Now that Summer is giving way to Fall, the days grow shorter, and slowly the temperature is dipping. Before we know it, the deep cold of Winter will be upon us with promises of cozying up by the fire and sledding in the snow. The reality of those long cold months is often quite different, and it can be easy to feel down. These simple hacks will help lift your mood while you wait for the sun and warmth to return.
Exercise
Exercise is often the last thing you want to think about when it’s cold and miserable outside with wild weather. Making an effort to get moving releases endorphins that give a natural high, perfect for lifting your mood. If braving the outdoors is too much for you, consider joining a local exercise class; those running in the community are less off-putting than attending a gym. Or stay home and work out to a few YouTube videos or get an exercise bike and pedal along to your favorite podcast.
Essential Oils
You may wonder what is ylang ylang essential oil used for and how it can make Winter more tolerable. Scents have the power to invoke memory, change our mood, and much more, making them a powerful tool for combating periods of low mood. The pleasant fragrance of the ylang ylang flower evokes feelings of happiness when used to scent a room or added to skin care products. Other essential oils have equally beneficial properties, with lavender useful for a goodnight’s sleep.
Entertainment
Entertainment brings many benefits. It can and does release and distract from stress; it provides escapism from the problems in our lives. It protects and improves our mental health. During cold months no one feels like going out winter but we can get subscriptions to different kinds of entertainment that can help lift your mood:) in cold months.
Sleep
We’ve all heard it before, go to bed earlier and get enough sleep. Yawn! Except for its not boring advice, it’s extremely important as chronic lack of sleep significantly impacts mood. It also makes exercising, concentrating, and eating healthy hard, all of which can lead to low mood. Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening, and if you must snack, make it low GI so that you don’t experience a blood sugar drop in the night and wake up. Set a timer to remind you it’s bedtime, and try to stick to it.
A good bedtime routine will help with the actual getting to sleep part. Having something calming to concentrate on helps the mind unwind and drift off, so don’t feel you have to lie in bed staring into the dark until sleep comes. Some people find listening to music or reading helps. However, avoid becoming overly stimulated once you’re in bed, so if you must read on a screen, turn the redlight filter on and stick to reading rather than social media or Netflix.
Socialize
It’s cold, and you aren’t in the mood are often excuses used by people to avoid meeting up with friends during Winter. However, not socially seeing other people exacerbates feelings of loneliness and sadness. Make an effort to be around people to help stave off the Winter Blues.
Taking steps such as exercising, meeting friends, and using an uplifting scent to brighten your day are all excellent ways to lift a low mood during Winter. If feelings of lowness and depression persist, please see your doctor.
