The top 5 ways to beat the winter blues

The top 5 ways to beat the winter blues

With the cold weather and the shorter daylight hours, it is easy to feel the Winter blues. You may feel increased symptoms of depression as well as low energy levels, sleepiness, lack of motivation, irritability and more. But how do we combat these negative emotions and what can we do to ultimately avoid them? Well here are my top 5  ways to minimise the effects of Winter on your mental health.

1. Meditate

Practicing meditation, if it is not already part of your daily regime, is a great way to relax and return yourself to a calm state of mind. This will certainly help to combat the winter blues in the coming months and keep you feeling better than ever. Putting just a few minutes aside a day can make a massive difference to your mental health during the colder months.

2. Omega 3

Another great tip is to eat a lot of omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, plant seeds and nuts. Omega 3 is known to help with joint pain and stiffness as it is a natural anti-inflammatory. Just as important, it has also been found that these foods can assist with depression (which is often more prominent over winter with less exposure to the sunlight). Don’t let the winter blues set in! Combat them with a diet high in omega 3’s.

3. Train outdoors

Training outdoors is a great way to get your blood pumping and get your body moving! We generally like to stay out of the colder weather but when you are training hard you are likely to get hot and sweaty. Make sure you start with lots of layers so you can take them off as you need to while you get used to the chilly weather outdoors. It is a great way to wake you up first thing in the morning too.

4. Exercise!

I had to get this one in. Physical exercise is a much needed addition over Winter in order to keep yourself in a good frame of mind and to get the blood pumping. Of course this doesn’t mean you need to brave the outdoors. You can get plenty of training inside your home where it is warm and snug. You can invest in a workout video of your choice, exercise equipment for your home or anything that will get you up and about.

5. Eat right

Stick to your diet and make sure you indulge in a lot of vegetables. In the winter you are more likely to crave fatty foods and those high in carbs, which may not fit in with the health kick you had begun earlier in the year. It may get tough but do not crumble under the winter pressure. It will be worth it to feel better inside and look better outside with bikini season around the corner.

So don’t let the winter blues get you down this season! Make sure you do everything you can to avoid the depletion in your mental health and make the most of the colder weather. Get up, get active and find something to enjoy in the upcoming months so that you can remain in a good state of mind. And remember, Spring will be coming round very soon.

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