Beating the Winter Blues

I really don’t mind the winter. If it was my choice, we would have a good winter snowstorm each winter that snowed us in for a few days. Fresh snow makes everything look so bright and clean! Have you ever watched squirrels play in the snow? There is something so refreshing about the earth after it snows!
I don’t even mind the frigid temperatures that we get occasionally. It’s a welcomed way to kill bugs and bacteria that are hanging around in the air and earth.
But, what I DON’T like is the cloudy days. And we get a lot of those in the winter! Day after day of 40 degrees and clouds is hard on me. I have learned that my mood and spirit is so much brighter if there is sun. You too? Sometimes, when we get a sunny day, I find myself bundling up and going outside to bask in the sun’s rays. Other times, I stand in front of the window and soak up as much sun as possible. It always improves the way that I feel.

Is it Just Winter Blues? Or Is It Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

The holidays are over, and winter is a time to recharge. But you might feel more drained, irritable, and just … off. If winter’s shorter days and chilly weather seem to amplify your stress, anxiety, and exhaustion, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into what might be going on and, most importantly, what you can do to feel like yourself again.

What Is the Difference?

The Winter Blues are typically described as a gloomy sad feeling that comes from being cooped up inside during the shorter cold days of winter. According to VeryWell Mind , the Winter Blues is a feeling of sadness during the fall and winter season, possibly trouble sleeping and a lack of motivation.
The VeryWell Mind goes on to contrast that with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is characterized by severe sadness, changes in sleeping and eating habits, and depression that interferes with motivation and day-to-day functioning.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is more than just the "winter blues." It’s a type of depression that typically strikes during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter. This isn’t about being a little gloomy because it’s cold outside; SAD can mess with your mood, energy levels, and even your hormones. If you find yourself feeling more anxious, irritable, tired, or even hopeless during the winter months, SAD might be at play.

Hormones like serotonin (your happy brain chemical) and melatonin (which regulates sleep) are influenced by sunlight. When we get less light exposure, it throws these hormones out of balance, making us feel off-kilter. Combine that with the demands of life and dealing with chronic stress, and it’s no wonder winter feels overwhelming.

Lifestyle Tips to Brighten Your Winter Mood

If you suspect you are experiencing SAD, I recommend seeing your healthcare provider for a correct diagnosis and to make sure you are receiving the support you need.
Let’s talk about some practical steps you can take if you are experiencing the Winter Blues. These aren’t quick fixes, but small, consistent changes can make a big difference:

Get Outside (Yes, Even When It’s Cold) Natural daylight is your best friend. Aim for at least 20 minutes outside during the brightest part of the day. Bundle up, take the kids for a walk, or just sit by a sunny window if getting outside feels too hard. Light exposure helps reset your body’s internal clock and boosts your serotonin levels. Doing this earlier in the day helps improve your energy. Getting late-day sunlight signals to your body that night is coming and begins to prepare the brain for sleep.
Move Your Body Exercise doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym. Dance in your living room, do pilates while the kids play, or take a brisk walk. Movement increases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals your brain loves, and helps you manage stress.
Stick to a Routine A consistent daily rhythm can help regulate your mood and energy. Prioritize regular meals (no skipping breakfast!). Focus on at least 20 grams of protein per meal. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, even if that means saying no to late-night Netflix.
Prioritize Connection When you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to isolate yourself, but reaching out can help. Call a friend or schedule a coffee date. Even small moments of connection can lift your spirits.
Soak Up the Light If getting enough natural sunlight isn’t realistic, consider a light therapy box. These mimic natural sunlight and can work wonders for improving your mood. Choose a light box with 10,000 LUX. Use it for about 20-30 minutes each morning but, check with a healthcare provider to ensure it’s right for you.

Supplements to Support Your Mood This Winter

Sometimes, your body needs a little extra help. Here are some supplements that might support your mood and energy:

Vitamin D: Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” low levels of vitamin D are common in the winter months and can worsen the Winter Blues. A daily supplement (2,000-5,000 IU) can make a big difference. My favorite source of Vitamin D is Micellized Vitamin D because the absorption rate is five times greater than regular Vitamin D supplements. Check your levels with a blood test to determine your ideal dose.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil, omega-3s are great for brain health and mood regulation. Look for a high-quality supplement with both EPA and DHA. I always choose a product that is sourced off the Norwegian coastline or the South American/Antarctic waters because the fish are not as contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals, and PCBs. I also make sure the fish oil is processed on the ship or in the port and not shipped away to be processed, as time is of the essence to avoid oxidation. Most Omega-3 products are rancid because they were not processed quickly enough!
B Vitamins: Chronic stress can deplete your B vitamin levels, especially B6 and B12, which are crucial for mood and energy. A good B-complex supplement can help fill the gaps.
Magnesium: Known as nature’s “chill pill,” magnesium helps calm your nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. Try magnesium glycinate or citrate for better absorption. Start with 200 mg before bed and increase or decrease according to tolerance level.
Adaptogenic Herbs: Herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil can help your body manage stress and balance hormones. I supplement with adaptogens on a daily basis. These are especially helpful if you feel fatigued or burned out.

You’re Not Alone

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or just plain exhausted, please know that you’re not alone. Winter is hard on most of us! Start with small changes, like getting outside for a few minutes or taking a high-quality vitamin D supplement, and build from there. You deserve to feel good—for yourself and your family. If you’re struggling and not sure where to start, let’s chat. I specialize in helping women like you find balance and reclaim their energy. You’re not meant to carry this all on your own.
Remember, brighter days are ahead—both literally and figuratively!

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Why the News Is Wearing You Out (And It's Not Your Imagination)

By Rachel Rauch • September 8, 2026

Do you ever feel like life is moving faster than you can keep up with? I do. So I went digging into the history of how news actually traveled, and it turns out I wasn't imagining things. Life really has sped up. Let me walk you through it, because it explains more about your body than you'd think. In 1776, news moved at the speed of a horse or a ship, and sometimes slower than the war it was reporting on. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in December 1814, but it took six weeks to cross the Atlantic. Andrew Jackson fought the Battle of New Orleans two weeks after the war it belonged to had already ended. The telegraph closed that gap. The Associated Press started in 1846, when five New York papers pooled money for a courier-and-telegraph relay to beat each other on Mexican-American War news. By the 1870s, the AP wire was the backbone of newspapers coast to coast. When the first working transatlantic cable went in in 1866, European news reached city readers by the next morning. Rural readers, stuck waiting on the mail train, stayed weeks behind. Radio and television took over in the 20th century, still riding on the AP wire underneath. Overseas footage could reach American living rooms the same day. Cable news pushed that down to real time — by September 11, 2001, people watched history happen live instead of waiting for the evening broadcast. Today the lag is seconds, and the source is usually a stranger's phone, not a newsroom. Wire services and reporters still do the actual digging, but social platforms and algorithmic feeds decide what you see first, and they usually beat professional verification to the punch. Speed isn't the problem anymore. Knowing what's true before you share it is. Here's what that means closer to home. A woman in 1776 spent her day on what was in front of her: feeding her family, supporting the war effort locally, running her house. Her stress was real, but she wasn't carrying Africa's wars or Asia's famines on top of it, because by the time that news arrived, it was already over. Even through World War II, women served their cause by investing in their own community. Worldwide events they couldn't touch were, for the most part, not part of their daily awareness. And when they were, it came through black-and-white photos and print — sterile, one step removed. Even the six o’clock news felt at a distance most nights. Social media changed that. Now a plea to save trafficked children and a plea to save dying coral reefs show up back to back in the same scroll. We watch villages in Africa pillaged by rebels, children starving as civil wars tear countries apart, cities flattened by earthquakes and wildfires — all shot on the phones of people living through it in real time. Every influencer has a cause, and plenty of them want you to feel something urgent enough to act, whether that's guilt, outrage, or a call to fix something four thousand miles away. I'm not minimizing what any generation before us dealt with. I'm giving you context for what makes ours different. When women in earlier generations felt worried, they could point that adrenaline at something in front of them and actually do something about it. Now, every time we watch a crisis unfold somewhere we have no power to change, our body still releases the same stress hormones it always has — as if we were about to step into that crisis ourselves. Except we can't. Your body doesn't know the difference between a threat in your kitchen and a threat on your screen. It reacts the same way either time. And it's not just the news — it's the constant hum of social media running in the background of your day, quietly keeping your body braced for something it will never actually need to respond to. That's a real cost. It pulls from the same reserves your body needs for the stress you can't avoid. If you're anxious most of the time, short-tempered in a way you don't like, sleeping poorly, or dealing with digestive issues that won't resolve, social media and the news cycle may be part of what's driving it. Try a sabbatical — no social media, no podcasts, no news, even for a few days. Let your brain settle. Let your attention come back to what's actually in front of you, and notice whether your body feels different. When you're ready to bring news back in, I'd point you to The Pour Over. It's non-partisan, comes with Scripture and prayer built in, and delivers everything in short pieces — enough to stay informed without getting pulled into the emotional undertow of events you have no way to change.

Nothing Is Certain Except Death, Taxes, and How Your Body Handles Uncertainty

By Rachel Rauch • August 25, 2026

You've probably heard the line, "Nothing is certain except death and taxes." It's usually attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who wrote it to the French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy — expressing his own anxiety about not hearing from Le Roy for over a year during the chaos of the French Revolution. Every era has its uncertainty. But is it just me, or does the world feel more uncertain lately? Maybe it's the upcoming midterm elections. Maybe it's the unrest in the Middle East. Maybe contagious viruses just feel more ominous since COVID. And then the news serves up one terrible headline after another that I wasn't even thinking about until I read it. Maybe current events barely register for you, but you still struggle to feel safe because of something that happened to you, or to someone you love. It's hard to feel certain about anything after what you've been through. If that's you, I am truly sorry, and I lament with you in that! Here's what's actually happening in your body: uncertainty triggers the same stress response as a real physical threat. You have a small gland in your brain called the amygdala, and it interprets ambiguity the same way it interprets danger. Your body responds accordingly — racing heart, shallow breathing, sweating, blood rushing to your limbs. At the same time, the amygdala suppresses your prefrontal cortex, which slows your thinking and makes it harder to make decisions or regulate your emotions. Live in that state long enough, and it becomes an allostatic load on your body: chronically elevated cortisol, a suppressed immune system, more inflammation, reduced digestive capacity, and hormones out of balance. You might also notice more anxiety, more fatigue, and everyday tasks feeling like more than you can carry. I wish we could avoid uncertainty. I think you do too. We are finite people held in the hands of an infinite God. Some days I catch myself thinking that if my life had no uncertainty, I'd be less stressed. Deep down, though, I know that's not true. No uncertainty would mean I'd know everything — including every scary thing headed my way — and that would stress me out more, not less. So if uncertainty isn't going anywhere, how do we keep it from wrecking our bodies? Limit your knowledge. I know that sounds backward. We have the whole internet in our pockets, and we can watch the news unfold in real time. But most of what we're consuming is about things we can't control or influence. That turns knowledge into a burden. Cut back on the things you have no say in, and focus on what's local and within your reach. Cut your social media scroll. Comparison breeds "what if" thinking and discontentment. And the algorithms are tracking every half-second pause in your scroll, then feeding you more of exactly what stirs up your uncertainty. Build a budget and stick to it. A budget lets you plan for what you need and prepare for the unexpected. It slows the kind of spending that feeds on uncertainty. Cut back on caffeine and other stimulants. They stack extra stress hormones on top of what your body is already producing, keeping you stuck in an activated, wound-up state. Write down reminders of God's faithfulness — put them where you'll see them. When Moses handed leadership over to Joshua, right before Joshua had to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses gave him this: "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." — Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV) Joshua was afraid. Moses didn't hand him a plan — he reminded him who was going ahead of him. We can hold onto that same reminder. Ask if there's a deeper root to your uncertainty. Is there a past event, or a pattern, feeding what you feel now? That can be a loaded question, and it's often easier to sort through with a counselor or therapist who can help you connect what happened then to what you're carrying now. Uncertainty isn't going away. But we don't have to just absorb it. We can be strategic about how we handle it, and about lightening the stress load it puts on our bodies.