While you may not change the weather, you can take some steps to feel better during the winter months. The best cure for winter depression is to exercise your way through the winters. Not only will you keep the blues away, but you’ll be keeping fit simultaneously. Read on to find more tips for fighting off winter blues.

Embrace Outdoors

Wrap-up in some warm clothes and brave the weather. Wear layers that you can easily strip off as your body temperature rises. Make a playlist of your favorite music to stay motivated. Embrace the wind, rain, and snow. Find your inner child by running, cycling, and jumping over the puddles and icy patches. You will have so much fun doing it. Sign-up for skiing, snowboarding, or ice-skating lessons for a more structured approach to staying active. Taking classes will give you a result-driven structured approach, a sure confidence booster.

Join a Training Group

The best way to start the day is with some exercise. Can’t bring yourself to get out there on your own? Book an exercise class with your friends. You will wake up on those cold winter mornings because your friends rely on your support. Do you want even more out of your mornings and want to make new friends? Why not join a running club? Joining an early morning running club is a sociable way to move with others. You’ll feel superb at the end of your running session.

Join a Virtual Fitness Class

This tip is simple to execute, and you can stay active in your pj’s. Pj’s are just fine if that’s how you like it during winters. You can join many virtual fitness classes offered by virtual gyms. Plus, you’ll connect with like-minded people who will sweat with you. You don’t need fancy equipment or tons of space. It would be best to have a small workout space, yoga mat, and weights to move around. Try Tone and Strengthens virtual fitness classes where you will get structured workout classes led by certified trainers.

Get Enough ZZZ’s

The easiest way to boost your mood is to rest up. Sleep is a massive component of elevating your mood. One of SAD’s infamous symptoms is insomnia, which starts in fall and winter due to a lack of natural sunlight. According to endocrinologists, our circadian rhythm can get disrupted without a regular sleep cycle, disrupting hormone production. If you are going to get in an early morning workout, I recommend that you catch up with your sleep at the other end of the day. Rest and recovery are essential parts of working out. Getting enough sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help you combat the winter blues.

Eat Right

Nutrition is as important as staying active to combat the winter lows. Winter season calls for an extra supply of vitamin D and serotonin-rich foods. Vitamin D levels are low during the winter months due to sunshine. Try eating vitamin D-rich foods and supplementing vitamin D during the winter months. Foods high in vitamin D like fatty fish, fish oil, tuna, and mushrooms can improve mood. Serotonin is a vital hormone that regulates our mood, feelings, and focus. Foods that boost serotonin-like spinach, eggs, hazelnuts can help fight winter blues. 

Try taking these steps to help minimize the effects of feeling down during the cold and dark winter days.

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Here are a few tips that I’ve found helpful for getting outdoors on the coldest days in the Northeast winters.

Get Winter Weather Shoes

You can improvise and skimp on other winter gear, but winter weather shoes are a must. Proper footwear that avoids slipping on ice and snow is crucial for outdoor winters training. During winters, blood tends to stay near the organs and flows away from our extremities like fingers and toes. Winter shoes also provide thicker padding to keep your toes warm. Try to get waterproof socks and seek out a reliable outsole with grippy lugs.

Layer Up

Dress in layers for winter activities. Your body will warm up during the workout and, you might want to peel off the layers as you get warm. Start with a based layer of sweat-wicking fabric, an insulating middle layer to keep you warm, and then finish with an outer layer that blocks the elements like water and wind. Don’t forget to add a hat and gloves to the outfit.

Enjoy Winter Landscape

Every day in the winter season isn’t cold. The temperatures fluctuate from day to day. I’ve had days where the temps go up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit during peak winter months. Mercury rises in the afternoons. Late afternoons are a great time to get outside and enjoy nature. My biggest motivation to get out is to get in my daily dose of nature thrapy. Surrounding yourself with nature will clear your mind and calm you(1).  So, dress up in layers and go running, walking, or sledding on winter days.

Make it Fun

Want the ultimate motivational tip to stay active during winters. Make it fun. Snow is a resistance tool; working out in cold weather helps you burn more calories faster(2). Yes, you read it right. Working out in cold is metabolically expansive. You can go sledding with your kids and burn up to 400 calories per hour. Shoveling the snow might not sound sexy and fun, but it burns off 600 calories per hour, and you’ll get the chore done. Skiing and snowboarding are great winter activities.

Play Music

Make a play list of your favorite songs. I like to choose the tracks that make me want to move. Body has a way of coordinating with the beat of a song. Music stimulates the part of the brain that controls movement especially repetitive movement. Music also improves your mood. Listening to music releases feel good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin.

Warm up In the House

A good way to get out there in the cold is to warm-up at home. Performing any kind of light aerobic moves to get your heart up and muscles warmed up. You might even want to shed a layer before heading outside after the warmup.

Find Your Inner Child

Let your inner child be free. You can go out run in the rain and jump into the puddles. You will get wet and muddy, and when you get home, you can drink hot chocolate. You’ll get a great buzz working outside in the elements.

Get a Workout Buddy

Partner up with a friend or neighbor. You won’t let a friend down and catching up with a friend might provide you the extra incentive to get outdoors.

Work with a Fitness Coach

Winters are perfect for treating yourself to additional accountability with a fitness coach. You will get pro tips and structured workouts from the coach A coach can increase your confidence and help you achieve your goals.

Whatever the winter months bring your way, use these tips to continue your fitness journey and stay on top of your health goals.

References

• doi: 3390/bs8050049
• https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00384.2020

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