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Strategies To Maintain Energy During Winter
The dark, colder weather and mid-year blues can cause some people to feel listless, sad and unfocused.
33 Pull yourself out of a winter slump with these hot pick-me-up tips!
• Tip 1: Move it
20 minutes of vigorous activity four times a week has been shown to improve mood!
34 Lace up your sneakers and go for a run, cycle or walk around your neighbourhood.
If that just feels too much then chunk it! So instead of committing to one long workout, break the time into manageable chunks. For example if you’re aiming for 30 minutes of activity a day, take three 10 minute breaks during the day and head outside for a mini-workout.
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• Tip 2: Stick to it
It’s so tempting to sleep in on those cold, dark winter mornings but keeping to a regular waking and sleeping time is a good idea to keep your body’s natural clock, called the “circadian rhythm”, healthy!
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• Tip 3: Movie night
Laughter has been shown to stimulate processes in the brain that counter depressive moods!
34 Time to break out the popcorn and put on your favourite laugh-out-loud comedies.
• Tip 4: Fuel your mood
Boost your mood by consuming protein with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
33 Protein will improve mood and prevent sugar carvings later in the day too!
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• Tip 5: Connect
If 2020 taught us anything it’s that human contact is so essential for our mental wellbeing.
33 Reach out to family and friends regularly. Connecting with supportive people is yet another great way to lift your mood and re-energise.
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• Tip 6: Get some sunshine
Natural, bright sunlight during the day helps to keep your circadian rhythm healthy. When the circadian rhythm is functioning well it improves daytime energy and regulates night-time sleep quality and duration.
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These tips should be fairly easy to incorporate into your day-to-day routine. Whilst you can’t change the season, you can put some of these positive changes into practice and help minimise the effects of the winter blues!