What is winter wellness? Seasonal Affective Disorder is linked to decreasing amounts of daylight, but lower temperatures in winter can have their own negative effects on your mental and physical health. Being stuck indoors more and being miserable outside because it’s so cold are obvious reasons, but there’s more to it than that. Fortunately, there are ways to combat it.
Winter wellness issues
Exercise
In winter, it’s harder to get fresh air and exercise. Even if it isn’t snowing or raining, it’s hard to get up the enthusiasm for exercise in freezing weather. That means you don’t get as much sunlight (which is there, even in the cold!) which reduces your vitamin D levels, increasing the risk for diseases like COVID or flu, and causing fatigue and depression.
Make the effort to go outside for a walk around the block or even just the garden, and take vitamin D supplements*. Not enough exercise can cause problems including blood vessel inflammation. Find ways to exercise indoors; there are plenty of free videos online.
Winter diet
It can be harder to get a varied diet of fresh food in winter because things are out of season. This can cause physical and mental health problems (for more information on this, CLICK THIS LINK). Fortunately, frozen, dried, and tinned vegetables and fruit all count towards your five a day, so stock up on those. Hot vegetable soup is a perfect healthy winter meal.
Starchy food is often a temptation in winter, but don’t go overboard on simple carbs like white flour, which can cause sugar crashes and make you feel worse. Stick with whole grains for complex carbs. If you’re still having problems, take a multivitamin* and see if your mood improves.
Staying social
Rainy or snowy weather often leads to the cancellation of group activities like sports, reducing social interaction and causing you to miss out on a source of fun. Even those which take place indoors can be ‘snowed off’ if the weather is bad enough to block the roads. Keep in contact with friends via phone, email, Skype, or Facebook if you can’t meet up in person, and make sure you have plenty to do. Try playing online multiplayer puzzles for a home-based social activity, or discuss your progress in a shared project such as handicrafts.
Being physically cold reduces blood flow, causing you to feel lethargic and sleepy, but if you’re too cold it can be hard to get to sleep, which is frustrating and stressful. Check out THIS LINK to get our top tips on sleeping well, and ensure you dress warmly, day and night. A hot breakfast or drink might help you get in gear for the day and exercise will help you keep warmer.
Winter wellness and warmth
Another source of low mood might be worrying about an increased heating bill. To keep it down, wear extra layers, try a thermal vest, and add an extra blanket to your bed. An electric blanket or hot water bottle might help, and a portable space heater is more efficient than turning up the radiator to heat the whole house. Be careful not to leave electrical heating items or fireplaces unattended.
Don’t leave the heating on when you aren’t at home; try setting it to turn on half an hour or so before you arrive home so it’s warm when you come in. Close curtains at night and try window insulation.
If you’re taking all precautions and still don’t feel good, it might be a sign of a deeper problem. If that’s the case, contact a therapist or medical professional. You can contact me for help and advice on THIS LINK.
*Always ask your pharmacist or doctor about the best dose for you if you are thinking of taking supplements.
Author: Debbie Waller is a professional therapist, specialising in stress, anxiety and related issues, including gut-directed hypnotherapy to help with the symptoms of IBS. She also offers EMDR/Blast which is used for trauma, PTSD, phobias and OCD. For more information on any of these services, phone 01977 678593.
Researcher: Rae Waller is an experienced researcher and writer with a special interest in mental health issues. Rae offers drafting, fact-checking, proofreading, and editing for anything from a leaflet to a website, a blog or a book, and can also provide diversity reading, especially for LGBTQ+ and autism-related issues. Please contact rae@debbiewaller.com for further information.