Every year around November, I start hearing the same thing from women in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s:
“I don’t feel like myself.”
“I’m tired all the time.”
“I can’t wake up in the morning.”
“My mood drops the second the sun disappears.”
Most assume it’s stress or the holidays. But for many midlife women, what they’re experiencing is a powerful combination of perimenopause + winter physiology—something almost no one talks about.
Let’s break down why winter hits harder during perimenopause and what you can do to support your mood, energy, and motivation until spring.
Why Winter Affects Mood More in Perimenopause
Winter brings darker days, less sunlight, and a major shift in circadian rhythms. For women in perimenopause, these effects amplify because hormone fluctuations already make the brain more sensitive to environmental changes.
Here’s what’s happening inside the body:
1. Less sunlight causes serotonin to drop
Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, appetite, motivation, and emotional balance.
Lower sunlight = lower serotonin = mood instability.
2. Melatonin rises at the wrong times
More darkness means your brain releases melatonin earlier or unpredictably.
Result: daytime tiredness and evening alertness.
3. Estrogen fluctuations magnify everything
Estrogen helps regulate serotonin, dopamine, and stress hormones.
As estrogen rises and falls, your ability to adapt to winter stressors decreases.
4. Vitamin D declines sharply
By December, most women in northern states have low vitamin D, which affects mood, immune strength, and energy.
5. Circadian rhythm becomes unstable
Shorter days confuse your internal clock.
This affects sleep, digestion, metabolism, and emotional regulation.
This isn’t “winter blues.”
It’s a real physiological shift.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Midlife
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is more common during perimenopause because serotonin and dopamine are already fluctuating.
Symptoms may include:
- Low mood
- Increased sleepiness
- Strong carb cravings
- Low motivation
- Difficulty waking up
- Brain fog
- Low energy
- Feeling withdrawn or overwhelmed
The good news?
There are simple, evidence-based ways to support your winter mood.
The Winter Mood Support Blueprint
These are the most effective steps I use with my patients and in my own daily life.
Below, you’ll find not only what to do — but how to build these habits into a realistic weekly routine during the busiest months of the year.
1. Get Morning Light Within the First Hour of Waking
This is one of the most powerful steps for improving winter mood.
Why it matters:
Morning light helps your brain regulate serotonin (mood), dopamine (motivation), cortisol (energy), and melatonin (sleep). It resets your internal clock so you feel awake during the day and tired at night.
How to make it sustainable:
- Commit to 5–10 minutes outside, even if it’s cold or cloudy.
- Keep a warm jacket or coat by the door for a quick morning routine.
- Drink your coffee or tea by a window with the brightest natural light.
- If mornings are dark where you live, use a 10,000-lux light therapy lamp for 10–20 minutes.
- Put the lamp on a timer so it turns on automatically when you wake up.
Consistency is more important than perfection.
2. Eat 30–40 Grams of Protein at Breakfast
Protein directly supports mood by helping your brain produce serotonin and dopamine. It also stabilizes blood sugar, which prevents energy crashes, irritability, and cravings.
How to make it sustainable:
Choose one of the following “anchor breakfasts” and rotate them:
- Greek yogurt + protein powder + berries
- Protein smoothie with a scoop of high-quality protein
- Eggs + turkey sausage
- Tofu scramble + sweet potatoes
- Cottage cheese + fruit (or dairy-free equivalent)
- Leftover protein from dinner + veggies + broth
Prep proteins on Sunday (boiled eggs, turkey patties, baked tofu) so breakfast is easy.
3. Prioritize Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s support neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and have strong evidence for mood support.
How to make it sustainable:
- Add fatty fish (salmon, sardines, trout) 2–3 times per week.
- Add chia, flax, or hemp seeds to smoothies or yogurt.
- If supplements are appropriate for you, use a high-quality fish oil or algae-based omega-3.
Always check with your healthcare provider before starting supplements.
4. Check Your Vitamin D Level — And Know Your Options
Vitamin D is deeply tied to mood, energy, immune health, and hormone balance.
By mid-December, most women in northern climates have low levels.
If your primary care provider won’t check vitamin D—or insurance won’t cover it—we can check it for you here at Antigravity Wellness.
We offer a simple cash-pay lab option that is significantly less expensive than going directly to a lab.
This service is available to women in Washington and Oregon only.
If your levels are low, we can advise you on safe, individualized vitamin D dosing.
5. Anchor Your Circadian Rhythm
Winter disrupts your internal clock. Here’s how to re-stabilize it:
Morning:
- Get daylight immediately upon waking
- Delay caffeine for 60–90 minutes to protect cortisol
- Hydrate before coffee
Afternoon:
- Take a brief walk between 2–4 PM to avoid the slump
- Keep lights bright to maintain alertness
Evening:
- Dim lights 2 hours before bed
- Use soft lamps instead of overhead lighting
- Avoid screens at least 60 minutes before bed
- Stretch or read instead of online browsing
These small steps cue your brain to release melatonin at the right time.
6. Move Your Body Daily — Even in Small Bursts
Movement raises serotonin and dopamine and improves both energy and mood.
How to make it sustainable:
Choose one approach and stick to it all week:
- A 10–15 minute morning or lunchtime walk
- A short strength training circuit at home
- A 20-minute yoga session before bed
- A 5-minute “movement snack” every 90 minutes during the day
- A treadmill walk while answering emails
- Dance to two songs in your kitchen after dinner
Short, consistent movement > long, inconsistent workouts.
7. Eat Warm, Grounding Meals
Warm foods regulate blood sugar and help calm the nervous system.
How to make it sustainable:
Meal prep one winter-friendly base each week:
- A big pot of soup
- A slow-cooker stew
- Roasted root vegetables
- A tray of roasted chicken or beans
Use these as easy grab-and-go meals on busy days.
8. Create a Calming Evening Ritual
Your brain needs gentle cues to shift into sleep mode.
Try building a simple routine:
- Dim lights
- Limit screens
- Put your phone in another room
- Use a warm shower or bath
- Sip tea (chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm)
- Use magnesium glycinate if appropriate
Repeat this nightly. Rituals retrain your brain.
9. Stay Social and Connected
Isolation increases SAD symptoms.
How to make it sustainable:
- Plan a weekly call with a friend
- Join a local class or winter hobby group
- Set up “walk and talk” meetups
- Attend virtual gatherings or workshops
- Invite a friend to join your wellness goals
Humans regulate emotions through connection.
Case Study: “I feel like a different person every winter.”
A 46-year-old patient came to me last year saying, “Every winter, I feel like I disappear.”
Her symptoms:
- Low motivation
- Afternoon exhaustion
- Strong cravings
- Brain fog
- Trouble waking up
- Weight gain each winter
- Tearfulness without a clear reason
Her labs revealed:
- Low vitamin D
- Estrogen fluctuations
Elevated evening cortisol - Low omega-3 levels
- Sleep disruption
- Mild iron deficiency
After implementing a targeted winter mood plan—morning light, protein-forward meals, vitamin D support, omega-3s, and circadian rhythm stabilization—she reported:
- Fewer mood dips
- More stable energy
- Better sleep
- Clearer thinking
- No winter weight gain
- A sense of control and calm she hadn’t felt in years
Winter didn’t change.
Her physiology did.
Download the Winter Mood Guide
You can download your step-by-step Winter Mood Guide here:
You’ll get simple, actionable habits to help you feel more balanced and grounded all winter long.
Want More Personalized Support? Take the Readiness Questionnaire
If you want individualized support for mood, hormones, energy, weight, or perimenopause symptoms, the first step is our Readiness Questionnaire.
It helps determine whether our programs are a good fit for your needs.
You’ll walk away with clear next steps no matter what.
New Patient Readiness Questionnaire link here
References
- T Dalgleish (1996). Rhythm and blues: the theory and treatment of seasonal affective disorder. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8773795/
- Davide Gnocchi. (2017). Circadian Rhythms and Hormonal Homeostasis: Pathophysiological Implications. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5372003/
- Natalie Musial. (2021). Perimenopause and First-Onset Mood Disorders: A Closer Look. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8475932/
- Holick, M. F. (2011). Vitamin D: A D-lightful solution for health. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(5), 1006–1010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21415774/
- Freeman, E. W. (2006). Associations of hormones and menopausal status with depressed mood in women with no history of depression. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16585466/
- Gordon Parker. (2006).Omega-3 fatty acids and mood disorders. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16741195/
Medical DisclaimerThis article is for educational purposes only.
It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical care.
Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to supplements, medications, nutrition, or treatment plans.
If you are experiencing mood changes or symptoms that concern you, seek medical attention.
