Winter is well on its way bringing with it the inevitable winter blues. If you are looking for a way to banish these, we have just the thing…
The winter blues are entirely normal. Colder weather, darker afternoons and massive to-do lists in the run-up to Christmas all contribute to poor mood, increased stress and low energy levels. While it’s tempting to curl up and hibernate as much as possible, this doesn’t usually help. Instead, here are some more positive ways that you can cope with the winter blues.
Find Ways to Manage Your Stress
Winter is a stressful time, but this year, it is even more so than usual. You might be worried about the coming holidays, anxious about caring for loved ones, and concerned about your health and wellbeing, and that of the wider community. This winter we’re facing even more challenges than usual, and most of us are at least a little stressed out.
This stress, if left unchecked, can start to affect your mood and even your mental health. There are many ways that you can reduce and manage your stress levels. Some people find that CBD UK suppliers can offer help. Handpicked CBD have a massive range of products, many of which can help with stress and anxiety. They can also provide advice and help you to find the right product to help ease any stress and tension that you might be feeling this winter.
Yoga and meditation are other fantastic ways to reduce stress and can offer you a way to ease tension, and relax both your muscles and your mind. Other ways to reduce stress include talking about your worries, getting more sleep, practising self-care, and learning how to say no.
Get Some Exercise
When it’s cold outdoors, we don’t always feel like exercising, and many of us find that the fitness levels that we’d built over the summer soon start to fall. Exercise is, however, one of the best ways to beat the winter blues. Cardio exercise, like running and swimming, will help you to manage your stress levels. Still, they’ll also increase the adrenaline and serotonin that your brain is making, boosting your mood and your energy levels and helping you to feel happier and more confident. Regular exercise throughout the winter is one of the best ways to manage the season.
Get More Vitamin D
We get most of our vitamin D from the sun. Unfortunately, in the wintertime, we don’t always see very much of it. A lack of vitamin D is thought to be one of the leading causes of seasonal affective disorder. Supplements, getting outdoors as much as you can, and spending some time in front of a lightbox can help you to fight the winter blues.
Spend Time with People
It’s only natural for our social lives to suffer when the weather is bad. We all spend more time indoors in poor weather. But, this can become lonely. Spending time with people can improve your mood, and make everything feel brighter.
Of course, this year, that might not always be possible. But, you should still make an effort to keep in touch with video calls and even text messages.
Sometimes, the winter blues turn into a more severe depression. If you are practising self-care and getting plenty of exercise but still don’t feel right, speak to your doctor.