5 Proactive Steps to Help Combat the Winter Blues
Now that the darker and colder winter days are here, many of us dread getting out of bed in the mornings. We also experience a general decrease in energy and lower mood, which is commonly referred to as the ‘winter blues’.
We assume that there is nothing we can do about the impending low mood that is due to the inevitable change in seasons. However, a change in our lifestyle and behaviour has been shown to have a greater effect on how we feel so, essentially, there is a lot you can do to proactively combat the winter blues.
Here are five simple steps you can take to boost your mood and energy thanks to Sleep Expert, Dave Gibson, founder of thesleepsite.co.uk
1) Get out in the morning sunlight as this will naturally help to brighten your mood. A lunchtime walk is also great. Another bonus of sunlight is that it helps us to produce Vitamin D, a deficiency of which is associated with daytime sleepiness and difficulty in getting to sleep. If you are feeling lower than you would like, you can also try using a Lumie Vitamin L SAD light.
2) Eat lots of fresh food and avoid the tendency to comfort eat. Consuming fresh fruit and vegetables will ensure you are getting all of your essential vitamins and minerals. Eat oily fish and eggs too that provide Vitamin D.
3) Keep regular hours of sleep 7 days a week. And all through the year, as regulating your body clocks makes it easier to get to sleep. Avoid the temptation to stay in bed longer on colder mornings. And don’t use the snooze button as it can muddle your sleep cycle.
4) Get the temperature of your bedroom right. We need a decrease in temperature as a cue to sleep. But we tend to crank the heating up in the winter. Thus making the bedroom too hot to get to sleep. The Dyson Hot + Cool Link can be timed to turn off and it’s also an air purifier so great for allergies too.
5) Keep exercising. Even if you stop exercising outdoors make sure you still get at least 15-minutes a day. Preferably raising your heart rate, as this is associated with getting to sleep more easily. Exercising with friends is a great way to socialise too. We naturally cut back on venturing out with friends throughout the colder, darker nights but there’s nothing like the cathartic feeling of having a conversation with a good friend.
