There is so much to love about the winter. There are snow-covered landscapes and frozen waterfalls. There are cozy sweaters and hot chocolate. There are even winter activities like snowshoe adventures and cabin getaways. And while there is something magical about that first snowfall of the year, it also tends to trigger something inside me — a feeling of dread, worry, and anxiousness. It’s a fear that the winter blues will be making their appearance and making my days feel discouraging and dark.

Winter has always been hard for me but it wasn’t until I moved to the Inland Northwest that I truly began to recognize it. The constant fog, rain, and cloudy days were hard on my mind and body. It didn’t help that I  also lived in the Pacific Time Zone, right near the time zone line, so during the winter months, it would become dark very early.

I’ll never forget flying to my parent’s home in sunny Southern Utah during spring break. On my first day at home, I spent most of the morning lying in a sprawled eagle position on the driveway cement. All I wanted was to feel sunshine on my face.

What are the winter blues?

The winter blues is a temporary feeling of depression during the colder, darker months of the year. This is different than Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as SADS) where your depression is so deep that it affects your interests and quality of life. Many factors contribute to the winter blues such as longer, darker days and a lack of sunlight, which can impact your body’s circadian rhythm and affect everything from your sleep to your hormones.

Each year, I use various methods to beat the winter blues. I create a very consistent exercise routine, eat lots of fresh foods, take various supplements, and sit in front of a light therapy box every single morning. While these things certainly help, I find there is one activity where I see the biggest improvements — traveling.

How traveling helps me get through the winter blues

For the past several years, I have planned at least one vacation during the winter months. Keep in mind that these aren’t quick, overnight getaways. Rather, they are nearly week-long excursions to someplace where I can wear a t-shirt during the day and bask in the sunlight. Some of my favorite trip destinations have included multiple cities in Florida, Hawaii, southern Arizona, southern Utah, and even a cruise to the Bahamas.

I budget for these trips all year long and will typically begin planning for them in the spring and early summer. While I have ventured on these trips in December, I have found that traveling in January or February helps me the most because, by this time in the season, I’m running quite low and need to give my mental health a big boost.

So, how exactly has traveling helped me get through the winter blues? Well, the sunshine and warm weather certainly help but there’s so much more to it. Here are just four benefits I’ve received.

Traveling gives me something to look forward to

Like I mentioned before, a vacation during the winter is something I plan for months in advance. It is something I make a priority for my mental health. The excitement and anticipation of the event brings me great joy and on those dark and gloomy days where I may find myself in a funk, I like to pull out my itinerary and plan an adventure. It may be something small such as a restaurant I want to visit or a hike I want to tackle but the excitement tends to overpower the gloom.

Sun-filled vacations reduce my stress and anxiety

Research shows that traveling is an excellent stress reducer. Vacations often provide you with more time with family and friends, allow you to feel more productive with your days, and can even cause you to move your body more, resulting in an increased release of endorphins. While I certainly love a relaxing vacation where I can lay by the pool for hours, I also need some movement, whether that’s a hike, shopping, time in the water swimming or snorkeling, visits to amusement parks, etc. This movement is much different than my regular exercise routine, resulting in a little variety and a lot of stress and anxiety leaving my body. 

Traveling helps me become a better version of myself

Yes, some trips can be very exhausting and challenging. Difficulties may arise that can put a damper on your adventure such as flights delayed or canceled, issues with lodging, poor weather, etc. However, when these unexpected issues arise, you must problem solve. You must find a solution to your situation, even if that means being flexible and changing your plans (which is difficult for my Type A personality). You might need to step out of your comfort zone.

Traveling ignites my curiosity and I want to learn something new. My adventures motivate me to try something unusual, to taste something obscure, and to go someplace that frightens me. Traveling motivates me to become a better version of myself and on those hard days after I’ve returned, it’s fun to look at photos or keepsakes and remind myself of that.

It gives me a break from my regular routine

When you follow the same routine day after day, it is easy to feel a little lost, discouraged, and depressed. Traveling helps to beak up the monotony and add some excitement to your days. It allows your mind to focus on something different, exciting, and rewarding. It helps you step out of a slump and into an adventure.

I could go on and on about the benefits of traveling and how it helps me beat the winter blues. It’s something I’m passionate about and something that has helped me when I couldn’t find anything else. Traveling has helped me fall in love with winter. It is a time of the year I no longer dread. In fact, I look forward to it.