As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, winter comes around once again and with it comes the inevitable winter blues. Having packed away your summer wardrobe, the promise of spring seems a long way off and that can often get you down.
Here are five handy tips to shake off the winter blues and start to enjoy the season again.
- Get outside
Even though it involves putting layer upon layer of clothing on and fumbling with your keys through those thick gloves, take every opportunity you can to get outside and get some fresh air. Spending so much time indoors can take its toll, and it is easier than you might think to spend your whole day indoors: at home, in the car, at work, in the car again. Make sure you add a breath of crisp winter air into your daily routine. Throw on a bobble hat and head outside.
- Top up your vitamin D
Lack of sunlight in the winter months can really affect the vitamin D levels in your body. If you are heading to work before the sun comes up and then heading home when the evening is already dark, you might not actually see sunlight during your working week. This can affect your mood and your sleep patterns and can lead to more serious health problems such as SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. To combat this you can get vitamin D supplements at online drug stores which can help boost your vitamin D levels. There are also other options for getting more vitamin D in your life which include vitamin D lamps.
- Up your zinc intake
Winter brings about Christmas and New Year’s Eve but it also brings about the prospect of catching a cold! This is when Zinc becomes our savior. Upping your zinc intake can reduce your risk of catching a cold and can also shorten the duration of colds too. Zinc is the perfect preventative, too! Eating foods that are high in zinc is very simple: beans, lentils, pulses, and peas all contain zinc along with many other legumes.
- Watch those carbs
Much like a bear stocking up for hibernation, it is so common for humans to put on an extra bit of padding for winter as well. It is good to be cautious of your carb intake through winter. As you might not be moving as much as you would be during summer months, you won’t be able to burn off those carbs as quickly during winter.
- Stay active
You can probably think of nothing worse than putting on your running gear and going outside in the freezing, possibly rainy, conditions but there is no better cure for lethargy than activity. Plus, once those happy endorphins are racing around your body, you will be so pleased that you did. If you are heading out after dark, make sure that you are clearly visible, wear a head torch or a high vis to make sure cars can see that you are there too. It is also vital to stretch afterward as your muscles will cool down quicker in lower temperatures and cause you to be stiff the next day.
