There’s lots of reasons to love Winter! Hot drinks or a Barossa Valley red by the fire, snuggling up in your favourite woollen knits and an excuse to load up on carb-heavy foods to, you know, keep warm.
But the seasonal shift (and relentless rain for some parts of Australia right now) can also bring a change to how we feel. The Winter blues ( sometimes referred to as (S.A.D) or seasonal affective disorder) are a real thing! Less sunlight and shorter days can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, confusing your body clock and affecting your level of happy hormones; serotonin and dopamine.
Side effects of this can look like an increased appetite, low mood, loss of concentration and feeling extra sleepy (not to be confused with the exhaustion that comes from daily parent-life). You might also be feeling less sparkly than normal. If this sounds at all familiar, here are five feel good ways to naturally boost those happy hormones so you can start embracing wonderful Winter.
Getting outside if the sun is shining and exposing yourself to natural light throughout the day, will help to balance serotonin, improve your circadian rhythm, and increase melatonin and vitamin D levels - instantly lifting your mood. Is it still dark when you get up to go to work? Try to take your lunch break outside, even on a cloudy day the fresh air alone can help to reset your mind.
While caffeine and sugar give your body a quick hit of dopamine making you feel good in the short term, the effects are unfortunately only temporary and can leave you feeling lower once the high wears off. Choose organic wholefoods containing magnesium, zinc and selenium, all natural mood lifters, such as brazil nuts and cacao (hello dark chocolate!). But hey, we aren’t super humans and if you really love your cuppa try to limit it to one in the morning so it doesn’t affect your evening sleep.
Decreased serotonin levels can impact your sleep quality and chances are if you’re not sleeping well you’re not feeling great either. Keeping to a regular sleep pattern by going to bed at the same time each night (and trying not to hit the snooze button in the morning, even on the weekends) will help to get your body clock and mood back on track.
While you’re in bed, create a heavenly sleep space to help you sleep soundly by choosing luxurious, quality bed linen. Our NEW Haven Cotton Jersey Quilt Cover Set is so soft it’s like wrapping yourself in a giant hug. We also love the 100% Organic Bamboo Sheets all year round and a heavier weight 100% Bamboo quilt for the Winter months. For more healthy sleep habits check out this blog post.
The NEW Haven Cotton Jersey Quilt Cover Set pictured here in Grey Marle.
If you can, setting aside a little bit of time to do something you love is one of the quickest ways to fill up your own cup. Booking in for that pilates class you’ve been meaning to, catching up with a friend for a chat or pouring yourself a hot bath (sans children if possible) and lighting your favorite candle. When you get out, what could be more indulgent than 100% Bamboo Towels and wrapping yourself in a super-soft Plush Ribbed Robe).
Research has long shown the mood-boosting magic that practicing a little daily gratitude can bring. Just jotting down a few lines each day can affect the brain on a chemical level, rewiring those Winter blues to promote feelings of self-worth and compassion for others. So grab a snuggly Throw, get cozy on the couch and remember, Spring is just around the corner.
Get cozy with the Stella Throw pictured here in Blue, also comes in Pink and Grey.
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