The weather is getting colder, the days are becoming shorter and you may be struggling to maintain a happy, healthy mindset. The ‘winter blues’ are a real thing – aka Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – and it affects around 2 million people in the UK. 

It’s characterised by feeling more down, craving carbohydrates, sleeping more than usual, and generally feeling less motivated during the shortest days of the year. The good news is there are ways to manage these symptoms and beat the winter blues. So, how do you get rid of that glum feeling?

Introduce more light into your home

By far the most popular, well studied, and successful treatment for winter blues is the therapeutic use of light. So-called ‘light therapy’ involves sitting close to a lightbox for at least 30 minutes a day, usually shortly after waking up. 

Another little-known remedy that works much like lightbox therapy is a dawn simulator. A dawn simulator is basically an alarm clock that mimics a natural sunrise, starting with a very low light that gradually brightens over 30 minutes. This gently wakes you up and allows you to get out of bed in ‘daylight’ rather than letting you focus too much on the gloomy darkness outside your window.

Dr Rosenthal, who has treated more than 1,000 SAD patients says that all forms of light and brightness can help fight off the winter blues. He suggests bringing more lamps into one room and situating yourself in there during the evenings. 

We would recommend going for LED lights, as these tend to be brighter than conventional bulbs and give off a more ‘natural’ spectrum of light, as well as using 90% less energy. He also suggests that having pale furniture and brightly coloured cushions will help boost your mood. Take a look at our range of light furniture which will help uplift your rooms this winter. 

Go easy on sugar and bad carbs

It’s easy to turn to comfort food when you’re not feeling at your best, especially during the holiday season where eating unhealthy foods is almost encouraged! But this time of year is where you should be particularly mindful about what you eat. 

Food has a huge effect on your mood, and if you’re mindlessly eating your way through boxes of chocolates, quickly prepared meals or bags of crisps – you’re going to make yourself feel more down. 

Instead, try to eat more complex carbohydrates, such as lentils, broccoli, courgettes and spinach as the body tends to crave these as the weather gets cooler. Also, make sure you’re getting your five-a-day is so you can make sure you’re getting the right nutrients to keep your energy and immune system boosted. 

Research suggests that ditching fried and processed foods,in favour of a Mediterranean-style diet made up of fruits, vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, yoghurt and cheese, nuts, whole grains, seafood and lean red meat can aid in creating a healthy mind and body.

Keep yourself active 

It’s hard, we know. You’ve just got back from work, the night has drawn in and it’s pretty damn cold outside. You probably feel like just curling up on the sofa in winter and tucking into a good book or movie, but it’s essential to keep as active if you want to combat the winter blues. 

Exercising regularly will keep you positive as you’ll feel like you’re achieving something good for yourself (which you are FYI). Research has shown that even a 15-minute walk in the middle of the day is enough to increase crucial neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which help energise the brain and regulate circadian rhythms. Plus, if you can exercise earlier in the day, absorbing natural daylight within two hours of waking up, it will be even more beneficial.

Stay in touch with family and friends 

It’s easy to fall into a sort of hibernation in winter, not really wanting to go outside or socialise, especially after Christmas is over and so there is not a clear reason to make the effort to meet up. But this is the best time to keep in touch and make arrangements and go out with you’re friends, as spending time together will boost everyone’s mood who are involved. 

Say ‘yes’ to any invitations you get to see your loved ones, even if you just go for an hour or two. If your family live far away, why not use the power of technology and Skype or FaceTime – this way you can see them and chat. These days we rely on instant messages for communication but it’s good for us to have more human interactions to improve our wellbeing.

Embrace the positives of winter

By changing your mindset to embrace, rather than resist, winter, you can actually enjoy this time of year. Take a leaf out of the Scandinavians’ book, a region that contends with long and bleak winters every year. 

Rather than waiting it out until spring, the Nordics use this time of year to slow down and enjoy being at home reflecting and spending quality time with friends and family. The Danish call this notion hygge (pronounced hooga). 

You should begin by embracing all the positive aspects of winter in the UK, such as: wrapping up nice and toasty in your favourite coat to catch up over coffee with a friend; having a hot bath after coming in from a walk in the brisk air; catching up with family over the festive season; putting logs on your fire and watching the flames dance; having a good warming ale in a cosy pub as well as many more positives. 

If you have any other ideas of how to beat the winter blues this year, or would like to give one of these suggestions a go, then feel free to get in contact with us on Facebook.