Feeling The Winter Blues? Here’s What To Do:
It’s natural to start feeling down in the winter months, but there are steps you can take to help!
As you know, if your extremities turn blue when you’re out in the cold, it’s a huge warning sign. Feeling blue can also be a warning sign for your emotional well-being that can also become a problem during the winter.
It’s only natural and it’s not your fault – but you can do something about it, and you can even understand it better.
The thing is, during the winter your circadian rhythm gets thrown off. That’s the way your body knows when to go to sleep and when to wake. It’s brighter early in the morning and darker earlier in the evening and it can leave you feeling jet-lagged without ever leaving your hometown.
Here are some ways to address the seasonal shifts to our energy and mood:
1. Keep Moving Forward
The endorphins you get from exercise can help boost your mood and keep you moving towards your goals. Working hard can help you develop your mental resilience while also building your physical strength, flexibility and speed.
2. Huddle Up and Stay Connected
While huddling up literally isn’t the safest idea these days, take time to connect virtually with teammates, friends and family to keep your spirits up. Maintaining social ties is really key to maintaining mental health.
3. Seek a Helping Hand
If you find your mental health declining to the point where you’re unsafe, reach out to a professional, or someone whom you trust. Even if you aren’t in crisis, having someone to talk to can make a big difference.
4. Look Inward, Reflect, and Relax
The natural inclination is to stay warm inside, but it’s also a good idea to take the time to turn inward and evaluate how you feel and what you think. Mindfulness and meditation can help you manage your winter blues from the comfort of your own home, and there are many resources online that can help you do this.
Many of our Mental Toughness programs also contain guided meditation exercises that you can do at home, find one that interests you and give it a go!
5. Serve Up Some Sunshine
Make sure you’re eating foods that nourish your body. Sometimes, our diet doesn’t contain enough of the nutrients we need to keep our inner fire burning bright – especially during the winter, when our energy is being increasingly taxed by the reduced sunlight and cold weather.
Supplementing your diet can help support your nutrition goals. Flow State and Zen State are two supplements we greatly recommend for high performance athletes. They are nutrient and vitamin rich blends created with natural ingredients that nourish the mind and body. Providing energy, mental clarity, and focus while reducing feelings of stress, fatigue and nervousness.
Seasonal mood fluctuations are normal, but there’s so much you can do to support your mental wellness.
Take control of the situation, make a plan and execute, just like you do on the field.
Stay warm, stay safe and keep moving forward,
Mental Toughness Trainer