It's November again. The days are getting shorter, it's gray, cold, and wet. The sofa and blanket become more tempting with each day, and it becomes harder for us to go outside. We feel listless, often tired, and withdrawn – then we are probably in the grip of the so-called winter blues.

What are the winter blues?

The winter blues are a seasonal low mood during the winter months.

Typical symptoms are:

•    Tiredness, lack of motivation

•    Increased need for sleep

•    Withdrawal, no desire to do anything

•    Mood swings, melancholy

There are also symptom-free phases; the mood fluctuates and is not continuously melancholic. Over 50 percent of Germans report occasional winter blues. Women are affected more often than men. In addition, the further away we live from the equator, the higher the probability of winter blues, as the difference between day and night becomes greater in winter.

What is the difference between winter blues and winter depression?

The winter blues are a temporary low mood that disappear on their own in the spring. The symptoms vary and self-help is sufficient to overcome the low mood.

Winter depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), on the other hand, is a serious illness that affects around one to three percent of the population. Symptoms include persistent low mood, extreme listlessness, concentration problems, sleep disorders, sudden weight changes, irritability, social withdrawal, hopelessness, and even physical complaints such as back or stomach pain. Winter depression is diagnosed when symptoms persist for more than two weeks and occur during at least two consecutive winters. Medical consultation and treatment are necessary in this case.

Where do the winter blues come from?

The winter blues are mainly due to a lack of light, which occurs naturally due to the shorter days in winter. Our bodies are attuned to a cycle of approximately twelve hours of darkness and twelve hours of light. Many processes, such as kidney activity, digestion, and liver metabolism, are based on this rhythm. When the nights get longer and the days shorter, this rhythm becomes disrupted. The deviation of the sleep-wake cycle from the day-night cycle can also lead to sleep disorders.

In addition, the winter blues have a biochemical cause: our eyes receive less daylight during the winter months, which is why our bodies release more melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, and break down the stimulant cortisol. The fewer hours of sunshine there are, the more melatonin is released during the day. This makes us tired and listless. In addition, our bodies use the amino acid tryptophan to produce melatonin. However, this amino acid is also needed for the production of the happiness hormone serotonin and is therefore less available for this purpose. Serotonin levels drop, which can lead to irritability and despondency.

What can we do to counteract the winter blues?

The following tips will help us prevent the winter blues from setting in or quickly dispel them.

Tip 1: Soak up some light

Go outside! It doesn't matter if the sun is shining, it's cloudy, or it's raining: daylight helps. Daily walks of at least 30 minutes to an hour are good for us in many ways.

A workplace by a window is also beneficial. Alternatively, light therapy with a daylight lamp for about 30 minutes in the morning, for example on the breakfast table, can help. White fluorescent light is absorbed through the open eyes, which promotes our well-being. The recommended light intensity is 10,000 lux. It is important to look directly into the light source every few seconds. Medical supervision is recommended.

Tip 2: Exercise

Exercise – whether outdoors, such as jogging, cycling, walking, or indoors – promotes cardiovascular health and has been proven to stimulate the production of happiness hormones.

Tip 3: Vitamin D

During the winter months in Germany, the sun's rays are not strong enough to ensure sufficient vitamin D production in the body. It is also difficult to meet the daily requirement through food alone. Studies have shown that people with depression often have a vitamin D deficiency, which could also contribute to the winter blues. Therefore, taking vitamin D supplements can be beneficial. Incidentally, the body cannot produce vitamin D when using daylight lamps, as their light does not contain the necessary UV-B rays.

Tip 4: Nutrition

We should make sure we eat a diet rich in fiber and vitamins, even though we are often tempted to crave carbohydrates and sweets when we are feeling down. Some foods contain tryptophan, which helps the body produce serotonin. These include nuts, quinoa, amaranth, wheat germ, oatmeal, eggs, and soybeans.

Tip 5: Social contacts and hobbies

Instead of giving in to the temptation to stay cozy on the sofa, we should maintain our social contacts and pursue our hobbies to ensure moments of well-being. Activities with friends or family raise serotonin levels and thus improve our mood.

Tip 6: Structured daily routine

A structured daily routine is particularly important when reduced daylight disrupts our rhythm. We should not sleep in too long on weekends, but rather get up at roughly the same time every day. Too much sleep can have a negative effect on our mood. Even if we feel tired during the day, we should not sleep too much. Keeping a sleep diary can help us determine how much sleep we need and adjust our daily rhythm accordingly.

The good news is that the Christmas market season is about to begin. This is a great opportunity to combine walks in the fresh air with meeting friends, successfully preventing the winter blues. On our events page, you will find more opportunities to get together with like-minded people in more and more cities and exchange ideas – we look forward to seeing you!

List of sources

Leonie Pape-Werlich, Dres. Schlegel + Schmidt - Med. Kommunikation GmbH: Herbst- und Winterblues, Techniker Krankenkasse, 29.10.2025.
https://www.tk.de/techniker/gesundheit-foerdern/stress-entspannung/wohlbefinden/herbst-und-winterblues-2016428

DKV: Winterblues – Tipps gegen das Stimmungstief.
https://www.dkv.com/gesundheit-themenwelt-psyche-winterblues-tipps-gegen-das-stimmungstief.html

Universitätsambulanz Witten: Winterdepression vs. Winterblues: Vorsicht bei der Begrifflichkeit, 19.11.2024.
https://www.uniambulanz-witten.de/was-hilft-gegen-den-winterblues/

Universitätsklinikum Leipzig: Winterblues: Tageslicht ist bestes Gegenmittel, 16.01.2023.
https://www.uniklinikum-leipzig.de/presse/Seiten/Pressemitteilung_7611.aspx

Kathrin Schmitt: Winterdepression? 5 Tipps gegen den Winterblues, Heiligenfeld Kliniken, 16.10.2023.
https://www.heiligenfeld.de/blog/winterdepression-5-tipps-gegen-den-winterblues

Kirsten Wenzel: Winterblues und Winterdepression: Symptome, Unterschied und Behandlung, DAK, 12.03.2024.
https://www.dak.de/dak/gesundheit/psychische-gesundheit/psychische-erkrankungen/winterblues-und-winterdepression_13978

N-JOY: Diese 8 Tipps helfen gegen den Winterblues, 10.11.2025.
https://www.ndr.de/n-joy/leben/Diese-8-Tipps-helfen-gegen-Winterblues,winterblues100.html