The winter blues – we have all heard of them, and we likely have all experienced them. During the winter months, the days are shorter and much, much colder, often causing us to become lethargic – feeling unmotivated, tired, losing energy.
For many people, the winter blues can also cause a variety of depressive symptoms, which is known as seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder can truly affect everything, including your appetite, your mood, your sleep schedule, and your concentration. It is important that you learn to find ways to cope with shorter winter days so that you can combat the winter blues and live the best life that you can.
Check out some ways that you can overcome the winter blues and keep that glass half full mentality.
1 – Spend time in the sunlight.
Even if it is a bone-chilling day, that sun is still shining, so get out there! Especially due to the fact that the days are shorter, and the sun goes down earlier than it does during the warmer months, you must get outside and soak in that sunlight to get that Serotonin.
Even if you can find 20 or 30 minutes a day to bundle up and get a walk or run in, it will truly make all the difference. If it is a cloudy, rainy, or snowy day and there is no sunlight, consider ways that you can get your dose of Vitamin D.
If you have the budget, investing in a light therapy lamp or sunrise alarm clock can also make a world of difference in battling the winter blues. Ultimately, you want to make sure that the environment that you are spending the most time in is bright and comfortable.
2 – Focus on your water intake and your diet.
It is always important to pay attention to what you are consuming when it comes to food and drink, but especially during the winter months.
Drinking enough water during the winter is important due to the fact that lack of water can dry out your skin and dehydrate you, causing you to lose even more energy and feel even more tired than you already are from the lack of sunlight. Drinking water will help you to feel more energized and will also do wonders for your skin during the dry winter weather.
When it comes to food, you want to nourish your body with nutrients that it needs to energize you and make you feel healthy and refreshed. Consider cooking at home during the week as much as you can so you can ensure you are aware of exactly what is going in your body.
3 – Limit your exposure to electronics.
It can be so easy to get caught up in our smartphones, on our laptops, and with the television during the winter months, especially if it is snowing and you feel like you do not know what else to do with your time, or you simply do not have the energy to do anything else!
The truth is, to produce more melatonin and help you get a good night’s rest, you must be in darkness, which does not include the blue light coming off your smartphone!
Try to shut your electronics down at least two hours before you plan to go to bed so you are able to wind down properly. Of course, this is easier said than done, so start slow!
4 – Get your hard tasks done earlier in the day.
You will find that as the day gets later, you are losing more energy by the minute. Sometimes, not even another coffee can help combat that afternoon slump. This is something that we all experience and can relate to.
Try to assess first thing in the morning when you are feeling refreshed what you need to get done and aim to complete your hard tasks earlier in the day so that by the time the late afternoon comes, you can sit back and relax.