The winter season, with its shorter days, colder weather, and increased risk of illness, presents a unique set of health challenges. To help navigate these challenges with resilience, faculty experts from the PCOM community offer a preventative, whole-person approach—emphasizing physical activity, mental health strategies, and fostering meaningful connections.
Preventing winter illnesses can include proactive measures like flu shots and strengthening the immune system. Joy Zarandy, DO '13, FAAFP, DABFM, assistant dean of clinical education and assistant professor of family medicine at PCOM Georgia, highlights the importance of addressing seasonal challenges–including limited outdoor activity, respiratory illnesses, and mental health concerns.
“It's no secret that the winter months are associated with an increase in respiratory illnesses, but the shorter daylight hours and colder weather can also exacerbate other health conditions like seasonal affective disorder, asthma, arthritis, and cardiovascular issues,” said Dr. Zarandy.
“In addition to making sure you stay up to date with your vaccinations to help prevent viral and bacterial infections, it is also important to maintain physical activity, address mental health proactively, and keep up with your routine doctor visits to ensure you're the healthiest version of yourself all winter long,” she added.
Colder months often limit outdoor activities, leading to sedentary behavior and vitamin D deficiency, while holiday stress can impact diet and mental health. PCOM's whole-person approach supports winter wellness by promoting physical health, mental well-being, and resilience during the darker months.
Erik G. Polan, DO '07, program director of the Transitional Year Residency and assistant professor in PCOM's department of internal medicine, emphasized the various factors that impact well-being during the colder, darker months.
“A whole-person approach can benefit patients in the winter season by helping to identify and remove any potential barriers within their lifestyle that may be preventing the patient from experiencing good health,” said Dr. Polan. “For some, winter weather may cause their exercise routines to taper off if they are outdoor-focused. Or if heating in one's home is an issue, the physician may relay potential resources to their patient.”
To maintain health during winter, individuals can incorporate regular physical activity into daily routines, whether through gym memberships or simple at-home exercises.
“Ensuring that patients–particularly elderly individuals–have access to necessary resources such as heating and support for general well-being is crucial,” said Dr. Polan. “Taking the time to slow down during a visit and engage in a longer conversation often proves to be incredibly beneficial.”
Many holidays occur during this time of year, and it's important to celebrate with family and friends while maintaining a focus on overall moderation.
Seasonal depression and social isolation are common in winter. Faculty from the PCOM School of Professional and Applied Psychology recommend mindfulness practices and connecting with others to maintain emotional balance.
Jessica Glass Kendorski, PhD, NCSP, BCBA-D, department chair and professor in the department of school psychology, highlighted the emotional toll winter can take.
“The decreased sunlight and stress of the holiday season can impact already present feelings of anxiety, depression, loneliness and grief,” she said. “Almost half of all adults describe that their stress levels increase during the holiday season due to financial and family concerns, and many describe feeling the ‘winter blues.’”
Mindfulness is a particularly effective strategy to help manage these challenges.
“Engaging in the current moment through grounding, becoming aware of all the aspects of the current moment—such as what are you seeing, smelling, feeling—as well as guided meditation, can help reduce the stress response,” said Dr. Kendorski.
Alexa Bonacquisti, PhD, PMH-C, practicum coordinator and assistant professor in the PCOM department of clinical psychology, also emphasized the power of mindfulness in managing holiday and winter stress.
“Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, in the moment, nonjudgmentally. It can be helpful to use mindfulness to bring our attention back to the present moment so that we can fully enjoy and experience what is happening right in front of us,” said Dr. Bonacquisti.
Incorporating movement and time in nature can also help counteract the effects of seasonal depression. “Movement and nature have been found to reduce stress and decrease winter blues, so any opportunity to get in nature and move your body to get out of your head may be beneficial,” added Dr. Kendorski.
Another important aspect of winter wellness is fostering connections, even when it feels challenging.
“While holidays can bring joy and meaning to our lives, they can also be a time of increased distress due to inconsistent expectations, more frequent demands on time, challenging family interactions, feelings of loneliness, and social comparison. Psychotherapy can help address these challenges and more during the winter season,” said Dr. Bonacquisti.
PCOM's Center for Brief Therapy, a comprehensive outpatient clinic, serves the Philadelphia region with psychotherapy and assessment services to promote overall well-being.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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