3 Ways to Avoid a Winter Mood Slump
It’s mid January and all you can do is count the days until spring. Now more than ever, you’re longing for warmer days and you just can’t kick those winter blues. If it’s proving difficult to trudge through these chilly days, you’re not alone. You can boost your mood by incorporating these three helpful techniques…
Take 5 minute exercise breaks, 3x a day!
Try small bursts of jumping jacks push-ups, crunches, burpees, jogging in place, or running stairs to boost your endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals produced naturally by the nervous system to cope with pain or stress. They’ve adopted the nickname of the “feel good” chemicals because they can act as a pain reliever or happiness booster. Working from home has caused much more sedentary lifestyles, so incorporating even five minutes into your routine can help get you moving and boost your mood.Plan meals that you and your family can look forward to!
Dinner can be just an ordinary meal or you can transform it into an experience that the family will enjoy. For example, arrange “Taco Tuesday,” by gathering your preferred taco ingredients and set up your kitchen to “build your own” tacos! Or, check out affordable “At Home Sushi Making Kits” online and have an evening with your family, preparing your favorite hand rolls. Cooking dinner is one thing, but making dinner a full experience that the entire family can enjoy as you combat the winter blues!Add spontaneity and be silly throughout the day!
Welcoming spur of the moment activities into your day can help make the day-to-day routine much more enjoyable. Consider telling funny jokes while preparing for school in the morning or reminiscing on childhood memories while your children get ready for bed. Play music while making dinner together and have a dance-off with your kids. When you go for a walk or a bike ride, take different streets than usual and just explore the neighborhood. Stepping out of the monotonous routine and integrating more fun will ward off the winter slump.
Getting through the winter can be challenging for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It’s tough to find warmth in days that are seemingly cold and dreary. Luckily, there are ways to kick those winter blues and feel better during the day. By being intentional about how you spend your day and planning mood boosters in throughout your schedule, you can feel better during these cold months. Try integrating these methods or other mood boosting techniques into your coping skills tool belt to pick yourself up when you’re feeling mid-winter mood slump.