7 Ways to Cope with Shorter Days and Less Sunlight

When the clocks turn back and daylight fades earlier, it can affect your mood, energy, and motivation. You might notice your energy dipping by late afternoon, your motivation waning, or your mood feeling a little heavier. Even if you love cozy evenings and warm sweaters, there’s something disorienting about how quickly the daylight seems to slip away.

If you’ve been feeling “off” lately, you’re not alone. Our bodies and minds can be greatly affected by sunlight. Less daylight can disrupt circadian rhythms, lower serotonin levels, and affect both sleep and focus. While we can’t control how short the days get, we can take intentional steps to care for ourselves during the winter months.

Here are 7 ways to cope with the darker months and bring more light into your days:

1. Soak in Natural Light Early in the Day

Sunlight is a powerful regulator of mood and sleep. Try to get outside within an hour of waking up. Even 5-10 minutes can make a big difference. Take your coffee by a window, walk your dog, or simply stand outside and breathe in the morning air. Soak up whatever sunlight you can.

If you struggle to get enough daylight (especially if you leave for work in the dark and return after sunset), consider using a light therapy lamp for 20–30 minutes in the morning. Research shows that light therapy lamps can help with both mood and energy.

2. Maintain a Gentle Routine

Shorter days can disrupt your usual rhythms and routines. Establishing small, predictable habits can help anchor you. Aim to wake up and go to bed at consistent times each day, even on weekends. If you don’t already have a bedtime routine, try creating one. Even a few simple steps, like reading, stretching, or journaling, can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. Consistency helps your body adjust to the seasonal changes, supports emotional balance, and prevents burnout.

3. Move Your Body, Even Briefly

Exercise boosts serotonin and endorphins, which are the same brain chemicals that naturally drop with less sunlight. You don’t need an intense workout; even gentle movement like walking, yoga, or stretching can help lift mood and reduce tension. If it’s hard to find motivation after work when it’s dark, try shifting movement earlier in the day, like during a lunch break or mid-morning stretch.

4. Create Warmth and Light Indoors

When it’s darker outside, it can help to bring light and warmth inside. Use soft lighting in the evenings. Warm lamps can help make your home feel cozy and inviting. Keep your space tidy and add comforting touches like blankets, scents, or plants.

Your environment has a powerful effect on your mood. Small shifts can make your evenings feel like something to look forward to, rather than a reminder of the fading light.

5. Nourish Your Body

Shorter days can affect appetite and cravings, especially for carbs or comfort foods. Try to nourish yourself with regular, balanced meals that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It’s important to fuel your body to keep up your energy levels.

Vitamin D deficiency is also very common in the winter months, so it’s worth checking your levels or taking a supplement if recommended by your doctor. Omega-3s (found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed) also support brain health and mood stability.

6. Stay Connected, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

When energy and motivation dip, it’s easy to withdraw and spend more time alone, especially as the days grow shorter and colder. But staying connected is an important way to protect your emotional health. Reach out to a friend, plan a movie night, or join a small group activity. You don’t need to fill your schedule. Even one meaningful connection each week can make a noticeable difference.

7. Give Yourself Permission to Slow Down

Our culture often tells us to push through, to keep our pace the same, no matter the season. But nature slows down in winter, and it’s okay if we do, too.

You might need more rest, less stimulation, or more stillness. That’s not a flaw. It’s your body’s natural rhythm adjusting. Instead of fighting the slower pace, notice what feels grounding or restorative. Maybe it’s reading by the fire, journaling, or quiet evenings with tea. Let this season be one of gentleness and care rather than productivity, perfectionism, and pressure.

When to Seek Extra Support

If you notice that your mood, motivation, or energy consistently stay low, you’re sleeping much more or less than usual, or everyday tasks start feeling overwhelming, you might be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms. This is common but treatable. Anxiety, trauma, and major depressive disorder can also make you more sensitive to mood shifts during the winter months.

Therapy, light therapy, and lifestyle adjustments can make a meaningful difference. You don’t have to wait until spring to start feeling like yourself again.

Sometimes this darker season is an invitation to turn inward, to rest, and to care for yourself in ways that often get overlooked when life is bright and busy.

If this time of year feels heavier or you’re noticing old patterns of burnout, guilt, or anxiety resurface, therapy can help you find steadiness again. Together, we can work toward creating space for peace, rest, and compassion. If you want extra support, schedule a free consultation to get started with therapy.

Michaela Zoppa is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She supports women and teen girls navigating anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, and burnout. She uses evidence-based, trauma-informed modalities, including EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.