The Winter Blahs =(

Why is it that you seem to get “the blahs” more in the winter than in the spring or summer? It’s not like there is anything necessarily wrong with your life or in your life, but you just sometimes feel like you have less energy than usual. Well at least that is how I feel and I am sure many of you can relate. Sometimes you just don’t feel like doing anything . . . cleaning the house, working, or reading a book. Lying on the sofa or in the bed is just so much more appealing, isn’t it? The paranoia in me got me to thinking “am I depressed and don’t know it?” I haven’t even had the urge to write, which is why the blog has been slightly lacking over the last two weeks. I always know there is something wrong when I don’t want to write and my only desire is to consume chocolate chip cookies and watch Hitch for the 7th time.  

So I started doing a little research and found that what I have been feeling is extremely common. According to a Canadian study, 90% of the people they surveyed indicated they had the winter blahs. Not to be confused with the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder, which is a form of depression.  With shorter days in the winter, we get less sunshine and less Vitamin D, which is known to improve individuals’ moods and reduce depression. (Just think how great you feel on a beautiful sunny day). Did you ever wonder why you may be more cranky, moody and sluggish from November to March? Well it has a lot to do with not so many sunny days to wake up to, lots of nasty weather, and less opportunities for being outside. It’s also a time where we are not as physically active. Almost everything I read indicated that some form of exercise is great for curing the “winter blahs.” I must say the last couple of days I have worked out and it has helped a bit. So as I try to kick these blahs, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on what may help us all through these not-so-great days. Here are a few of my suggestions and a few from different sources that I thought were good.   

• Find something that you like to do that will get you up and moving, or just take your mind off of feeling blah. Try a new recipe or give your bedroom a new look. A new activity may improve your mood.
• Open the blinds or curtains for some sunshine and crack the windows for a bit of fresh air. Release the stale and dry air that is lingering in your house that may be making you feel cooped up and sluggish. 
• Exercise or do some form of physical activity. Try a new exercise class like Power Yoga or Cardio Funk. Salsa dancing is on my list! The energy you will get from exercising is definitely a mood-lifter.
• Visit friends you haven’t seen in a while. Catching up with friends just makes you feel good, especially when there is laughter involved. A good laugh is priceless.
• Take your vitamins. We need our vitamins even more in the winter months to help fight off viruses and colds, as well as maintain our energy. We are definitely more sluggish in the winter and vitamins help a lot.
• Meditate and massage. Do both! Clearing your mind and releasing tension from your body can help increase your positivity. The blahs can often lead us into negative thinking. So staying positive is important.
• Do something different with your look. Get a haircut, try a new hair color or wear a color you don’t usually wear. This will surely brighten your mood and get people to notice that certain “Je ne sais quoi” about you.