Whether you live in the Snow Belt or not, the
short winter days that follow the holiday excitement can be
just plain depressing. For ways to keep our spirits up
during the winter months enhance your sense of well-being
even during winter's darkest and dullest days.
Keep Exercising
For some people, maintaining a routine
exercise program becomes too much of a chore in winter, so
they avoid exercise. That explains much of the lethargy and
bad moods that descends on us at this time of year. One of the best ways
to avoid feeling depressed is to have high energy levels which helps to
lowered tension. Exercise directly impacts both, and all it takes
for most of us is five to ten minutes per day.
You can increase your energy and keep it
revved up for several hours through the simplest exercise of all,
a five to ten minute brisk walk. Now if you do a little test and see
the difference on how you feel after a brisk ten minute walk against
eating a candy bar. I am sure you will feel far less depression after
the walk, and far less energy after eating the candy bar. You will get
an immediate rise in energy from the candy bar but by the end of an hour
you will have even less energy than before you ate the candy, and you will
probable feel significantly more tension. By taking a brisk walk you will
feel a substantial rise in energy and this will continue for several hours
as well. According to some folk, a 10-minute walk also gives them a cheerful
outlook and makes their thinking a lot clearer.
An added benefit of a daily walk is the
absorption of invigorating sunshine. "Exposure of the unblocked eye to
sunlight causes the pineal gland in the brain to make less melatonin.
This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced
at increased levels in the dark." Even on a cloudy day, the sun's
benefits will come through.
Please Note:
People with glaucoma or cataracts should avoid direct sunlight.
More Exercise Equals More Energy
For some, five to ten minutes is not quite
enough to get them past the winter blues. So I would recommend
performing about 45 minutes of harder exercise, such as
aerobic training, weight lifting or another suitable exercise,
you will immediately reduce tension. Although your energy level
will take longer to improve, you're likely to feel tired for about
an hour after this kind of workout but it will surge shortly after
that and stay high for a number of hours. I feel that this type of
exercise is the best antidote to negative moods, including anxiety
and frustration, or what he describes as "tense tiredness."
For information on quality equipment take a look at these
