If you were expecting anxiety and seasonal stress to ease now that the holidays have passed, and instead are finding that you feel more on edge or restless, then you’re far from alone. You’ve probably felt it in past years too: the festive season has passed, but winter is far from over. Life slows down, yet the nervous system doesn’t always follow.
If you’re considering anxiety therapy, this time of year may be part of what’s prompting that thought. Winter anxiety often builds subtly, shaped by seasonal changes, disrupted routines, and lingering stress that surfaces once the holidays pass. Understanding why this happens can make the experience feel less confusing and help clarify what kind of support may actually help.
Why Anxiety Often Increases After the Holidays
For many people, anxiety spikes not during the holidays, but immediately after them. The weeks leading up to the holidays are often highly structured, filled with schedules, expectations, social obligations, and distractions. Once that structure disappears, the nervous system can feel unanchored. There is often a sudden return to work demands, financial stress, and unresolved family dynamics, all without the buffer of anticipation or routine.
Seasonal stress also plays a role. End-of-year spending, disrupted sleep, travel fatigue, and emotional overload can accumulate quietly, only surfacing once life slows down. This can leave people feeling restless or mentally overwhelmed in January, even if nothing new has gone wrong.
How Winter Affects Mental Health and the Nervous System
Winter mental health is closely tied to biological changes triggered by reduced daylight and colder weather. Research shows that as days get shorter and daylight exposure decreases in winter, many people experience subtle mood and energy changes because reduced sunlight can throw off circadian rhythms — the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep and mood — which can contribute to winter-related anxiety and low energy.
When light exposure decreases, the brain may produce more melatonin and less serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with emotional regulation. This imbalance can contribute to increased anxiety, low motivation, and difficulty concentrating.
Cold weather also tends to limit outdoor activity and social connection, both of which support nervous system regulation. When movement and stimulation decrease, stress hormones like cortisol can remain elevated, keeping the body in a heightened state of alert. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, seasonal changes can significantly affect mood and anxiety levels, even in people without a formal diagnosis. These biological and environmental shifts help explain why seasonal anxiety often feels physical as well as emotional during winter months.
Common Signs of Winter Anxiety
Winter anxiety often shows up subtly, especially when it is driven by stress, routine changes, or nervous system dysregulation rather than a mood disorder. Common signs include increased worry or repetitive thinking, particularly around responsibilities, finances, or health. Sleep disturbances are frequent, including difficulty falling asleep, lighter sleep, or waking without feeling rested. Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, restlessness, or stomach discomfort may reflect sustained stress activation.
Emotionally, people may notice irritability, mental fatigue, or a reduced ability to tolerate everyday demands. Motivation often declines, making tasks feel more effortful. Some individuals withdraw socially, not due to low mood, but because anxiety makes interaction feel draining. Anxiety symptoms often intensify when routines, physical activity, and light exposure decrease (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). Recognizing these signs early helps distinguish winter anxiety from depression and supports timely intervention before symptoms become more disruptive.
How CBT Helps With Seasonal Anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective, evidence-based approaches for treating anxiety that worsens during the winter months. Seasonal anxiety is often maintained by predictable thought patterns, such as increased worry, negative assumptions about productivity or motivation, and heightened sensitivity to physical sensations like fatigue or restlessness. CBT works by helping individuals identify these patterns and respond to them differently, rather than getting pulled deeper into them.
CBT for anxiety focuses on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, CBT is a recommended psychotherapy approach for seasonal affective disorder and related seasonal mental health concerns, because it teaches practical skills that remain effective even when environmental stressors, such as reduced daylight, cannot be changed. While seasonal anxiety is distinct from winter-pattern SAD, the same CBT tools can help individuals manage worry, improve emotional flexibility, and regain a sense of control during winter.
At Crossroads Counseling, CBT is used to help clients develop coping strategies that are realistic for the season they are in. For those seeking anxiety therapy in Morris, IL, CBT provides structured, goal-oriented support that addresses both the mental habits and behavioral patterns that allow seasonal anxiety to persist.
Practical Winter Self-Care That Supports Anxiety Treatment
Winter self-care works best when it supports anxiety treatment rather than replacing it. Consistent daily structure is one of the most effective tools. Going to bed and waking up at the same time helps regulate the nervous system and reduces baseline anxiety.
Light exposure is also critical. Spending time outside during daylight hours or using a light box as recommended by a provider can support mood and energy.
Movement matters, even in small doses. Gentle exercise such as walking, stretching, or yoga helps reduce muscle tension and lowers stress hormones. Thought awareness is another key practice. Noticing anxious or self-critical thoughts and pausing before reacting reinforces skills often taught in CBT for anxiety.
These practices do not cure seasonal anxiety on their own, but when paired with therapy, they strengthen emotional regulation and support long-term progress.
You’re Not Behind, You’re Responding to a Season
Feeling more anxious in winter does not mean you are failing or falling behind. It often means your mind and nervous system are responding to real changes in light, routine, and demand. Seasonal anxiety is not a personal weakness, and it does not require pushing harder or expecting more of yourself to resolve it.
Support during this time can be stabilizing rather than corrective. Therapy offers a place to understand what is happening, strengthen coping skills, and regain a sense of steadiness as seasons shift. For those seeking anxiety therapy in Morris, IL, help is available at Crossroads Counseling that meets you where you are and adapts to what this season requires.
Responding with awareness, structure, and support is not a setback. It is a healthy, intentional way forward.
Sources
Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Shining a light on winter depression. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/shining-a-light-on-winter-depression
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Seasonal affective disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder