With the festive season now over, we are entering the heart of winter. The January weather can be harsh, with freezing temperatures and long, dark days. Spending more time indoors can make it difficult to take care of our mental and physical wellbeing, which can lead to irritability, low energy, and difficulty completing daily tasks. It’s important to take steps to maintain mental health during the winter months. In this blog post, I will share some tips to help you manage negative feelings and beat the winter blues.
GET OUTSIDE AND EXERCISE
We all know that exercise is good for your physical and mental health but finding the time in our busy is easier said than done or not feeling like you want to go out running or walking on rainy days. Well, there are many creative ways to help you stay fit during winter. Bundle up and take a quick walk for about 15 minutes and get some fresh air, go for a run or jog to get the necessary vitamin D to benefit your mood. But, if you’re unable to get outside there are still plenty of at-home workouts – 7-minute workouts, Nike training, Coach to 5K, Insanity, peloton app – it depends on your fitness level and price range.
KEEP UP HEALTHY EATING AND SLEEP HABITS
It is important to maintain a healthy diet and sleep routine to improve your mental and emotional resilience. During the winter months, the lack of daylight can disturb our natural body clock, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates crucial functions such as sleep patterns and mood.
To combat and maintain a healthy sleep routine is to go to bed and wake up on a consistent schedule. Also, avoid using electronics in the bedroom or watching TV right before going to bed. Basically what it all comes down to is staying consistent is the key to getting your body on a healthy sleep cycle, regardless of how much daylight you are exposed to.
ADOPT SOME CBT PRACTICES
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of treatment that can help people learn to identify the thought patterns that have a negative influence on their behaviour and emotions, as well as how to change their patterns of behaviour. If you are unable to access therapy, are still on a waiting list to connect with a therapist or are not able to see a therapist as often as you would like to, you can still adopt some of these CBT practices into your daily life.
Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings at that moment can be therapeutic, evaluate your mood and thought patterns and in turn, better change, adapt or cope with them, through documenting the time of the mood or thought, the source of it, how i ntense and how you reacted.
Relaxation and stress reduction techniques: Practicing deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and meditation techniques can help reduce stress levels and increase your sense of control. By utilizing these techniques during a stressful situation, you can disrupt the cycle of negative thoughts and clear your mind, allowing for more rational and logical thinking.
Schedule activities: When we are feeling stressed or are in a stressful situation, we tend to skip the activities that we enjoy the most. This can be especially true during the winter months when it’s harder to motivate ourselves to go outside. However, engaging in activities that we love can help reduce negative thinking and promote positive emotions and well-being. So, it’s important to schedule activities that you enjoy, whether it’s running errands, going for a walk, working on a hobby, or learning a new skill. By following through with these activities, we can reap the benefits of positive feelings.
Remember to always take care of your mental health all year round, as winter doesn’t mean you’re stuck indoors and it doesn’t mean you can only have fun or enjoy things only during the warmer months. Even though you may have to be a little more creative in the colder months, what is certain is that we still need to connect with others, enjoy of little bit of the outdoors, and also get that social interaction we all need to stay mentally healthy and happy.
