10 tips to beat the winter blues!
Is anyone else feeling the humdrums or is it just me?
This month I thought I would offer some tips and tricks I use to combat that feeling I sometimes get when the leaves fall off the trees and become covered with snow and ice, when the sun sets way too early and when I start wanting to ditch my winter gear and bust out the summer clothes…
But first, why am I talking about beating the winter blues?
Winter will either be something you dread or something that passes you by without noticing. Sometimes even people who live in the warmer states like California experience cyclical changes that affect their moods and disposition.
The extreme form of this is called SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a cyclical form of depression caused by changes in the circadian rhythm—a 24-hour cycle that regulates biochemical processes in the body.
For some people, including myself, as the hours of sunlight decrease in the fall and winter, their circadian rhythm cycle can become disrupted. The hormone melatonin and the neurotransmitter serotonin suddenly drop in the winter, and this causes lethargy, depression, irritability and weight gain.
So, what are my top 10 tips for beating the winter blues?
- Take Vitamin D3:
Sunlight is weak or scarce in winter, so be sure to buy Vitamin D3 supplements to make up for lost sunlight!
- Invest in a high-quality light therapy sun lamp:
Light therapy sunlamps are often household necessities in states that suffer from lack of winter sunshine like Washington. Be sure to invest in a high-quality sun lamp that you can use throughout the day for 15 minutes at a time.
- Hibernate happily:
Sometimes it’s best to surrender to winter and take up hibernation like a bear. You can watch movies you’ve always wanted to see or curl up on the couch with a good book you’ve been meaning to read or get all cozy by the fire in your favorite woolly socks.
- Eat warm, nourishing comfort foods:
Use this time to make those rich bean soups and hearty squash and root vegetable stews that you’ve been wanting to try. It will nourish and warm your body and spirit.
- Watch comedy shows and improv that make you laugh out loud:
Laughter is the best medicine. Download your favorite comedian and watch the show till you have a stitch in your side from laughing or put on your sexy winter boots and invite a friend out to see your favorite comedian live.
- Layer up and go for walks outside in the cold, fresh air:
Just because it’s cold outside, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be outside. As long as you layer up with woolly hats, down jackets and long johns, even the snow and sleet will be your friend. Take a stroll on a freezing wintery evening and return home refreshed.
- Spend time soaking it up in a hot tub or sauna:
There is nothing that raises your body heat quite like soaking it up in a hot tub or sauna. Just do it weekly throughout the remainder of winter! You can’t go wrong.
- Find a movement class that makes you sweat:
Getting your body moving floods you with feel-good endorphins. So, find a high energy dance class like Zumba or try a new yoga class; either way get your groove on. Then treat yourself to a cup of hot chocolate afterwards.
- Buy some great looking winter outfits so you don’t feel frumpy:
Donate all your old, “no longer serving me” clothes and buy yourself something that brings you joy, like leggings and boots so you can go out and about in style.
- Take a vacation somewhere sunny or tropical:
If the winter months are simply unbearable, there is nothing that breaks it up better than a short vacation to a sunny place. It will give you the boost to get through the rest of the winter… this time with a tan!
How will I know which of these tips will work for me?
Good question!
Start by picking your top three that just jump out at you. Those are the ones that obviously appeal to you the most—so that’s a great place to start! Next, schedule a time on your calendar to actually do them starting now. So, if you picked hot tub, movement class and nourishing soup, then go out today and buy the ingredients for the soup to cook tomorrow and find a movement class you can start next week and treat yourself to your local sauna or spa!
Once you’ve done these three things, keep doing them if you enjoy them or ditch them if you don’t! And then start adding more from your top 10 list until pretty soon winter will be over and you will yearn to do it all over again!
In health,
Infinity Yoga Studio
STUDIO NEWS
March 2022 Yoga Studio Schedule
Must pre-register by emailing infinitywinonayoga@gmail.com and pre-pay with punch card or call 507-453-7941
Monday
8:15am Forrest Inspired Vinyasa- Elle- via ZOOM
Tuesday
5:45pm Winter Flow: Welcoming warmth & Resilience with sarah- in studio
Wednesday
10-11:20 am Qi Gong & T’ai Chi with Lynn-in studio
Friday
7:45am Forrest Inspired Vinyasa- All Levels with Elle – via zoom
10-11:20 am Qi Gong & T’ai Chi with Lynn-in studio