Beating the winter blues

The winter can be a tough time for many of us, especially if we are affected by the seemingly endless darker days and longer nights. In this months workshop we talked about various ways in which we can counteract feelings of what we call the “winter blues”. For many of us, December can be an exciting, joyful month in the lead up to Christmas but it can also be a particularly stressful and triggering time for a lot of people. Movies, social media and adverts paint a picture of what a typical Christmas “should” be like, and often we feel the pressure to socialise more, spend more and be full of holiday cheer. It is important for us to offer kindness to ourselves and to others all year round, but to also be extra conscious that over the winter the feelings of isolation can be heightened.

Some of our top tips for helping to beat the winter blues are:

• LIGHT!! - in the winter months we are exposed much less to direct sunlight, which is essential for boosting melatonin and serotonin in the brain.

  • Get outside as much as you can. Some of us may need to take Vitamin D supplements (especially in the UK) so we would always suggest seeking advice from your doctor if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

  • Use a sunrise alarm to help you wake up slowly in tune with your body’s natural rhythm and use a light box if you do not get a lot of direct sunlight in your home.

  • Promote light into your living space, especially if working from home. Keeping lamps on, windows clean and strategically placed mirrors around.

• Get active - many of us lose motivation to stay active in the winter months, but exercise has been proven to boost the happy chemicals in the brain that we are naturally lacking at this time of the year. Walk, jog, spring clean or join an online fitness class if getting to a gym feels too much!

• Spend time with friends and family - over the winter we tend to cram all of our socialising into December, leading to a crash in energy, funds and social interaction by the time we get to January and February. Maybe plan to meet with friends for a festive get-together in the new year, or gift your time to people instead of physical presents.

• Set goals early. Many of us wait until the start of the new year to set a list of intentions and January is typically one of the most overwhelming times of the year for mental health. For your 7 day challenge we would like you to consider what you can do in THIS year to start on a goal you would like to achieve by the end of next year. Make a list of the little steps you could take over the next week and the next month and start the new year in the strongest way possible.

Our beating the winter blues workshop from 23rd November available for the next 4 weeks.

Our weekly classes are free for all and suitable for Every Body.

Click on image for more info on each class and for Zoom link!