Mental Health Awareness

                                                8 Ways to Enjoy the Winter Months

When daylight decreases over the fall and winter the changes can affect a person's mental health, sometimes causing lethary and depression.  We offer eight ways to stay mentally health over the winter months.

1. Get some sun every day.

Studies show that at least 15 minutes of direct sunlight increase Vitamin D and help boost your mood, skin complexion, and hair quality.  Luckily, Colorado has an average of 300 sunny days a year…so enjoy the sun throughout the winter months (even overcast days lets a little light through).  And no, tanning bed lights do not work the same way.

Suggestions:  Get outdoors!  Walk to a restaurant or park further away while running errands; take a 15 minute walk or break outside during the day, and sit near a window in the sunlight.

2. Brighten up your home.

Sometimes it’s not always possible to get outside in the sun; therefore, bringing the light inside might be a solution to staying healthy over the winter.

Suggestions:  Open the curtains and blinds; paint the walls a lighter color; use brighter bulbs or increase the lamps in a room; use brighter colors in decorating or install a skylight or window in a dark room, or trim tree branches that block the sun. 

3. Eat a healthy diet —not just what you crave.

Most people tend to overeat during the winter and crave sugary and starchy foods such as white bread and rice, potatoes, muffins, bagels, cookies, candies, and other sweets.  Eating a balanced meal at regular intervals can keep serotonin levels in-check, which helps stabilize moods and fights depression.

Suggestions:  Limit your caffeine and sugar intake; eat more protein (nuts, eggs, peanut butter, fish, lean meats, milk, cheese); eat four cups of dark green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, peas); use Canola oil instead of vegetable oil; and eat complex carbohydrates (whole wheat pastas, breads, and crackers, cereals, oatmeal). Consider an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement, and vitamin B complex supplement.

4. Get moving!

Winter brings a little different feel to activity levels sometimes causing sluggishness.  Don’t just hibernate through the winter…get moving!  According to the U.S. Surgeon General, physically active people tend to have better mental health.  With the shortened days, it might be tough, yet it’s just as important to be active in the winter as in the summer. Just 30 minutes a day will improve your moods, stress level, and your physical and mental health.

Suggestions:  Take a walk outside; jog up and down the stairs at your home; purchase a fitness video to do at home; take the dog for a longer walk; join a fitness club; go skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, or snowshoeing.

5. Develop a sleep routine.

It’s natural in the winter to sleep more and slow down your activity levels – our internal “biological clocks” are to blame.  Consistent physical activity is necessary to stay healthy as well as going to bed when your body indicates it’s tired.  If this means sleeping more than usual to stay fresh, happy, and alert during the day, then let yourself sleep.  According to the US National Sleep Foundation, there is no “magic number” of hours to sleep, but most experts suggest getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night for adults.

Suggestions:  Set a regular bedtime; establish a sleep and wake schedule; create a relaxing bedtime routine; avoid caffeine, alcohol, and food close to bedtime; and have a comfortable area to sleep.

6. Take a break from life's daily stressors.

Everywhere you look, people are running 100 miles an hour – talking on their cell phones, working on their laptops, going from work to an appointment to the store and back home where there are more tasks to do until bedtime.  With our busy lifestyles, it’s important to make time to relax.

Suggestions:  Try stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and deep breathing; read a book or article; listen to music or watch a movie; be creative.  Avoid alcohol and unprescribed drugs for stress relief and remember exercise can lift your mood.

7. Socialize.

Spend time with friends and loved ones who can provide you with personal contact and a sense of connection.

Suggestions:  Meet a friend you haven’t seen in a while and go out for breakfast; invite a few friends over to play cards or a board game; go to a high school play or basketball game; or meet after work to share an appetizer.

8. Take a trip some place warm.

Take a winter vacation to a sunny, warm location.  When people who get the "winter blues" travel to southern areas closer to the equator that have longer daylight hours during the winter months, they do not get their seasonal symptoms.

Suggestions: Pan your destination trip to Florida, Mexico, or the Caribbean for the winter.  Check orbitz.com, travelocity.com, or other internet searches for good deals.