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Understanding and Managing Depression During Winter: How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Can Help
Mindright > Blog > Health > Understanding and Managing Depression During Winter: How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Can Help

11 June 2025

Understanding and Managing Depression During Winter: How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Can Help

Winter is a season of shorter days and colder temperatures. It can also be a challenging time for those struggling with mood difficulties and we have certainly noticed that at Mindright lately.

Symptoms of depressed mood can include:

  • Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • Low energy and fatigue
  • Lack of motivation and interest in previously enjoyed activities
  • Changes in appetite
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Withdrawal from social interactions
  • Thoughts of suicide

What Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on the interplay between thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. The premise is simple yet powerful: changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours can significantly impact mood and emotional well-being.

CBT is particularly effective in treating symptoms of depression. It equips individuals with practical tools to understand their triggers, reframe negative thoughts, and adopt healthier behaviours. Best of all, CBT strategies can be applied independently, empowering individuals to take charge of their mental health.

CBT Strategies for Managing Depression

1. Identifying and Challenging Negative Thoughts

Depression can be exacerbated by negative thought patterns such as “It will never get better” or “No-one really cares.” CBT encourages individuals to identify these automatic thoughts and challenge their validity. For example:

  • Ask yourself: “Is this thought based on facts or assumptions?” “Am I focusing on the negatives and forgetting the positives?” “Just because I feel this way does it have to be true?”
  • Consider evidence that contradicts the thought: “My friend Jodie sent me a message the other day, she does care.” “ I didn’t feel this bad a few days ago”
  • Replace the negative thought with a more balanced one, such as: “Life feels pretty tough at the moment and I would like to have more support from people who make me feel like they care. I do have days that are better than others though and maybe today is a more difficult day. I also have some friends and a few family members who care about me. They just struggle to show me in the way I need them to”.

2. Behavioural Activation

Depression often leads to avoidance behaviours and reduced activity levels, which can perpetuate the cycle of low mood. This is known as the lethargy cycle of depressed mood.  Behavioural activation involves deliberately scheduling enjoyable and meaningful activities to counteract this inertia. Some examples include:

  • Taking a brisk walk during daylight hours to increase exposure to natural light
  • Engaging in hobbies or creative pursuits, like painting or knitting
  • Reaching out to friends for coffee or a virtual chat
  • Going to the movies
  • Walk down to the local shops for a bite to eat or window shop
  • Take a bath

Even small, intentional changes to your daily routine can yield significant improvements in mood and energy.

3. Sleep

An area many people experiencing depressed mood struggle with: having good sleep routines and prioritising sleep at night time is essential for good mood management. Practicing good sleep hygiene such as no caffeine, having a wind down ritual, reading a book and keeping tech out of the bedroom will help initiate sleep. 8-9 hours is optimal for managing mood difficulties.

4. Exercise

Another tricky strategy to implement for those experiencing depression, exercise has been found to have direct benefits to the improvement of mood by increasing endorphins and regulating the nervous system. Exercising at least 3 times a week for approximately 30-45min is clinically effective in improving depressive symptoms. Whilst cardio and weight training is likely most effective for mood management, anything is better than nothing. Start with a slow walk around the block or up to the local shops and back. Start moving your body and gently increase the amount of time and intensity over time. Joining a gym and attending classes can help increase motivation and social connection.