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I personally prefer the colder months as opposed to the summertime because I hate feeling like I'm overheating constantly and I also find that hot weather actually affects my chronic pain more and it can completely wipe me out for weeks on end. However, I do also struggle during winter, especially at the beginning of winter because I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which basically hits me like a ton of bricks and then it comes and goes throughout the winter months. So in today's post, I'm talking about some things which I find really help both my mind and body during the wintertime which I thought might be helpful, especially considering we're most likely going to be in and out of lockdown for the rest of Winter because of COVID.
Watch Your Vitamin D Intake -
Vitamin D is a unique vitamin as your skin produces it by sunlight (pretty impressive, right?) and it helps to keep your bones strong, absorb calcium and also keeps your teeth healthy. Being low on Vitamin D can affect your immune system and also can cause depression as exposure to the sun helps your brain to release serotonin. Obviously, during Winter (and lockdown) the amount of sun we're getting each day will be a lot lower so you should consult your GP if you think you may be low on Vitamin D and consider taking Vitamin D supplements to help give you a boost. I've also picked up a SAD Lamp this year which cost less than £30 and I do feel like it helps. I try to use it for around 30 minutes to an hour every day or other day on the warm white setting which basically makes you feel like a lizard sitting in the sun haha.
Get Some Sleep -
You shouldn't restrict yourself from sleeping when you feel you need to rest (unless you've got to get up for work or school etc obviously). Sleeping for around 8 hours per night can help strengthen your heart, help improve your immune function and getting a good amount of sleep obviously puts you in a better mood which means you're more likely to have a productive day when you've slept well than when you haven't slept very well.
Keep On Top Of Your Overall Health Maintenance -
You can keep on top your health maintenance by going for any check-ups you've been putting off such as visiting your doctor for your yearly check-up if you haven't been already this year, visiting your dentist, visiting the opticians, taking supplements if they're needed and although there isn't evidence of this, I also use CBD oil as I personally find that it helps me. So you could also pick up some CBD oil for sale too.
Exercise -
Whether you're going for a daily walk or exercising from home or the gym, exercise can definitely help both your mind and your body. I do struggle with exercise because of my health problems but I do try and do some form of exercise when I feel like I can and just try to move around more when I'm having a better pain day in general.
Taking Time Out For Yourself -
Making sure you take time out for yourself when you feel you need it is a must! Whether you've had a bad day or week or you're feeling a bit low and disinterested, doing something you love can definitely help perk you up. You could start a new hobby, take a bubble bath and have a pamper sesh, read a book that's been on your TBR pile for ages, bake your fave dessert or cook your fave comfort meal or even just catch up on some sleep. I personally love having a bubble bath whilst using my fave products and then watching a film I know I love and will cheer me up. I've also started to get back into learning about crystals and the law of attraction again too. If you run your own blog or website then you could also consider using Content Conga who provide copywriting services so that you can free up some time to give yourself some proper time off if you feel it's needed.
Have A Well Balanced Diet -
I've really been into learning about what foods can help increase your mood and figuring out which of the mood-boosting foods I like and which also agree with my temperamental body this year. I would say my go-to foods that I find work for me and help increase my mood are dark chocolate (obvs!), bananas, spinach, eggs, broccoli and bell peppers so I try and incorporate them into my meals, especially when I'm going through a low mood spell. Also, this doesn't mean that I don't allow myself foods that I love either, so I still eat milk chocolate when I fancy it and I love cheese toasties with some salad and things like that too.
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