By: Juliandra Durkin
Anyone else feeling it this year? Waking up to grey skies everyday and cold, rainy, or snowy weather that keeps you cooped up, maybe you get a little bit moody and down like me? I love to hike springtime, summer, and fall, but during the winter my motivation to get out in the woods… well it sounds dreary and cold instead of invigorating and fun. Through the winter months it is not uncommon to get a bit down or depressed, but we wanted to share a few healthy habits to combat the winter blues!
Eat a Balanced Diet
Our diets affect us more than we know. If we eat high sugar and high fat meals through the Holiday season, we can come down and crash after. Sugar can actually cause anxiety and depression. This winter, make sure you eat plenty of high nutrient foods like fruits, veggies, and berries, good proteins, and healthy fats. The combination will keep your body sustained, instead of the sugar spikes that, in my case, took my body for a ride through all those Holiday parties just a few weeks ago.
Exercise
Despite the snow and cold, it is still important to move! Whatever gets you motivated be it lifting weights at the gym, ice skating for the first time, a walk through the neighborhood, or even a cold, rainy hike. Call up a girlfriend or two and make it social if you are really not feeling motivated. However you get moving, know that exercise increases endorphins in your body, which inherently make you feel brighter!
Wear Bright Colors
Research shows that colors affect our moods as much as anything. Different colors evoke emotions ranging from calm to excited. Boost your mood by simply pairing typically dark winter tones with a bright cardigan or scarf. Try it and see how it effects you and others throughout your day!
Volunteer
Are there any causes at your church, campus, or town that peak your interest that you can give your time to? I think part of the Winter Blues in my case is feeling isolated at my house instead of social in the community. Volunteering is a great way to connect with other just a few hours a week. What a fulfilling way to get through the winter and even build new friendships that could carry on to the future!
However you get through the Winter Blues, know it is a seasonal hardship and we’re almost through it! Halfway there my friends!
Photo Cred: Alisa Anton
Juliandra Durkin is the manager for Wonderfully Made’s blog Know Your Value. She also writes at Written Jewels, a personal blog with stories and reflections on life. Besides writing, she spends her free time exercising or out in nature. Give her a beach or a mountain; sunrise or sunset, she loves it all, especially walking her dogs in the woods! A graduate of Westmont College, Juliandra was able to attend three study abroad programs exploring Spain, parts of the Middle East, and Mexico. These experiences gave her a heart for culture and travel and she hopes to get more stamps in the passport soon!
