Method for operating a wind turbine , particularly a direct drive wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising - a generator comprising a stator and a rotor , with the rotor being rotatably supported relative to the stator by means of at least one bearing , and - a control means , which is adapted to control rotational speed of the rotor and/or at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or adapted to control electric power output of the generator , characterised in the steps of: - determining at least one temperature information, which indicates a temperature difference between at least two components of the bearing , particularly between an outer ring and an inner ring , - comparing the temperature information with at least one upper temperature information, which indicates an upper threshold temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing , - limiting rotational speed of the rotor and/or the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the rotor and/or below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or limiting electric power output of the generator to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal electric power output of the generator , if the temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing increases above the upper threshold temperature difference, wherein if the wind turbine is operated with limited rotational speed of the rotor and/or the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor to the value unlike zero yet, below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the rotor and/or below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the at least one wind turbine component coupled to the rotor, operation of the wind turbine is conducted with an adapted operation of at least one cooling means for cooling at least one component of the generator , particularly at least one component of the stator , wherein the operation is adapted in such a manner that an activation temperature of at least one component of the generator at which cooling of the at least one component of the generator is activated is increased above a wind turbine specific nominal activation temperature which is used during normal operation of the wind turbine . - a generator comprising a stator and a rotor , with the rotor being rotatably supported relative to the stator by means of at least one bearing , and - a control means , which is adapted to control rotational speed of the rotor and/or at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or adapted to control electric power output of the generator , characterised in the steps of: - determining at least one temperature information, which indicates a temperature difference between at least two components of the bearing , particularly between an outer ring and an inner ring , - comparing the temperature information with at least one upper temperature information, which indicates an upper threshold temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing , - limiting rotational speed of the rotor and/or the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the rotor and/or below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or limiting electric power output of the generator to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal electric power output of the generator , <EOS>