This is a guest post.
The dark, cold days of winter may have an impact on your mood and make you feel less excited about life. It’s normal to feel a little less motivated and chipper when the days are short and frigidly cold. This winter, focus on using natural methods to help beat those winter blues and improve your mood. Here are some ways you can energize yourself and feel happier and healthier this winter season.
Prioritizing Your Mental Health This Winter
The first thing to focus on this winter is prioritizing your mental health. A healthy mind is just as essential as a strong, healthy body. If you aren’t feeling great and you’re stressed out, this can also impact your physical health.
The Gut + Mind Connection
Stress and feelings of depression can affect your body and your overall well-being. There is a connection between your gut’s health and your happiness and mood. Consider adding detox products to your medicine cabinet to help get a refresh inside of your body and flush out harmful toxins.
Exercise and Get Your Heart Rate Up
The next method to improve your mood is to add more exercise to your day. Get your heart rate up by running a mile or more, biking, dancing, swimming or starting any type of cardio program. Consult your doctor for advice if you have any health concerns. Regular exercise can boost your mood, with the release of happy chemicals in your body, such as endorphins and adrenaline.
Go Outside and Explore Nature
You can also benefit from the mood-boosting power of going outside each day. Make it a habit to go on a walk or a hike somewhere new outdoors in your neighborhood every day. Even though it’s colder in the winter, there are still plenty of engaging outdoor activities you can try. Be sure to bundle up and dress appropriately for the weather.
Use Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy may also help improve your mood and help you feel calmer. Choose specific scents that are appealing to you and have mood-boosting properties, such as lemon, orange, lavender or vanilla. Take an afternoon to relax and use an aromatherapy machine while you start a cleansing silica detox.
Socialize With Friends
It’s also important to keep up with your social connections throughout the winter season. Socializing and getting together with people you care about could have big benefits to your mental health. Spend a night with friends with great food and delicious drinks. Be sure to use a quick hangover recovery product the next day!
Eat Healthier Foods
Your diet choices may also have an impact on your mental health and mood during the winter. Avoid heavily processed foods and too much sugar. Instead, opt for wholesome choices, such as healthy grains, brightly-colored vegetables, heart-healthy fish, lean chicken, nuts, fruits and whole grains when you menu plan. Make sure the foods you eat provide plenty of Vitamin D and other essentials.
You can avoid the winter doldrums if you are mindful of your habits this season. Prioritize your health and happiness by engaging in beneficial practices, such as eating well, exercising and taking time to treat yourself and gather with friends.
I suffer from the winter blues. These are tips that I will try.
Me too. I always feel less motivated.
If I don’t get my workout in for the day, I just feel off. And not getting enough water. Great suggestions.
Right! It’s no fun getting off track either.
I need to keep these in mind. I do tend to get the winter blues and I hate it.
Me too. Sometimes I’m just not motivated enough in winter.
Simple and affordable ways to get our mood into the right stream. Spending outside biking, running and working on my flowers are some of my favorite things.
Yes, definitely! I love doing those too. My daughters and I bike a lot in summer.
These are definitely great tips, and I will definitely keep this in mind. Thank you so much!
Of course!
Stay more outside and with your friends will definitely help a lot. I should follow other advice too!
Yes, I agree too.
Adding more exercise into our daily routine is such a great mood booster!
Yes, it sure is.
I need to eat a healthier diet and exercise more. A lot of time my mood is just low and I feel unmotivated.
I completely agree. I’m working on them both myself.
Such a timely post. I just made a coffee date with a great friend whom has been holed up all winter.
That’s so great to hear!
These are all great ways to boost your mood! I like getting my heart going and also aromatherapy. Those are my go to options.
They sure are!
I’m combining getting exercise with going outside. The natural daylight really helps.
That’s so great to hear.
Wow! These are all really great tips! I really need this, this will help a lot! Thank you for sharing!
Of course!
Winter can be a tough time here in Upstate NY between the frigid temperatures and lack of sunshine. I do also believe in the brain and gut connection. Thank you for all the tips.
Yes, definitely.
Mood is important with maintaining your mental health. We all need a little help sometimes and this seems like a good idea.
Yes, it really is.