
It’s autumn; the weather is getting colder (there’s snow outside your window!), the days are getting shorter, and we are all beginning to hunker down and spend more time indoors.
Many of us have taken advantage of the longer summer days to get a lot of exercise and sunshine, and to be able to be social in a safe and physically distant way.
In these colder months, I encourage you to practice cultivating hygge (pronounced hoo-gah). Hygge, a Danish term, is defined as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.”
This concept encourages us to find enjoyment in life’s daily tasks, belongings and activities that are soothing and prompt feelings of comfort, presence and connection.
I encourage you to take a moment to identify what might feel cozy and comfortable to you, how to create this coziness within your own home, and to identify what small daily tasks you can turn into meaningful rituals as the days draw short. Maybe it’s being fully present as you drink a cup of tea, your Sunday phone call with a far-away friend, taking a relaxing bath, practicing mindfulness as you water your plants or getting lost in the meditation of knitting a scarf.
Whatever helps you to feel this warmness, pay attention to it, and work to make this a consistent intentional ritual that you are fully present in. If possible, it is also helpful to share in moments of hygge with others we care about, to foster connection and togetherness.
While each season brings positives and negatives, the colder months may bring feelings of sadness and hopelessness, low energy and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep and eating habits and decreased interest in activities.
If you have concerns that you may experiencing mood changes in accordance with the seasons, please discuss this with your primary care physician.

This is a challenging time for all of us, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. I can be reached by calling the Telluride Medical Center at 970-728-3848, or if you are a patient of Telluride Medical Center, by messaging me through the Telluride Medical Center portal.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call The Center for Mental Health’s crisis line at 970.252.6220.
Be well,
Lindsay Wright
Lindsay Wright | Behavioral Health
Telluride Medical Center