Is winter giving you the chills? January blues getting you down? There are plenty of ways to survive the season and stay healthy. ESP’s wellbeing writer Karen Devine gives her tips on making the most of this time for renewal…
Keeping on top of our health and wellbeing in the winter is more challenging than in the spring and summer months. For a start we only get about 8 hours of daylight compared to the 16-17 hours we get in the summer therefore, we spend more time indoors, closed windows, central heating and unnatural light.
We also eat more cooked foods and less leafy greens, colourful salads and fruits which deliver natural hydration in the summer months so we're more susceptible to dehydration with all its negative effects from low mood, sleep issues, dry skin, weakened immunity and more.
In nature, autumn is about winding down, getting prepared for the ‘retreat’ of winter to conserve energy. We are part of nature and her cycles; therefore, we must look towards the hints she gives us. We too, should start winding down where we can. We've become a species that never stops, we try to fit so much into our lives that we wonder why we end up burnt out, low in mood, and susceptible to picking up the winter bugs.
Of course, we can’t all down tools and hibernate for the winter, but we can help ourselves get through these months by making the natural adjustments we need to navigate through them. This will help us mentally, emotionally, and physically.
1. Rest – The winter months are the best time to catch up with sleep, our body detoxifies and removes so much of its cellular wastes as we sleep, especially from the area of the brain. When we’re not getting enough, or our sleep is restless, our body’s ability to give up its toxins is interfered with. This can leave us feeling irritable, groggy and tired during the day. It can also weaken our immunity, leaving us susceptible to the winter bugs.
2. Exercise – Our body needs to move, this is what it is designed to do, we don’t need to push ourselves to exhaustion. A walk, yoga, Pilates, swimming, a bike ride – anything that gets your heart rate up, your lymphatic system moving and lubricating your joints goes a very long way to support your wellbeing.
3. Optimum nutrition – Let’s keep this simple - our food is to provide the raw materials needed for our cells to work, at the same time to help hydrate our body and to help ‘sweep’ the wastes out of our digestive system. This means ‘whole foods’ that nature supplies us with – vitamins, enzymes, minerals, phytonutrients and fibre. Refined carbohydrates, sugar and alcohol can cause huge blood sugar swings which leads to irritability and low mood. They weaken our immunity, lower our energy and lead to weight gain.
4. Hydration – Keeping our cells hydrated in the autumn and winter months is much harder as we don’t gravitate towards juicy fresh fruits, leafy greens, smoothies and fresh juices. Our thirst response can also diminish in the winter so keeping our hydration up at this time of year is equally important (we also spend more time indoors). Water with ginger (to warm it), adding spices to some foods, herbal teas and veggie soups/stews will all help. Also keep an eye on how much alcohol and sugar you consume as these cause havoc with hydration. Our mood, sleep, immunity and outlook is very much improved in a hydrated body!
5. Fresh air and sunlight – both are extremely important for our mood so still try and get outdoors where and when you can. It’s known that breathing in fresh air can increase our energy levels, improve our mental functions, and boost our immunity. Wrap up and get outside in these fresh winter days where you can.
6. Finally, remember that our brain needs stimulation. Try not to veg out in front of your TV throughout the winter. Our brain is able to reorganise its structure, improve its function and create new habits due to a process known as neuroplasticity. Learning and having new experiences allows our neural pathways to strengthen, whereas those which are used infrequently weaken and die. Brain plasticity fluctuates throughout our lives, childhood being the most significant time for our brain development. However, we can help to maintain plasticity by learning new things, new skills as well as in the practice of mindfulness or meditation. In other words use it or lose it!
Read more from Karen in the lifestyle section of our website www.espmag.co.uk or visit www.karendevine.co.uk
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