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Winter Blues: Today is 22 January and the first month of 2018 is more than halfway through. Christmas is over the New Year’s Eve too. Often the New Year brings the “New Year, New Me”, the big goals and inspiring thoughts. But only 22 days after announcing the New Year Resolutions, 30 % of the “resolutions” are already crossed out – not done, but cancelled!
Feeling tired, demotivate and apathetic, overstrained with all private and professional projects – you’re not alone! For the most of us who live in Europe, North America and North Asia we still have winter with freezing temperatures outside and sunlight deficiency going on! The days are much shorter. We wake up in darkness and we go home when the sun is gone. We’re probably still trying to close the gap between the Christmas expenses with the January income. We are forcing us to be our best version of the “New Year, New Me”. It is definitely too much! And the winter blues are in full swing!
But what can you do to cheer yourself up when the winter is trying to get you down? Here are my 8 tips:
Get Enough Sleep
Keep it easy and get enough sleep! Enough sleep means also sleeping not too long. Because of the short days during the winter time, many of us tend to sleep too long, probably because it is always dark outside! But too much of sleep makes us more tired and leads to a noticeable drop of energy. Everybody is different but according to the official recommendations for sleep duration for adults (18–64 years), we should sleep not less than 7 and not longer than 9 hours.
Move Every Day for at Least 45 Minutes
When we exercise, our bodies release chemicals called endorphins better know as “feel-good hormones” and “hormones of happiness”. You can go to the gym, walk outside, make some exercises at home, dance to loud music – no matter what you do, just move! It is good for your health, body and soul.
Spend Time with Friends and Family
What is better than the time spent with the loved ones? Yes, nothing! Social contacts and engagement are very important in our life and being. But it is important to keep the good company and spend the time with positive souls! People have a huge impact on your life, so make sure you surround yourself with positive influencers as they have a tremendous effect on your happiness and well being. The same thing is with the negative people but in a negative manner.
Get Enough Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body – they keep us vital, happy and concentrated! Especially during the winter time, we tend to eat less fruits and vegetables which can lead to anemia (folate, vitamin B-12 and vitamin C deficiency), depression and confusion (vitamin B6 deficiency), general weakness (magnesium deficiency). Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and variety is as important as quantity!
Get Enough of the Sunshine Vitamin too – Vitamin D
When it comes to getting enough vitamins and minerals, the “Sunshine Vitamin” or vitamin D should not be overlooked. You can get Vitamin D from the food you eat and through the sunlight. Vitamin D helps to boost the immune system so that you can feel fit and energetic. The problem is that stores of Vitamin D can run low, especially in winter! It is estimated that sun exposure for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times per week allows most people to produce sufficient vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin breaks down quite quickly, therefore it is absolutely essential to go for your winter walks several times per week!
Light Up Your Life with Efficient LEDs
My living room faces East and this is the room when I do almost everything – working, writing, reading, eating, living. The major issue during the winter is the lower sun, which means that I can enjoy the sunshine between 8 am and 11 am. Afterwards, it is pure darkness.
My newest gadget when it comes to “lighting up” my life is the Daylight Lamp with Natural Sunlight Simulation from Beurer. It is the perfect solution in case of light deprivation and bad mood symptoms in the winter months. The Beurer LED lamp simulates perfectly daylight and sunlight. And I can absolutely confirm the positive effect on my mood and eye comfort!
Engelbert Strauss Rainjacket
Say “No” to “SALE”! Buy Only What You Need
I'm so done with the Consumer Society (Cambridge Dictionary: Consumer Society is a society in which people often buy new goods, and that places a high value on owning things: In a consumer society, there may be no better measure of how people feel, than what they buy”).
Since 7 main Sale Seasons (1.5 years) I'm saying “No” to “SALE”. People do not need new stuff to feel eternally happy. Buy only things that you need – higher quality products that will “serve” you for a longer time!
I'm absolutely satisfied with my new travel and outdoor companions:
QC Running Shoe #NeverNotOn – the new Cloud in NYC (here) – I decided to replace my Nikes with Swiss quality and comfort instead. Let see what they can 😀
Engelbert Strauss Rain Jacket Motion 2020 (here) – I finally found the perfect outdoor rain jacket – 100% waterproofed but breathable! When you live in Tirol, you probably know that outdoor activities are almost impossible to enjoy without rain jacket! The same thing is with travelling to a tropical country during the rainy season 😉 I'm so glad I finally found my perfect one!
Aevor Backpack Daypack (here) – My “Go-To” bag during the last couple of weeks! This backpack is water-repellant, expandable (from 18 to 28 litres) and mega stylish! The best thing about is the laptop compartment (15“) and the 101 secret sections!
Engelbert Strauss
Book Your Next Trip and Start Planning It!
Let's be utterly honest – nothing makes me as happy as searching for my next travel destination and planning the trip! Yes, I already booked my next travel experience and I cannot wait to get on the Airbus A380! I can only recommend you watching some travel YouTube videos, reading Lonely Planet books and of course Travel Blogs in order to get motivated and inspired for your next adventure! Dreaming about the sun and white sand beaches is the best healer I can ever imagine!
Here there are my 8 tips for overcoming the Winter Blues! What are yours?! Share them in the comments!
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Enjoy the day!
*This post contains Affiliate Links. I only recommend high-quality items and services I am confident about. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.