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Even though we’re over halfway through winter, and the days are getting longer, the winter blues seem to be in full effect. Don’t worry though, you’re not alone. It seems as if everyone experiences the winter blues to some degree. Although the “blues” isn’t an actual diagnosis, it’s typically characterized by feeling down and less energized. Hopefully, throughout this blog, you’ll resonate with a solution to help you beat the winter blues.

Beating the Blues

  1. Stick to a sleep routine. If you have trouble waking up in the morning, you could really benefit from a sleep routine. This means that you fall asleep and wake up around the same time every day. For example, my sleep routine is to wake up at 7:30 AM and have all screens off, in order to fall asleep by 10:30 PM.
  2. Make your environment brighter. Exposing yourself to the natural light right when you wake up will help you stay up. Another tip to help you wake up with ease is to sleep with your shades half-way up. This way you can wake up with natural light and your room won’t feel so cave-like.
  3. Eat better. Everyone is more prone to falling victim to comfort food in the winter. So instead of snacking on chips or candy, try switching it up for sliced fruit. Even a small change in diet can benefit your mood and energy.
  4. Try exercising. During the winter, it may be harder to get to the gym or go outside due to weather, or whatever reason. So even if you do some at-home workouts, that’s better than nothing. Even without gym equipment, you can still get a good workout by doing body-weight exercises.
  5. Give your skin some love. The harsh temperatures and lack of sun during the winter are not doing your skin any good. Many people report that their skin looks “dull” during the colder months. This is due to a lack of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps us achieve that natural glow. Show your skin some love, throw on a face mask, and thank me later.
  6. Give yourself a goal to work towards. Occupying your free time with a new activity will prevent you from sitting around.
  7. Keep yourself in good company. Another idea for occupying your free time is to spend more time with friends and family. Odds are that they have more free time during the winter too, so why not spend that time together?

Written by GUADS staff member Toni with contributions from www.realsimple.com