Top Tips to support Mental & Emotional Health during winter
The theme of this months’ blog for many reasons is Mental and Emotional Health. Next week is International Stress Awareness week and the month of November is Men’s Health Month, and I am sure most of us are aware of Movember for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
Unlike physical health, mental health isn’t always seen or noticed. Mental Health affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and aging.
The winter months naturally brings a reduction in sunlight which lowers Vitamin D levels. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body's internal clock and lead to feelings of depression. A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood. In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities.
If we look back to our ancestors, winter was a time of recovery. A time to come within and slow down. Nature is a great thing to observe and learn. We see animals making their final preparation for hibernating, the trees lose their leaves and there is slow growth as nature is slowing down. However, society and the way we live in today’s world is GO GO GO all year.
Yet somewhere inside us we may feel that energetic pull to slow down as well. And that pull in opposite directions to our mind or expectation to keep going is a cause of wintertime stress and unhealthy imbalance that so many of us suffer from every year.
Today, we seem to have a delusion that slowing down is counterproductive. When nothing could be further from the truth.
As the days get shorter and there is less daylight, here are some ways to support your mental and emotional health during the winter months:
- Prioritise sleep and rest
- Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
- Spend time with people who make you feel good
- Drink plenty of warm drinks and stay hydrated
- Get outside every day for fresh air and daylight
- Take a vitamin d supplement as advised by healthcare professionals
- Stay active doing something you enjoy
- Be kind to yourself
- Consider coaching or therapy if you need to talk to someone who can help improve your overall health and wellbeing
- Be mindful and practice meditation
- Journal to help get out how you’re feeling
- Take other supplements to help boost immunity
- A lightbox or sunrise alarm clock can help mimic natural light
- Plan social and fun activities to help reframe e.g., Wreath making, Christmas Markets etc
- Let yourself feel how you feel. Allow low days and don’t beat yourself up and notice what triggered the low feeling and find a way to do something that makes you feel good
If this has resonated with you and you feel you would benefit from creating a programme to help manage your mental and emotional health through winter, click here to book a coaching consultation to find out how I can help.