How To Beat The Winter Blahs

With January in full swing and the holidays over, we get a real dose of reality…it’s winter for the next 11 weeks or so. If you don’t enjoy winter sports, the “Winter Blahs” can set in. But there are ways to beat those Winter Blahs.

Here’s a good description of the Winter Blahs or Winter Blues from sparkpeople.com:

“The “winter blues” are characterized by the mild depression, lack of motivation, and low energy that many people experience during this cold season. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to both prevent the blues from coming on and get yourself back to normal if they’re already here.”

Exercise

As if we needed another reason to get fit! Exercise isn’t only for maintaining your weight and staying healthy. It’s great for relieving the stresses of life.

 Eat a Healthy Diet

Try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies, fruit) and get your daily 8 cups of water.

Get Some Sun

Most people know that sunlight provides us with Vitamin D.  Lack of sunlight can cause many people to become depressed—without knowing why! Try to spend a little more time outdoors. Keep your shades up during the day to let more light in.

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’re feeling down. But alcohol is actually a depressant, and rather than improving your mood, it only makes it worse.

Treat Yourself

Plan something that’s exciting to you—a weekend trip, a day at the spa, a party or special event like a play, girls (or guys) night out, or sporting event.

Relax!

Try to spend a few minutes each day doing nothing! Read a book or magazine, sleep in on the weekend, go to bed early, try some meditations, or take a yoga class.

Embrace the Season

Instead of always avoiding the cold and the snow—look for the best that it has to offer! Take up a winter sport like ice skating, snowboarding, hockey, or even sledding!

Catch some Zzzz’s

Aim for 7-8 hours each night, and try to keep your bedtime and waking time consistent. Try not to oversleep—those 12-hour snoozes on the weekend can actually make you MORE tired.

Plan A Mid-Winter Getaway