Surviving the Winter Blues In Residency

It’s mid-January. The holidays are over. The days (if you’re on the East Coast or Midwest) are short and you rarely see the sun. If you’re an intern, you’re 6 months into being a doctor and you’re tired AF.

The sun, and the summer, can feel so far away. So how do you make it through these tough winter months? There’s no perfect way, but let me tell you what has worked for me and my co-residents.

🩺 Find ways to socialize - whether this is with your medicine or non-medicine friends, it can be so rejuvenating to spend time connecting. If you’re particularly short on time, find ways to combine this with adult things you already have to do, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. Cook dinner at home with a friend, go to a workout class together and get coffee after. Recently my friends and I have been picking a book or TV show to watch at the same time and it has been a great way to connect throughout the week.

🩺 Take care of your body - okay this one is going to be SO personal. For me this has meant focusing on whole foods and moving my body more. I usually love weightlifting, but recently my body has been feeling too tired for that. So walks on the treadmill and pilates it is! For some of you this may be focusing on exercise, or fueling your body. For others, this could be bodywork, massages, working on flexibility. You do you!

🩺 Consider getting back into therapy. Online therapy has been a game-changer for me. I have found so many good options on GrowTherapy (truly not sponsored they are just awesome). I’ve been able to find night and weekend options which is so necessary during medical training, and have been lucky to have found therapists who understand the unique struggles of medicine.

No matter what you do for these cold, winter months remember that you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

Love always.