light therapy can be as effective as antidepressants for treating seasonal depression in some people. Add in movement that feels good. Forget the intense workouts. This is about shifting stuck energy. Dance in your kitchen, stretch in your pajamas, walk to the mailbox.

Movement boosts endorphins, it helps regulate your cortisol, your stress hormone, and can even help you sleep better. And that is something we all need in the dead of winter. Here's a tip that changed everything for me. The two minute rule.

Tell yourself I'm just gonna do this for two minutes, and that's it. You can stretch, you can bounce in place. You can turn on a song and march around your house, whatever. If you still hate it, after two minutes, fine, you can stop. But nine times outta 10, once you start, your body wants more.

It's the starting. That's the hardest part. Movement doesn't [00:08:00] have to be long to be powerful.

If you're looking for more movement guidance and encouragement, especially if you're postpartum or if you're rebuilding your strength, check out episode 76 with Krystle Howald From Expecting And Empowered, it is packed with realistic, doable movement tips that meet you where you are. Next. It's so helpful to find nourishment that grounds you. Food is fuel, but in winter it also needs to be comforting and supportive. Warm soups, roasted root vegetables, oatmeal with cinnamon. These kinds of meals don't just fill your stomach. They help regulate blood sugar and provide steady energy.

And don't forget hydration. We often drink less in the winter, but dehydration can increase fatigue and brain fog. Adding electrolytes can help with energy and hydration, especially if you're feeling extra depleted. Make it easier on yourself. Buy the pre-cut veggies for quick snacks.

Cook double and freeze half. For low effort future meals [00:09:00] keep nourishing, grab and go options on hand.

If you want more specific tips on eating for energy and realistic nutrition strategies for moms, go listen to episode 67 with Allegra Gast. She shares so many doable ideas without pressure for perfectionism. Next up, vitamin D is the sunshine supplement.

Vitamin D deficiency is super common, especially for women and especially in winter when we don't get minimal sun. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to mood disorders, fatigue, and even increased risk of postpartum depression. Talk to your provider about testing your levels or adding a supplement.

Many moms find they feel a noticeable shift in energy and mood Once they address this.

Next is give yourself some fresh air, even if it's brief. Yes, it is cold. Yes, you'll probably have to wrestle your toddler into snow pants, but even a few deep breaths of outside air can help reset your nervous system.

Step out onto the porch, crack the window while you drink your [00:10:00] coffee. Let your lungs feel something that isn't recycled indoor air, even if it's just for a few seconds before your face freezes off. Next up is connection without pressure. You don't need a full on girls night out or a three hour phone call.

Sometimes it's as simple as texting a friend a meme and saying, this made me think of you, or sending a quick voice note while you're unloading the dishwasher. Little touchpoints matter. Create a rhythm of connection that fits your life. Maybe it's a Tuesday, check-in with a mom friend or a once a week walk and talk on the phone.

The goal isn't more plans. It's more moments to be seen.

If you're craving deeper connection, but you're not sure where to start, revisit an old friendship that felt safe, or join a low stakes group like a book club or a parent and me class where the bar is low and the potential is high.

Next, this one is so important. Find joy in micro moments. Joy doesn't have to be big or loud. It can be [00:11:00] absurdly small. That moment when your coffee is the perfect temperature. Your toddler mispronouncing cinnamon, the silly dance party in footy pajamas before bedtime.

Joy lives in noticing. So let yourself notice even if your day is a mess, you can still have a joyful 10 seconds. String enough of those moments together and you start to remember that there's color even in this gray season.

And here's something you might not wanna hear, but sometimes you have to force the silly put on a ridiculous playlist and dance even when you don't feel like it. Make up a nonsense song about brushing teeth. Speak in a British accent at dinner. It might feel weird at first, but silliness is contagious.

Your kids will jump in, you'll surprise yourself. And laughter has a way of shifting the air, even when the heaviness. Won't fully lift. Make it a practice. At the end of the day, ask yourself, what's one thing that made me smile today? It trains your brain [00:12:00] to look for the good, even when the day felt like a wash. If you liked this episode, share it with a mom friend who might be feeling the winter blahs too. Follow or subscribe wherever you're listening.

And if you're on Apple, scroll down and leave a quick rating and review. It truly helps more moms find this space.

If you're looking for some really easy ways to add more silliness to your life, you can download my free daily doses of Joy Bingo Board Challenge.

You can find it at momidentityproject.com/free-downloads.

In the next episode, we're talking about something. I know so many moms struggle with this idea that we need to find our thing and carve out perfect me time to find the space to do it again. But what if your thing doesn't have to be something that you do by yourself?

What if it's something that you can do with your family or with your kids? We're flipping the script on what it means to have a thing and why it matters more than you think. Until then, take some time for yourself and remember that you are an amazing mom just the way you are.

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