Fighting The Winter Blues

Winter can be tough for some of us, the days feel shorter, its cold and in Reefton winter is also very wet. Some days it just feels miserable and it’s hard to get motivated. It’s actually not uncommon to feel this way in winter and most of us do at some point, especially getting up on a cold grey morning. Btu there are some things you can do to help get through and avoid the winter blues.

Stay Healthy

Obviously getting sick makes us feel even worse so try and stay healthy and avoid getting sick. Eating healthy will not only help your immune system by giving you all the nutrients you need but can also boost your mood. Keep up the fruit and vegetables and if you can’t because there just isn’t enough variety for you in the supermarkets, try supplementing with a multivitamin. Avoid binging on carbs, like pasta, breads and starchy vegetables like potatoes. These can make you feel sluggish and if you aren’t exercising as much as you usually would they are harder to burn off.

Stay Active

It is easy to feel unmotivated and ditch your regular exercise in winter, but this won’t help you. Staying active is important all year round, but especially in winter when we need the extra endorphins (a chemical our bodies produce that relive stress, pain and make us feel happy). If it’s too cold to go outside for your regular exercise, try a gym membership or get some simple equipment for you home like a skipping rope or weights. There are also lots of workouts you can do at home, including dance and there are now plenty of reputable video tutorials around you can watch at home and move along to.

Get Some Sun

It might not be warm but it’s still important to get some sun time. Our bodies produce vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption and muscle function. Although it is still being studied, it is also thought to help the immune system and fight depression. So try go for a short walk, sit outside when you have you coffee or have lunch outside in the sun.

Throw Yourself Into A Hobby

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new hobby or an old one, keep your mind active and do something you enjoy. There is so much to do, writing a list of common hobbies would take up pages! Some people like arts and crafts, others reading or DIY projects. Find something that interest you and get stuck in. A lot of people take the time to learn something new, like a language, an instrument or skill. Either way doing an activity you enjoy will obviously make you feel better and distract you from what might be a bleak day outside.

Be Social

It is so easy to just hibernate at home and only go out when you absolutely have to, after all is cold and often wet and miserable during winter here. But that doesn’t always do you good, it’s good to be around other people. A simple way to get social contact is just keep in contact with your friends and family, visit them, go out for lunch or even go for a walk together. Small interactions can have a big impact on our mood and our day. You can also combine this with some hobbies by joining a club.

Come and Visit Us

Yes this is cheeky self-promotion, but why not come and visit Who Cares House? Our community house has a toasty warm fire, we have computers set up for the public to use, a TV for movies on miserable days, people coming and going so you can sort your social need by having a chat with someone and there is often some yummy baking or treats floating around during the week.

So there you have it, some simple tips for avoiding the winter blues and making it through the colder months. And remember it is ok to ask for help. Sometimes the winter blues can be more serious for some and you don’t need to suffer through it alone. Ask for help, your doctor may be able to help you with some more personalised advice and can make sure there is nothing else health wise going on.