Simple Ways to Be Chipper in Winter
Yup the winter blues are common this time of year.
When we feel blue, it's a signal that something in our life needs attention.
There are simple things I like to do to take care of myself, beat the "blues" and bring back the "sunshine." Try a mood zapper to beat the winter blues, brighten your day, and stay chipper all winter long.
Simple Ways to Let the Sunshine In
- Get moving!!! Just 10 minutes after each meal or getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity four times a week has been shown to reduce depressive mood. Go to a gym, just walk out your door, run up some stairs, phone a friend to go with you, or walk around inside a big store (for a warmer place).
- Set your alarm clock and stick to a sleep routine. It can be tempting to sleep too much in winter. Too much sleep doesn't give you more energy. The average adult thrives on 7.5-8 hours of sleep a night.
- Enjoy the humor in life. Just relish a smile, chuckle, and deep laugh.
- Give yourself a manageable task to accomplish. Tidy up a little area in your home. Set a timer for 10 minutes and see what you get accomplished. It feels amazing!
- Take a regular dose of Vitamin D3. This is especially crucial for me since the sun doesn't shine much around here in the winter. It improves my immune system, improves my mood, and has all sorts of other benefits.
- Turn on the bright lights, open your curtains. It's surprising how many people stay indoors all day long and even keep their curtains closed. Consider getting a Blue Light or 10,000 lux white light to use for 30 minutes when you wake up and 30 minutes around 3pm. This specifically helps with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and setting your body clock.
- Choose something fun to look forward to each day. This is a hard one for me because I'm naturally a workaholic. I'm improving. (:
- Get together with friends and challenge yourself with a non-screen activity. Make an indoor miniature golf course, play marbles (yeah, it's really fun), cook a themed meal together, play ping pong, do a book exchange party...just a few ideas to get your imagination going. Being on screens too much gets my mood down. I try to limit my social media time to 5-15 minutes per day!
- Eat a rainbow plate. Yes, get a variety of colors and plant-based foods will make your body happier, which will give you a better mood too. Eating a highly processed and heavy cheese meal sits like lead in my belly and makes me feel pretty tired and down.
- Do a surprise act of kindness for someone else. This really does lighten up my day!!!
- Take a break from the news. Limit to a certain time a day, 2x a week, etc. Too much of news actually depresses people because most of it is negative and it ups your screen time. Too much screen time has a depressive effect.
- Call a friend. Recount happy memories, things you are looking forward to, and things you like.
- Drive up or over to some sun for part of the day.
- Join a Health Challenge.
Which one are you going to do today? Hey, you could add a new one each day.
Bask in that sunshine!!!!!!
Lana