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As costs of utilities have been increasing, some strategies to be more efficient and reduce costs can also be a boon for your mental health. Adapting to some of these strategies and building them into daily habits can help you maintain better mental wellness all year long while also helping to reduce some financial stressors as well!

A common strategy for reducing home heating costs in the winter is to make sure you are opening your curtains or blinds each morning to allow the sunlight in to help heat the home and then closing them in the evening to keep more of the night’s extra chill outside and reducing drafts- black-out curtains can also be good to reduce drafts even further. This daily process of opening all of your curtains can save on your heating bills but it can also build a habit to maximize your access to Vitamin D in the winter, a time that we typically get less natural Vitamin D intake which can affect our mental health. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mental health condition that occurs in climates where there is less sunlight, which could be as brief as during the winter months. It can be characterized by social withdrawal, fatigue, feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emotional numbness. Treatment often includes forms of talk therapy and light therapy. Allowing exposure to as much sunlight in the day as you can during the winter can help combat those symptoms, whether they are of a clinical level or not.

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During winter months it is also recommended to keep the thermostat at the same temperature or slightly lowered at night and instead increase the amount of blankets used to save on heating costs. In terms of mental health, sleeping in darker and cooler environments often promotes better sleep quality, allowing for more regenerative sleep cycles as well as helping you fall asleep faster. So keeping a cooler room with the ability to snuggle into an extra comfortable throw or blanket, where you have more control to remove it if needed to regulate your body heat, can build a healthy sleep routine for yourself and perhaps promote a more consistent internal clock. The benefits of true restorative sleep on your mental health and emotional regulation, whether you’re an adult or a child, are widely held as a standard foundation for mental wellness. A room temperature between 60-67 F is considered ideal to lower our internal temperature to promote optimal sleep.

During the winter days, wrapping up in a cozy blanket or sweater can feel like self care. It can be a positive sensory stimulation, releasing dopamine (a pleasure chemical) just like hugging a loved one or pet can. In fact, snuggling up in a blanket with a pet can feel extra warm and cozy while also allowing you to keep your thermostat at a lower temperature and save you some money.