Winter Wellness

Despite the cold weather, there are plenty of reasons to stay happy and enjoy this winter. A lot of it comes from embracing the cold and taking January into your own hands to lift your mood and look after yourself. Easier said than done? Well, we’ve got a few simple ways that you can stay happy in January.  

What’s the connection between mood and movement? 

Your mood and how much you move go hand in hand. There are plenty of studies that show that exercise boosts your energy in the short term and can improve your mood in the long run.  

If you’re feeling a little low energy, movement will probably be the last thing on your mind. But it helps. Exercise gives you a natural energy boost by releasing dopamine and serotonin, both powerful mood-lifting neurotransmitters. It means even after a short session, you’ll be feeling better than when you started.  

But the effects of exercise don’t just stop there. From the sense of achievement you get after a workout to the social interaction you enjoy in a class, movement has a lot of benefits for your self-worth and for your mind.  

In the long run, it can also help your mood by giving you a better night’s sleep. With more sleep comes more energy and more gusto to get up and tackle the day ahead.  

Goal setting to boost your mood  

Being intentional about your wellbeing is a great thing to do. Just like you plan your weekly workouts and your meals, set goals to help your mind through the day or week. They will give you something to look forward to and to strive for, once again flooding your brain with dopamine.  

To get started, have a think about what you want to do for yourself every day. What about every week? You could even write down things you want to get done in January. But the important thing to remember is that this isn’t a to-do list, this is a self-care checklist.  

One idea might be choosing a mindful activity that you enjoy and doing it at a set time every day. Whether that’s savouring your morning coffee or tea, baking or watching an episode of your favourite TV show in your comfiest clothes. Do whatever makes your mind happy and you can look forward to each day.  

Or spend time setting goals and plans for the year. This will help give you a sense of direction and purpose as well as help you focus on brighter days. 

Mood-boosting outdoor winter workouts  

Training in the winter can be a struggle with the dark mornings and nights and the extra nip in the air. But there are ways to make your outdoor winter workouts fun and lift your mood.   

Sunlight boosts your serotonin levels and may encourage endorphins. So, getting outside as much as you can in winter is important.  

A simple way to do it is to get more active in your day-to-day. That could be walking a portion of your commute like you would do in the summer or starting on some outdoor chores. The more time you can spend outside in the winter, you’ll feel more able to get out in the cold and instead of being a blocker, it will just become part of your everyday.  

You could also try switching up your workouts by going on a hike. Bring your friends and family along to make it something social and you’ll help to lower your cortisol levels by decreasing your stress.  

And if you do make it out for a run or jog, you can motivate yourself to get started by sticking to short bursts at a quicker speed.  

Happy gut, happy mind   

In the winter fuelling your body to support your immune system is key. But you can do more than that.  

There are a few foods that will give you a quick mood boost, including wholegrain foods that release energy slowly to regulate your blood sugar levels and 70% dark chocolate which can lower your cortisol levels caused by stress.  

It’s also important to keep yourself hydrated over the winter. Sometimes we can feel groggy when we’re actually just dehydrated. A quick sip could make a world of difference. 

Outside of the quick fixes, there are some foods that you can eat to lift your mood in the long term. These include healthy fats, like omega-3 and omega-6, protein for your brain and probiotics for your gut health.  

Keep those connections 

If you want to hit your workouts hard in January, then we’re here to help you. You might also want to find a friend who can help you stay accountable. Working out together and consistently throughout January is a great way to let off some steam and keep yourself motivated for the rest of the year.  

You could always finish your workout off with a quick sauna session to warm up. Why not?  

So, it’s time to layer up and get out there. Got more tips for boosting your mood in January? Share them with us on social media. 

Ready for your next workout? Check out all the group exercise classes available at Virgin Active.

Not yet a member? Find your nearest club and start your membership today.

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