Beating Those Winter Blues
When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. This helps me put food in the bellies and travel in the souls of my family 🙂
Helping you stay mentally (and physically) healthy in the winter months
Ways to Defeat the Blues
In my video above, I discussed WHY we get the winter blues and also a few of my favorite ways to defeat them. Here are a few more to help you out 🙂
As mentioned above, if you experience significant fluctuation in mood with the changing seasons or shows signs of moderate to sever depression or thoughts of harming yourself or others, TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. There is absolutely no shame in getting the help you need or in taking prescription medications to help you through it. Please stay healthy in mind and in spirit – YOU MATTER!
Without further ado, here are some additional ways you can help curb those winter blues feels……
- Take a Vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D is a sunshine vitamin that is absorbed through our skin. In the winter time, we have less sunlight and tend to spend more time indoors, which decreases the amount of Vitamin D available to our bodies. This isn’t great news because Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins our bodies need to function appropriately, acting as a nutrient, immunomodulator, and hormone. It also aids in the absorption of Calcium, which keeps our bones healthy and strong. It has also been associated with improved sense of wellbeing. If you live in a heavy winter state, check with your doctor at your next visit to see if you should have your levels checked! Fun Fact Vitamins A,D,E and K are Fat soluble vitamins, so Vitamin D should be taken with a source of Fat for optimal absorption – that’s why I like these as they include oil 🙂
- Eat Vitamin D rich foods, for all of the reasons listed above! Here are some examples: Salmon, Eggs, Cheese, Fortified Milk……
- Get a sun lamp and use it for at least 15 minutes/day
- Along those same lines, grab an alarm clock that mimics the sun in the morning to help keep your internal clock feel a little more “normal”. Our family uses this one and we wake to the sound of birds rather than a honking alarm 😉
- Go to a comedy show or a funny movie with friends. Laugh together. Laughter will help boost your energy and help protect you from the damaging effects of stress.
- I know I said this in my video, but it warrants repeating: MOVEMENT! Go to the gym, grab some skis/snowshoes, take an indoor yoga or other movement class, walk……
- Make an effort to wear something beyond traditional sweats in shades of black, gray and brown. When we live in dumpy sweats, we can start to FEEL dumpy. Its ok to lean into that hibernation and enjoy some days in sweats…just try not to exist in them for the whole winter season 😉 And when you are planning on existing in them, make them cute!
- GET OUTSIDE! As I mentioned in the video above, I feel the struggle when it comes to getting outdoors in the winter, I really do. But dressing right and planning for an activity to get that little bit of sunshine seeping through the clouds and fresh air in my lungs does wonders for my psyche!
- Lean into that desire to hibernate/stay in and plan a relaxing day with friends/family for a dinner at your house or a game night 🙂
- Be social with your friends! If you are new to a location, put yourself out there and make a strong effort to set up plans to be social with NEW friends. Volunteer or sign up to do something needed in your community. Find ways to engage with others.
- Take a sunny vacay 🙂
This is just a short list of activities you can do to help beat the winter blues. I hope it helps!
Stay Healthy Stay Kind,
Danielle
