How to Conquer Winter Tiredness

As we move into the winter months, it’s only natural that we will all start to experience winter fatigue with the dark nights and cold mornings. The change in weather and amount of daylight will affect all of us. This blog will take you through some tips to try and help you combat some of the tiredness and fatigue that can occur during this time of year. Get your Vitamin C and D Take your vitamins! Specifically, vitamin C to help boost your immune system, and vitamin D to help counter the lack of sunlight. It’s hard to get sunlight in the winter months with the dark nights, if it means getting out at lunchtime to get 20 minutes of sunlight this can benefit your energy levels massively. Although it may be cold and wet, UV exposure boosts vitamin D levels which are associated with protection against cancer development. Consume vitamin C through fruits such as oranges, strawberries or tomatoes. This will help protect your immune system to help fight any of the winter colds that may be going around. If you struggle to get your vitamins this way a multivitamin supplement could be a healthy alternative to make sure you consume your vital vitamins. Nourish your body. It’s easy for us to turn to unhealthy food in the winter months for comfort. However, filling your body with nutritious food has positive effects on your mood and helps reduce early-evening fatigue. Ways to tackle this can be preparing healthy foods in methods such as meal prep, this will stop you alternatively going out to buy foods and falling into easy bad habits when hungry. Drink, drink, then drink some more. We should all be aiming to drink 1.5-2 litres of liquid a day. Being dehydrated makes it harder for our organs to get the nutrients they need – which causes tiredness! Buy yourself a water bottle and constantly re-fill it, this will subconsciously force you to drink more. Signs of dehydration may come from dry mouth, dry skin or even muscle fatigue. Morning Movement Even for only 15 minutes some form of movement in the morning i.e., gentle stretching, yoga flow sessions or an easy walk are all excellent ways to start your day and wake up your body and mind. If you can’t exercise in the morning why not get out and go for a walk during your lunch break, this can result in more productivity and alertness in your afternoons. Exercising boosts oxygen circulation in your body resulting in more support for the mitochondria production, creating more energy and increasing the way your body functions. Work on your sleep This seems like a simple one, but your sleep is the main driver of your mental and physical well-being. Inadequate sleep is directly linked to fatigue, studies prove this and the winter months can be times we take naps. However, try to not do this as this can affect your sleeping at night. Try to get a minimum of eight hours of sleep, stick to a regular bedtime and keep a similar routine so that you can optimally perform to the best of your ability. Follow all of these tips to ensure that you conquer the winter tiredness that everyone dreads.