Stay Healthy This Winter with Our Top Tips
- Celebrate the small wins, and don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself.
- Keeping active allows you to remain energised throughout the day.
- Make sure not to become vitamin D deficient by taking a supplement.
- Meditation can help you balance your mood and practise compassion.
New Year, new you - sounds familiar? Some people might be excited for a new year, but for some it represents unrealistic expectations.
In cold winter weather it’s difficult to try and stay motivated. We have gathered our top tips on how to avoid winter blues and stay healthy this time of year.
Don’t set too high expectations on yourself
It’s difficult to keep your head with everyone around you shouting about their new year resolutions.
Try to minimise using social media and set yourself goals that are achievable and rewarding. There’s no point of adding “run a marathon” into your yearly goals just because everyone else is doing it.
Also, you should try not to compare yourself to other people. This is because most people share the highlights of their life online, hiding the less nice parts. You should also remember that you’re not ahead or behind everyone else, but right where you’re supposed to be.
Whether you have found a new hobby or managed to wake up 10 minutes earlier each day, there’s always something to be proud of. You should celebrate the small wins as they come, as big changes come from small things.
Banish the winter blues
Approximately two million Brits are reported each year to have “winter blues”. It means low mood, increased need for sleep, and a fluctuating appetite. This usually happens around January and February.
With our key tips you can make sure the winter blues don’t get the better of you.
1. Stay active, even if you don’t want to
The last thing anyone wants to do on a cold morning is go for a run. But it’s been scientifically proven to make you feel better and increase your energy levels. Alternatively, you can do a home workout from the comfort of your living room – even while watching tv!
You should also try and include a 15-minute walk in the middle of the day, to expose yourself to natural light. Fresh winter air will also help clear your thoughts.
2. Take vitamin D and other supplements
During winter, we don’t receive enough vitamin D from sun. We suggest adding the supplement to your routine to ensure you don’t become deficient.
Eating salmon or taking fish oil as a supplement is also recommended. This is because of the important omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is said to improve your mood as they improve brain and blood function.
3. Try bright light therapy
In bright light therapy, you will sit next to a light box for 30 minutes. These ultraviolet-filtered lights suppress the hormones that make you fall asleep.
You can also buy an alarm clock with a light, which gradually gets brighter. This allows you to wake up more naturally and starts your day earlier. It’s a great way to avoid oversleeping, especially when it’s dark in the morning.
4. Practise meditation
There are a lot of benefits when it comes to meditation. Originally from India, the practise focuses the mind on an object, thought or activity. This improves your mental clarity and emotional intelligence.
You can start with easy guided online meditations by using an app such as Headspace or Calm. Alternatively, you can join a meditation class in your area.
Meditation can improve happiness and develop your acceptance and compassion towards other people. Long-term you’ll notice that you can relax your body and mind on cue.
5. Eat healthy, nutritious foods
We all know eating healthy food is good for you. But did you know that greasy, refined carbohydrates, including pizza, make you more tired?
When you eat more vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, you don’t get sudden spikes in blood sugar. This allows your mood to remain more stable throughout the day.
We also recommend avoiding snacking late in the evening. Not only will it affect your weight, but it will keep your body awake trying to digest the food.
6. Get vaccinated
All people aged 65 or older are being offered the flu and Covid-19 jab automatically. Also, people with long-term conditions will be eligible for the vaccine.
If you consider yourself to be vulnerable, it may be a good idea to get vaccinated.
7. Meet friends and family
Connection with other humans is natural to us. In winter, we easily get stuck in our homes due to colder temperatures.
Arrange a meeting with a friend or a member of your family for an afternoon. If you aren’t able to meet in person, you can also make a video call.
Keeping in touch with other people is especially important if you live alone. Loneliness can lead to increased weight gain, concentration problems and muscle weakness. All of these can speed up cognitive and physical decline.
8. Start a new hobby
New hobbies are a great way to meet new friends, stay social and learn a new skill. They have also been shown to reduce stress and increase happiness.
If you choose a physical hobby, such as handball, swimming, or basketball, it will also help you stay fit.
We hope you have found some useful tips to stay healthy this winter. Include one or two of our tips to your daily routine and see how you will start feeling instantly better.
Struggling with getting from A to B? Disabled people can join Motability Scheme, which improves their everyday freedom. Simply switch your mobility allowance for a brand-new car. Plus, with servicing, insurance and tax all included, you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Start searching for your new Motability vehicle today with Macklin Motors. You can also contact our experts if you have any questions.