Happy through the winter blues: 10 tips for more good mood in winter
Let's face it, the "most beautiful time of the year" can sometimes be quite a test of patience and wear on our nerves. Ice-cold temperatures, annoyed faces and - oh yes - the sun already says goodbye around 16.00 in the evening. Not so easy to keep up the good mood.
It's no wonder that the average mood can slip into the basement and we become more susceptible to depressive phases. Some people fall into winter depression. In medicine, winter depression is classified as a special form of affective disorder, recurrent depressive disorder. It is seen as a symptom of seasonal affective disorders and is manifested by a change in our mood, loss of energy in our daily lives, feelings of anxiety, and an increase in our sleep duration. If you feel affected, you can find more information and help about winter depression here.
The good news is, with conscious choices and a little effort, your mood can become less dark in the winter. After all, as is so often the case in life: Where we direct our attention, that's where our energy flows. Therefore, it is our responsibility to give our body, mind and soul a helping hand and cheer up a bit, especially during the dark season.
At TeamShakti, we've put some thought into it and written down our top 10 tips for less crappy moods and a better self-care routine in the winter, to give you even more ideas for living a healthy and balanced life alongside your - hopefully - daily ShaktiErlbeniss.
Yummy: How good food can make you happier
Every one of us knows how important fruits and vegetables are - this is true not only in winter, but at any time of the year. If you're wondering why, it gives your body vitamins, minerals and trace elements so it can function smoothly. This not only boosts your mood, but also supports your immune system. This way you feel prepared for everyday life and stress is less likely to get to you.
The rule here - and not only in winter - is to pay attention to seasonal fruits and vegetables. The shorter the transport routes and storage times of the products, the better they taste to you and your body. You can find an overview of what grows and thrives in Germany in which season here. Cabbage, beet, pumpkin and parsley root are at the forefront in winter.
But don't feel bad if you reach for frozen products. Through shock freezing, important nutrients can be preserved and remain healthy for you. Just make sure that no artificial additives are added and that the food thaws gently. Here you will find autumnal and winter recipes to follow.
Certain spices can also be proven to brighten the mood and really boost the metabolism in winter. For example, ginger, chili, pepper and cinnamon work wonders. Check out our friends at Manuteefaktur for ideas on fresh and handmade teas.
Essential oils: not only smell good, but also lift your spirits
Each oil has certain qualities and affects the body and mind in a particular way. When it comes to the most chaotic time of the year, oils can help us find clarity, maintain positivity and stay relaxed on the carpet.
If you wake up in the morning and realize you really need another 8 hours of sleep, you should incorporate lavender into your sleep routine. In The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Over 800 Natural, Nontoxic, and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health, Beauty, and Safe Home and Work Environments, Valerie Ann Worwood describes lavender as one of the most indispensable oils for its calming effects. You can rub it on your wrists before bed, for example, or have it diffused around your bedroom using a diffuser. This will almost certainly make you sleep deeper and wake up fresher.
Geranium oil is also known to give energy boosts once you feel empty and lacking energy. In addition, black spruce, marjoram and allspice can provide more balance in the winter blues.
Get out of your comfort zone: Why exercise affects your mood
Precisely because we see less sun and therefore less light in winter, we need to get out into the fresh air and exercise more often. Yes, that's right - that can become a real challenge with the few hours of sunshine. Especially if you yourself are rather nocturnal and want to sleep until the late midday hours.
Here are some little everyday hacks to get more exercise into your day - even without having to become a top athlete. For example, you can leave the car behind more often and ride your bike to work. Not necessarily when it's raining and snowing, of course, but on particularly sunny days, this can have a really beneficial effect.
Another idea would be to use your lunch break for a walk and simply get out of the office. This way, you can also gain a little distance from stressful projects and exhausting work colleagues.
It's the small changes in everyday life that can make a big difference in the long run. How about always taking the stairs instead of the elevator from now on? Or instead of taking the usual route, simply take a detour? Attention, surprises included :-).
Miracle cure sauna: sweat away all stress and anger
What is particularly annoying in winter are the cold temperatures. They not only affect our mood, but also our body. Lack of energy and dry skin can be the consequences.
The hot air during the sauna and the subsequent cold cooling heat up our metabolism and relax our muscles. The hot air is not only good for our skin and muscles, but also has an effect on our organs. Thus, after a sauna session, the body temperature can sometimes rise up to 2°C. This is a real detox and lets your body get rid of all the garbage it has been carrying around all this time.
Regular sauna sessions have long-term effects on your resting pulse, your breathing rate and even lower high blood pressure. This boosts the immune system and prevents flu, for example.
Show me your friends and I'll tell you how you feel
Who surrounds us has an impact on how we feel. It's not for nothing that after some dates we feel light as a feather and after others we just want to crawl under the covers and sleep for days.
The life coaches of the world agree: you are the sum of the people you surround yourself with. That's why, especially in winter, you should look for social interactions that boost your positivity and make you feel better.
Try to avoid people who always complain about the weather or make everything bad and focus on friends, family and acquaintances who look for solutions and try to make the best out of everything.
With this kind of people you can have huge fun even with winter and mix up Christmas markets or cook stews together.
Make your home a real oasis of relaxation
Due to the cold temperatures it happens quite automatically that we spend more time at home instead of being outside. That's why it's even more important to create a mood at home that makes you bloom. Following is a list of our must-haves for a muggle winter season:
- Candles. Conjure up in an instant an atmosphere to relax.
- Good music. Shopify has cozy winter playlists for every taste, example here.
- Incense sticks. Were introduced by Buddhist monks and are used especially in Feng Shui.
- A pot of your favorite tea. Guaranteed to work wonders and cheer up your mood.
- ShaktiSessions. Especially acupressure has a very positive effect on your mood and happiness hormone production, studies prove that.
Small dance interludes cheer up the mood and make happy
Studies prove: Dancing releases our body's own happiness hormones, the so-called endorphins. So why not start the day with a little dance? Just put on your favorite song and you're ready to go. 3-5 minutes a day should already have a big impact on your mood. Why?
When you dance, your pulse increases to 120 to 130 beats per minute. A good value to increase your cardiovascular system. Best of all, we don't usually think of dancing as exertion, but rather as fun.
If we think back to our childhood, we know that we immediately fidgeted as soon as someone turned on a song. In adulthood, unfortunately, this sometimes gets lost. Our everyday lives and a certain sluggishness keep us from moving intuitively as soon as we hear music.
Bad moods don't stand a chance once we start moving our bodies to the beats. And we're sure that starting the day with your favorite song will make it a special one.
When light becomes a scarce commodity, you should get as much of it as possible
Especially because we have less light in the cold season, it is all the more important to get as much of it as possible while the sun is shining. This inevitably means setting our alarm clocks early on weekends - even if it's hard.
A long walk makes the day immediately more cheerful and pleases the vitamin D supply, which our body will thank us. So directly once put away the scarf and roll up your sleeves (if the temperatures allow it, of course), so that the body can absorb the vitamin D more easily through the skin.
Alternatively, some therapists also advise light therapy. Here, a special lamp is supposed to emit strong and bright light, which is supposed to drive away dark thoughts and depressed mood.
Make a list of your favorite activities
Especially in winter, we tend to hole up at home. Dates are canceled much more often, after all, you have to throw around more in the Zwiebellook and the barrier to go out in the cold is much higher. At the same time, even at this time of year, there are many beautiful ideas that bring joy both outside and at home.
Ideas for home:
- Books. Grab your favorite book or look for book recommendations on the Internet.
- Board games. Invite your favorite friends and play Taboo, Settlers or Monopoly with them.
- Change of scenery. Use the dark season to rearrange your apartment and conjure up some freshness in the old four walls.
You can take that outside in the winter:
- Cinema. When was the last time you looked at the cinema program? Maybe it would be time again :)
- Hot chocolate. Why not invite your best friend for a hot chocolate at your favorite café?
- Spa time out. Just pack your bags and head to the nearest spa. Of course, the cell phone stays outside.
Christmas according to your rules
Last but not least, we come to the top stress topic of the cold season: Christmas. As beautiful as this holiday may be, it robs many of us of our nerves. First of all the chaos of presents and then the family asking stupid questions. Or that uncle who seems to be out to get on our nerves every year.
Christmas can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. If you have decided to spend Christmas with your family, then in most cases it is important to prepare yourself emotionally for this situation and create an inner peace. After all, even if others are arguing around you, you can be completely in your center. A regular mediation practice before and during Christmas can work wonders.
But also for those who have decided to spend Christmas away from the family or alone. No need to be sad! Because lonely feel only those who are unhappy to be alone. Being alone can be a whole new and healing experience, in which you reflect on the past year and set new goals for the coming year.
As is so often the case in life, during the cold and dark season it's also true to simply take time out and make time for yourself. Your ShaktiRitual - whether in the morning, at noon or in the evening - can help you to find the necessary time for your own needs, to simply come down and see the whole thing from the outside.
That's it on the subject of winter. We hope that we have encouraged you with this blog post to restructure your everyday life, especially in this difficult season, and to go new ways.
Most importantly, don't get stressed and be conscious of where you focus your attention. If you surround yourself with positive things, activities and people, your life will be positive.
We wish you much peace, joy and happiness in winter on your very own path. Share your thoughts on the winter blues with us on Facebook, Instagram, or email us at [email protected].
We look forward to your feedback!
Shakti On! 🌵🌵🌵
About the author
Karina Schönberger
Karina has been practicing yoga and meditation regularly for many years and owes her creativity in her everyday work to this practice. She studied something to do with media, tried her hand at marketing, events and PR and finally decided to work for herself. Today she is part of our TeamShakti and writes content for you to inspire you to live your life more consciously and happily.