Keep winter blues at bay, here is how ?
Winter has already knocked our doors. Shorter days and cold nights are already upon us. And with this , even the best among us can get a little down. People are likely to get infected by mild depression, lack of motivation, and low energy that they experience during this cold season. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to prevent the winter blues from coming on and get on your nerves.
Here are a few tips to easily handle the winter blues:
Exercise
Exercise is not only for maintaining your weight and staying healthy. It is a great option for relieving the stresses of life. Plus, the effects of a good workout can last for many hours after you hit the shower. You will have more energy throughout the day, and your metabolism with stay elevated too. Exercise also helps your mind by releasing those feel good chemicals that help in improving your mood.
Healthy Diet
When and what you eat has a great affect on your mood and energy. Avoid refined and processed foods like white breads, rice, and sugar. These foods are not only devoid of the nutrients your body craves, but they lower your energy levels and can affect your mood causing depression, lack of concentration, and mood swings. Try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates like whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies, fruit and get your daily 8 cups of water. These healthy foods provide your body and mind with nutrients, and stabilize your blood sugar levels and your energy levels.
Expose yourself to Sun
Most people know that sunlight gives us Vitamin D. But very less know that it also improves your mood. Winter days are short and dark than other months, and because of the cold weather, a lot of people spend less and less time outdoors. Lack of sunlight can cause depression to many people. Similar to exercise, sunlight exposure releases neurotransmitters in the brain that affect mood. Sit near windows in restaurants and during class. Try changing the light bulbs in your house to full spectrum bulbs. These mimic natural light and actually have the same affects on your mind as the real thing.
Look upon your Resolutions
A recent study from the CDC showed a strong link between healthy behaviors and depression. Women who exhibited healthy behaviors like exercising, not smoking, etc. had less sad and depressed days than those whose behaviors were less healthy. Although the research was based on women, the results are likely to be same in men.
Avoid Binge Drinking
Staying in with a cold beer or a nice glass of wine may seem like the only thing to do in the winter months, and many people who feel down also tend to turn to alcohol when they are feeling low. But alcohol is actually a depressant, and rather than improving your mood, it only makes it worse. Avoiding alcohol when you are already depressed is a good idea.
Moderate drinking is fine for most people, but binge drinking, that is, having 5 or more drinks in one sitting is never a healthy choice. The morning after will have you feeling sick, depressed, and even more tired, which will affect many aspects of your life. This will make your low energy and winter blues even worse.
