Winter is unavoidable — and for many, the winter blues feel that way, too.

If the thought of shorter, colder days fills you with dread, you’re not alone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, at least 5 percent of American adults experience seasonal affective disorder, or “SAD” — a type of major depressive disorder related to seasonal changes — and another 10 to 20 percent feel a “milder form of the winter blues.”

“Living in New England, where winters are long and the days are short, I often notice a shift in my clients’ mood and energy levels during this time,” Christie Lebrun, a therapist based in Boston, said in an email. “Many report feeling more fatigued, which leads them to stay indoors more often. The lack of sunlight and the colder temperatures contribute to this, making it harder for them to engage with their communities or pursue social activities outside of work.”

Even though experiencing a declining mood during winter is quite common, it doesn’t mean we need to lean into those feelings. Instead of fixating on what winter doesn’t offer (like long, sunny days), focusing on what’s unique and special about the season can help you break out of the winter doldrums, according to both seasonal experts and winter lovers. If you’re in need of some inspiration, consider the following tips.

Travel to an even colder city, and take notes

If you’re a lifelong hater of winter, you may just need to take a trip to somewhere even chillier. Yes, you read that right.

“Traveling somewhere cold and snowy like a winter city can be really eye-opening,” says Kari Leibowitz, psychologist and author of How to Winter, a book based on her research on inhabitants of extreme climates and her personal experiences living about 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Tromsø, Norway. “Places with more extreme winters …........

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