As the season darkens and we get less daylight, many people experience more fatigue, or feelings of sadness.
This may be due to lack of sunlight, a dislike of the cold, or simply because we’re not able to go outside as often and play!
Finding ways to get out in nature, Eating Clean, and feeding your mind with positivity can be immensely helpful all year, and especially during the darker months.
If you’ve got a case of the winter blues, these tips can help you boost your happy hormones and support a healthy mindset.
1. Move your body in the morning
A little bit of movement in the morning can increase endorphins and boost hormones that contribute to a balanced mood and more stable blood sugar levels. This means you’re less likely to have sugar cravings later in the day, and may even have a better sleep at night (also a mood hack). There are so many ways to get your exercise upon waking, so find something that suits your body type and personal needs:
- Go to a hot yoga class
- Practice yoga online in your living room
- Use a 5-10 pound sandbag or dumbells and do an at-home workout
- Do squats
- Go for a jog or brisk walk with a podcast in your earbuds
- Try a HIIT workout online in your living room
2. Make a warm drink
Have a warm and soothing beverage in the morning to offer some cozy comfort, and cleanse your body at the same time. Here are two drink recipe options:
Happy Cacao (raises dopamine and serotonin levels)
- 1 tablespoon cacao or cocoa powder
- 1 cup hot water or steamed almond milk
- 1 tsp. honey or 2 drops liquid stevia
- pinch of sea salt
Warm Lemon-Ginger Detox:
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp ginger juice (or boil a thumb sized root in a pot of water and use that liquid for your tea)
- 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3. Vitamin-D
Vitamin-D levels have been linked to conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease, but new research is now showing that low Vitamin-D levels may be linked to depression. While having the winter blues is usually not clinical depression, boosting your D levels can be immensely helpful for increasing energy and feeling happier.
4. Use soothing body oils
In Ayurveda, oils are used to help balance more than just dry skin – they also support hormonal balance and mood! If you find your skin gets dry in the winter, try using a warming oil like almond oil. You can even put this oil on your body before taking a shower to prevent your skin from drying out! After your shower, gently pat yourself dry and massage the oil into your body. This process alone can feel therapeutic and sooth the nervous system.
5. Eat Clean / Nutrient Dense Meals
A Clean diet rich in nutrients will help balance mood and beat the winter blues. Foods that naturally contain high levels of Vitamin D like fish, liver, and eggs are all excellent choices. Dark-leafy greens and nuts/seeds are sources of minerals, while grass-fed meats and chicken can give you your protein and omega 3’s! It’s incredible how much diet can impact mood. When our bodies are inflamed, we can become tired, irritable, and less motivated. Simply by nourishing ourselves and drinking enough water throughout the day, we can experience a healthy shift in how we feel both physically and psychologically.
6. Listen to inspiring music, podcasts and audiobooks.
This one often gets under looked. How often do you listen to the lyrics of the music you’re listening to? Everything we consume gets filtered through our brain, and some of it gets buried in our unconscious mind (and programmed while we sleep at night.) If you want to enhance your mindset, create playlists that are uplifting and inspiring and try listening to a few podcasts or audio-books!
7. Set Goals and Intentions
Having something to look forward to is important for many of us. If you’re feeling down with the winter season, make a list of things you want to accomplish, what actions you need to take to get there and create rewards for when you hit your goals. You can also set intentions for how you want to FEEL this winter.
- Do you want to feel healthy? How are you going to get there?
- Do you want to feel confident? What can you do to create that experience for yourself?
- Do you want to get fit? What tools do you need to reach those goals?
- Focus on creating an inspiring and supportive environment for yourself to reach goals and connect you to purpose!
8. Join the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge
Now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you’re going to reach your 2019 Goals. The 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge is designed to provide you with accountability, live support, recipes, and meal plans so you have a step-by-step plan to lose weight, gain mental clarity, boost your energy and feel amazing!
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