The cold temperature, little to no sunlight, and dark, short, and gloomy days can only mean one thing- winter is here!
The feeling of wanting to stay at home curled up in our cosy and warm bed until the summer gets here is undeniable. Many of you may be feeling unmotivated, unenergetic, and sometimes low during these winter months and some may be dealing with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression that usually starts in the fall and continues into the winter months.
So how do you fight off the winter blues?
Remind yourself of the good things
Winter months can be a joyful time of the year, all you need to do is remind yourself of the great things winter can bring us. Think about all your favourite things you like to do during winter like drinking hearty soups and delicious hot chocolates, wearing fluffy winter socks, or getting wrapped up for a crisp walk. This will certainly get you excited.
Another way to change how you think and feel about winter is by recalling all the past good memories you made during winter. It can be that time you went ice-skating with your friends or that fun Christmas game night you hosted for your family.
Make sure you are getting your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is crucial for us, especially during winter. It keeps us healthy and helps us fight infections. During summer, have sunlight as a source of vitamin D, but in winter, sunny days are rare. So where do you get your vitamin D?
Aside from trying to get outdoors as much as we can during those rare sunny days, we also need to consider what we eat as a way to get vitamin D during winter. Food such as oily fish, eggs, red meat, and fortified foods are good sources and if you feel that you do not eat these foods as often, we can always incorporate vitamin D supplements into your everyday diet.
Stay Active
We admit it, the thought of heading outside for a run or a walk on a cold, rainy, or icey day does not sound appealing. But now more than ever, it is important to break through this barrier and allow yourself to get outdoors no matter what time of the year it is.
Push yourself to get out of your house, reconnect with nature and give yourself a break from your electronics, your body and mind will reward you with a mood lift, boost of energy, focus and creativity, physical wellbeing, and much more.
Do not settle for a boring winter
We are mostly homebound during winter but do not let this stop you from doing new things. Winter does not have to be boring. There are so many exciting things you can organise for yourself or with your family and they do not have to include leaving the country.
Some of our favourite activities involve breezy walks in the country or along the coast, organising an indoor picnic or a game night, learning some artsy crafts, making a gingerbread house, and baking cookies.
And why not opt-in for some feel-good activities such as donating winter jackets to your local homeless shelter, sending our winter care packages to your friends and family members, writing thank-you notes to your work colleagues, or volunteering to deliver food for your local food banks. These activities will help you put a smile on someone else’s face and what’s better than knowing that you made someone’s day a little better.
Talk about it
Last but not the least, open up and talk about how you feel. If you are feeling sad and unmotivated, talk to your friends, family members, or even your work colleagues. In most cases, they have felt or are having similar issues, and having someone who has or is going through the same thing can mean you can help each other by sharing tips and advice.
Winter months can be quite challenging for most. Now more than ever, the need to look after our wellbeing is highly crucial. If you are feeling the winter blues, know that you are not alone. Make sure that you focus on the positives, look after yourself, and talk about it with your close ones.
If you found this article helpful or know a friend, a family member, or a work colleague who may benefit from it, make sure to share it with them.