5 Outdoor Activities to Recharge and Combat Seasonal Depression and Burnout During the Winter Season in the New York Area
Winter in New York can be gorgeous. It can also feel like a heavy, gray blanket that no one asked for. The days get shorter, the sun disappears at 4:30 PM, and suddenly you are Googling things like “Why am I tired all the time” or “seasonal depression help NYC” while eating a cookie over the sink. If you’re already prone to burnout, seasonal depression, or struggle with self-care, winter hits extra hard.
What is Seasonal Depression?
You might know what burnout is, but what is seasonal depression? According to the APA (2022), “seasonal depression” (previously known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD) or more specifically, Major Depressive Disorder, with seasonal pattern, is characterized as a “regular temporal relationship between the onset of major depressive episodes in major depressive disorder and a particular time of the year (e.g., in the fall or winter)” with “full remission occur[ing] at a characteristic time of the year (e.g., depression disappears in the spring)”. AKA, a depressive episode emerges during the colder months and remits during the warmer months, and this occurs yearly. Signs of seasonal depression are the same as the signs of other types of depressive episodes, including:
Depressed, sad, irritable, or hopeless mood lasting most of the day, nearly every day
Little interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities or hobbies
Changes in appetite (e.g., eating more or less than usual with noticeable weight changes). Cravings for sweets and carbohydrates are common with seasonal depression
Changes in sleep patterns
Crying spells
Little interest in socializing with friends or family
Feeling like you’re moving slower (e.g., like you are walking through molasses) or restlessness
Fatigue
Feeling very worthless or guilty about different things
Difficulty concentrating, remembering recent events, or trouble making decisions
Thoughts of death (not just the fear of dying), or thoughts about wanting to harm or kill oneself
Let me say this clearly – you deserve to feel good in your body and connected to the world around you. And research shows one of the best ways to support your mood and nervous system in winter is to get outside with a technique called “Behavioral Activation”. Behavioral Activation is a type of therapeutic technique designed to increase our engagement with rewarding activities because when we’re burnt out or depressed, we tend to do less of the things that bring enjoyment and meaning to our lives. Essentially, behavioral activation says that when we feel overwhelmed or depressed, our actions follow (e.g., lying in bed all day) and we essentially make ourselves feel worse (e.g., you feel like shit or like a bad mom because you laid in bed all day).
I know. It’s cold, your bed is warm, and Netflix doesn’t judge you. You might even think that bingeing Selling Sunset all day is rewarding, but it isn’t, because it keeps you isolated and stuck in a rut (think about all those projects and goals that you have pushed to the side). Spending even a few minutes outdoors can shift your entire day. Sunlight boosts your serotonin. Movement gets your blood flowing and can feel rewarding. Fresh air reminds your brain that the world is bigger than your stress. So here are five outdoor activities in the New York area that can help you recharge, reset, and combat your burnout or seasonal depression this winter.
Take a Slow Winter Walk
If you value physical movement, schedule daily walks this winter. Not a power walk or a frantic walk, but a slow one. The kind where you actually notice your breath, your steps, the way the trees look without leaves. You can stroll through Central Park, Prospect Park, Van Cortlandt Park, or any tiny neighborhood green space. The location doesn’t matter. What matters is the pause. Think of it as a moving reset button, even just for ten minutes. The goal is not to love the cold. The goal is to give your body the fresh air and movement it needs to get through it.
Visit a Botanical Garden for a Hit of Green
Sometimes winter feels so gray that you forget what color looks like. This is where the New York Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden can save the day, especially if connecting with nature and beauty helps boost your mood. Both botanic gardens have indoor conservatories filled with tropical plants, warm air, and enough greenery to trick your brain into thinking you are on a very fancy vacation. Walk slowly, breathe, and pretend you are somewhere far away where no one asks you to join a Zoom meeting that could have been an email.
Try an Easy Winter Hike
Before you roll your eyes, I am not suggesting you climb a mountain in a blizzard. I am talking low-commitment, high-reward kind of hikes. Places like the Hudson Highlands, Bear Mountain, or the Rockefeller State Park Preserve offer totally doable trails even if you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or running on caffeine and pure willpower. You can bundle up, walk for twenty minutes, and still feel like you did something incredibly kind for your brain. Being around trees reduces cortisol, the silence helps your nervous system calm down, and the views are a nice reminder that life is bigger than your to-do list.
Catch a Winter Sunrise or Sunset
You do not have to be a morning person. In winter, sunrise happens at an almost reasonable time. Grab a coffee, stand by the water at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Long Island City, or the Hudson River Greenway, and just watch the sky change colors. There is something grounding about experiencing a small moment of beauty before your day starts. It is like telling your nervous system, “Hey, we are allowed to feel something good today.” And if mornings are not your thing, catch a sunset instead. It is early enough that you can watch it before dinner.
Do a Coffee Date with Yourself
Not the performative kind where you bring your laptop and pretend to be productive. I mean an actual sit and breathe and do nothing type of moment. Pick your favorite cafe, grab something warm, and sit inside (or outside) for a few minutes. Let yourself zone out. Watch people walk by. Feel the cold air on your face and the heat of the cup in your hands. These tiny pauses throughout winter can keep your burnout or seasonal depression from taking over as you remind yourself that pausing and resting is also doing something.
Final Thoughts
You do not have to love winter. But you can support yourself through it. A few minutes outside can make a real difference in your mood, your energy, and your sense of connection. And if you need help during the darker months, ask for it. Even if it feels uncomfortable. Even if you are used to doing everything yourself. Let someone show up for you. You deserve that kind of care.
Start Working With A Burnout Therapist in New York, NY
If burnout is taking a toll on your mind and body, you don’t have to face it alone. Working with a burnout therapist in New York can help you process stress, reconnect with your values, and start feeling like yourself again. Reach out to The Lavender Therapy by following these simple steps:
Schedule a consultation today.
Learn more from my blogs here.
Start taking the first step to improving your mental health!
Other Services I Offer Across New York
Burnout therapy is not the only form of support I offer from my New York-based practice. I provide a variety of specialized services, whether you're seeking help with infertility and pregnancy loss support, postpartum and pregnancy challenges, women’s therapy, or family planning, I’m here to offer guidance and care every step of the way.
About The Author:
Dr. Ruby Rhoden is a New York-based licensed psychologist who is dedicated to uplifting women through life changes and challenges, including reproduction and parent burnout. She understands how unhelpful behavior patterns and mental health disorders uniquely impact women and uses evidence-based techniques to usher in sustainable change and relief. Dr. Ruby is dedicated to helping women develop healthier habits and relationships with themselves and their bodies so they can connect to others and the world around them again. Dr. Ruby studied at Cornell University and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for her Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees, respectively. In her free time, she enjoys watching reality TV, supporting small businesses, and writing blog posts to remind all women that they are not alone.
