As the days grow shorter and the nights draw in, the arrival of winter is something that can make us feel a little low. The lack of natural daylight can have a detrimental effect on the body and on the brain, and looking after ourselves is really important over the winter months.
Seasonal affective disorder (aptly known as SAD) is something that affects a lot of people, and the cause of it is the lack of sunlight. Using a lightbox is something that many people find helpful, however, here are some other ways to help you to be mentally healthy over the winter months…
Learn a New Skill – Having a hobby that you are passionate about is a great way to help your mental health. Being creative is something that is good for the brain and helps you to almost go into another world. As well as this, it gives you a sense of achievement when you are creating things. A knitting kit like this https://www.woolcouturecompany.com/collections/knitting-kits is a great way to get into knitting, something that is known for being relaxing, and you can also enrol on art courses if you want to learn a new skill.
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Get Exercise – Something that is very important for the health of our physical body as well as the brain is exercise. Although you might not feel like going outside at this time of the year, it will be helpful to you to go out for a walk – just make sure that you wrap up warm. Alternatively, do indoor exercise – join a yoga class or go swimming, and you can reap the benefits of exercise without having to go out in the cold!
Eat a Healthy Diet – There are lots of bugs that go around at this time of the year, so a healthy diet is one of the most important things that you can do to boost your immune system. Eating foods that are high in nutrients, like fresh fruits and vegetables is important all year around, but particularly in the winter. Having a healthy gut also helps to keep your brain healthy as the two are closely linked to one another.
