Do you spend the winter months wishing you could beat the winter blues?
If you struggle to get out of bed in the winter and experience low mood you may be one of the millions of Britons who suffers with the winter blues.
The winter blues is a condition that is caused by a lack of sunshine combined with the psychological effect of the end of summer. One in five of us suffer a more serious condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder or – SAD – with strong symptoms of fatigue and depression causing a negative impact on a person’s life.
Here are 5 scientifically proven ways to lift mood, and the effects of the winter blues.
Get Outdoors
Getting outdoors for just 20 minutes a day increases exposure to daylight which helps to reduce the sleep inducing hormone melatonin, helping you to feel more energised. If you can exercise outdoors too then you really help to boost your serotonin levels which will help to lift your mood.
Learn How to Think Positively
How you think influences how you feel. Many people are not aware of the direct correlation between how and what they think and how that influences how they feel and behave. By learning how to think positively and how to perceive the world differently you can create radical shifts in your well-being.
Plan a Holiday
If you normally take your main holiday during the summer months try switching it to the winter. This could be for winter sunshine or for a ski holiday. The anticipation of having something to look forward to can also help boost your mood and lift your spirits.
Eat Chocolate
The more cocoa beans the chocolate contains the higher the levels of the natural amino acid tryptophan it will contain. Other foods containing high levels of tryptophan include chia seeds, soya beans and cheddar cheese.
Show Gratitude
Several studies show that people who regularly practice gratitude are happier people, whose mental and physical well-being significantly improves. Whilst it can be hard to avoid self-pity entirely, mentally strong people choose to exchange self-pity for gratitude.
Rebecca Sanderson is a clinical hypnotherapist specialising in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression. She helps people to live happier healthier lives by teaching them how to use the power of their thoughts to get them more of what they want out of life. Contact her info@themindsetclinic.co.uk to see how she can help you.