In the afterglow of the holidays, and hopeful New Year’s resolutions, the winter months are often a struggle that can last until the first blooms of spring. February in particular has been associated with seasonal depression, and this year, February has an extra day of gloom!
For many of us, it seems like our regular routines require extra effort. There are bouts of head colds and congestion being passed from one zip-code to another. Not to mention all the other difficult life situations that occur no matter what time of year (financial worries, work frustration, family stress).
There is end in sight, winter doesn’t last forever! In the meantime, here are 5 activities to help you beat the winter blues:
Exercise. Rigorous exercise that causes you to pant and sweat! If you don’t feel like you’re getting your heart rate high enough during your workouts ask your trainer to monitor your levels during your next workout. Consider adding an extra session to your schedule or working out from home using the exercise routines found on our website.
Cut out alcohol. While it may seem like a good idea to warm up from the inside out, alcohol leaves you dehydrated. Fatigue and irritability are a few side effects of dehydration, drastically impacting your overall mood during an already depressing season. Ask yourMetabolic coach what nutritional suggestions they may have for your energy levels and mood.
Avoid upsetting news stories.While reading both local and national news is encouraged, you might choose to skip particularly emotional and controversial stories. It does you no good to immerse yourself in situations out of your immediate control. Focus on taking care of your top priorities with a smile.
Regularly take vitamin D. Vitamin D is synthesized in the body from sunlight. But, due to the winter season, weather conditions, and sun block, the body’s ability to produce optimal vitamin D levels may be inhibited. In fact, it has been proposed that annual fluctuations in vitamin D levels explain the seasonality of influenza. All of these factors point to the value of taking a daily vitamin D supplement. Click here to read our full article on “Why Vitamin D Matters”.
Call old friends. Reconnect with those you haven’t seen since before the holidays, invite them out for tea (not alcohol) better yet, invite them to join you in rigorous exercise!
