Minnesota in January is known for bone-chilling cold, icy sidewalks, and days so short and grey you might forget what the sun looks like. When the windchill drops below zero and daylight fades by late afternoon, most people naturally stay inside. Add the post-holiday slump and the emotional comedown that follows December’s excitement, and it becomes even harder to leave the house.
This combination can leave many Minnesotans feeling lethargic, disconnected, and cooped up at home. Learning how to recognize and manage cabin fever symptoms can help you stay grounded, connected, and mentally well through the winter months.
What You’ll Learn
- What is cabin fever, and how is it linked to SAD?
- What are common symptoms of cabin fever?
- What strategies can help cope with cabin fever?
- Who is most at risk for cabin fever?
- When should an individual seek professional help?
Quick Read
Cabin fever describes the feelings of irritability, boredom, and emotional discomfort that arise from being cooped up indoors for too long. Many people also experience a post-holiday slump, which can intensify these feelings of lethargy and disconnection during the long winter months.
Symptoms of cabin fever include mood swings, trouble focusing, restlessness, and loneliness. Those most at risk include individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), anxiety, and/or depression, as well as young adults, parents, and remote workers who may have limited social interaction.
To cope with cabin fever, small changes can make a big difference. Establishing a consistent routine, spending time outdoors, and staying connected with loved ones are effective strategies. Mindful practices like journaling and light therapy can help regulate mood as well. If feelings of sadness or anxiety persist, seeking professional support at PrairieCare can provide valuable assistance in navigating these challenging months.
What is Cabin Fever?
Cabin fever is a widely used term for the irritability, boredom, and emotional discomfort that can result from being cooped up indoors for long periods. While it’s not a clinical diagnosis, it’s a very real emotional experience that often includes feeling stuck and disconnected.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can also amplify cabin fever. SAD impacts people living in places with distinct seasons, and Minnesota is among the states with the highest rate of SAD. Up to 10% of Minnesota residents experience SAD associated with harsh Midwestern weather, and there are even higher rates here of winter blues, a less severe form of low mood associated with the weather.
Common Causes of Cabin Fever
Minnesotans face several unique winter stressors that can intensify feelings of being cooped up, including:
Shorter daylight hours
Limited sunlight during the winter lowers mood, disrupts sleep, and drains energy and motivation.
Severe cold and inclement weather
Between wind chill warnings, snow emergencies, and icy roads, weather conditions reduce the opportunity for outdoor activities. When the ability to move, socialize, or simply breathe fresh air shrinks, the emotional strain increases.
Post-holiday exhaustion
The holidays can bring joy, but also challenges with family dynamics, travel, and finances. After the activity and stressors of the holidays, many people experience a post-holiday comedown. The remaining winter months can feel stark and quiet.
Cabin Fever Symptoms and Impacts on Mental Health
Many people notice that their mental health declines during the winter. It’s also common to feel distressed or sluggish when your usual outdoor routines or hobbies fall away.
Being cooped up too long might trigger questions like: “Can cold weather cause anxiety?” or “Can staying inside make you feel sad?” These shifts are often linked to reduced sunlight, less movement, and fewer social interactions.
Cabin fever shows up differently for everyone, but frequent symptoms include:
- Mood swings or irritability
- Trouble staying focused
- Restlessness or pacing
- Loneliness or withdrawal
- Feeling cooped up and “trapped”
- Low motivation or boredom
- Fatigue, insomnia, or sleeping too much
- Avoiding social interaction or feeling nervous about leaving the house
These experiences can mimic signs of other mental health challenges and make pre-existing issues worse, particularly substance use.
Who Is at Highest Risk for Cabin Fever?
While anyone can feel the emotional strain of long winters, some people are more vulnerable to cabin fever than others. Recognizing these risk factors can help you be proactive about winter mental health care rather than waiting until symptoms escalate.
Individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
People who already experience mood changes related to lack of sunlight often feel winter isolation more intensely. Reduced daylight can further disrupt sleep, motivation, and emotional stability.
People with mental health conditions and physical disabilities
Existing health conditions can be amplified by isolation and decreased activity. Feelings of fear about going outside, social anxiety, increased pain, or low energy can make winter especially difficult. And for people with physical disabilities, snow and ice can be a significant barrier to safely being in the community.
Teens, young adults, and college students
Younger people may feel cut off from their social groups due less accessible transportation options, more time spent with family, and other changes based on seasonality. For Minnesota students living away from home, winter isolation can increase homesickness and stress.
Parents and caregivers
Those caring for children or aging loved ones often experience limited time outdoors and fewer opportunities for self-care. Winter weather can also complicate schedules, adding pressure and emotional fatigue.
Remote workers and students
Spending most days indoors without a commute or in-person interaction can intensify feelings of monotony and disconnection.
People who live alone
Limited social contact combined with quiet winter days can contribute to loneliness and emotional withdrawal.
Individuals in rural or hard-to-reach areas
Snow, road closures, and long distances can make socializing or accessing support more challenging, increasing emotional strain.
7 Ways to Cope with Cabin Fever
Managing cabin fever often involves small, realistic changes rather than big overhauls. Below are practical coping skills that help stabilize mood, reconnect you to others, regulate your nervous system, and bring some comfort and warm emotions back into the long, cold days.
1. Create a consistent routine
Routine gives your brain a sense of predictability and stability. This structure helps reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and combat the lethargy many people experience in winter.
Examples:
• Set a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends.
• Build simple anchors into your day (morning coffee ritual, lunch away from screens, nighttime wind-down habit).
• Create small routines like a daily walk, gym session, journaling time, or reading break so days feel purposeful.
2. Spend time outside when you can
Fresh air, natural light, and movement boost mood, increase energy, and support better sleep. Even brief sunlight exposure helps regulate the body’s internal clock and can lift a low mood.
Examples:
• Step outside for 10 minutes of sunlight in the morning, even if you stay close to home.
• Take advantage of clearer days for a short walk around the block or a park.
• Sit near a bright window, open the blinds, or rearrange your workspace to face natural light on darker days.
3. Stay connected
Human connection is essential for emotional health. Social interaction reduces loneliness, boosts motivation,provides much-needed laughter, and reminds you that you are not going through winter alone.
Examples:
• Schedule regular soup nights, game nights, or coffee dates with friends.
• Plan a weekly check-in phone call with a family member.
• Join a low-effort community activity such as a crafting group, fitness class, library program, or virtual meetup if the weather prevents going outdoors.
4. Add mindful or creative practices
Mindfulness and creativity help regulate the nervous system, release stress, and bring joy back into daily life. These practices provide emotional expression and break through mental stagnation.
Examples:
• Try journaling for 5–10 minutes to process emotions.
• Explore creativity through art, knitting, music, dancing, or photography.
• Use grounding practices like meditation, yoga, or slow breathing to calm the mind and reduce tension.
5. Use light therapy
Light therapy mimics natural light and can support mood regulation, sleep cycles, and energy levels. For Minnesotans who seevery limited sunlight in winter and have lower levels of vitamin D, this can be especially supportive.
Examples:
• Use a high-quality light therapy lamp for 20–30 minutes in the morning.
• Pair light therapy with coffee or breakfast to help build consistency.
• Talk to a provider if you have questions about safe and effective use, especially if you have bipolar disorder or eye conditions.
6. Reframe winter
Shifting your mindset from “Just get through it” to “How can I live meaningfully in it?”can reduce emotional resistance and stress. Reframing helps people find value, comfort, and even beauty in slower seasons.
Examples:
• Think about what winter allows for you: rest, reading, creativity, cozy comforts, quiet, slowness, time in the snow, etc.
• Create small rituals that make winter feel nurturing (warm drinks, blankets, evening movie nights, candlelight, seasonal hobbies).
• If slowing down feels uncomfortable or increases anxiety, consider that this may signal an area of growth or need for additional support.
7. Practice self-compassion
Winter is genuinely hard for many people, and beating yourself up only increases emotional distress. Self-compassion allows you to acknowledge difficulty while still supporting yourself with care and patience.
Examples:
• Replace “I should be doing more” with “I am doing the best I can with the season I’m in.”
• Build in one to two hours of rest so when your energy is low you have an allotted time to rest without guilt.
• Notice difficult emotions without judgment and remind yourself you are not alone in experiencing them.
When to Seek Help
Connection, routines, and activity can make a big difference. However, if you notice persistent sadness, rising anxiety, emotional numbness, or feel stuck and unable to shift how you are feeling, reaching out for professional support can be a meaningful next step. Therapy can help break isolation, strengthen coping skills, and restore structure and hope.
Support at PrairieCare
PrairieCare provides compassionate, individualized mental health care for children, teens, and adults across Minnesota. Our comprehensive mental health services support anyone who needs help managing depression, anxiety, seasonal disorders, the effects of isolation, and more.
We meet you where you’re at in your mental health journey with options in outpatient therapy, Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), residential treatment, and inpatient hospitalization. Our team of therapists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and other mental health professionals provides personalized individual and group support to help you strengthen resilience and reconnect with what matters.
Call us at 952-826-8475 to speak with our caring team. We’re here for you no matter what you’re going through.
FAQs
What is cabin fever?
- Cabin fever describes the restlessness and emotional discomfort that can develop after long periods indoors or isolated.
What does cooped up mean?
- “Cooped up” refers to feeling confined or stuck inside for longer than feels healthy or comfortable.
What are the symptoms of cabin fever?
- Common signs of cabin fever include irritability, loneliness, restlessness, boredom, difficulty focusing, or feeling trapped.
How do you relieve cabin fever?
- Small steps like getting sunlight, moving your body, connecting with others, and using mindful practices can help.
What happens if you stay inside too long?
- Extended isolation can lead to low mood, anxiety, and withdrawal, making it harder to re-engage socially.
Can anxiety be seasonal?
- Yes, seasonal patterns of anxiety are common and often linked to low daylight and routine changes.