If you’re of the many who struggle with the grey winters, read on!

When the sun is shining, and the weather is warm, it’s easy to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. We tend to move our bodies more without even thinking about it in the warmer weather. Our vitamin D levels skyrocket, our immune systems thrive and prioritizing our health becomes effortless.

And then comes October…

So, since the grey skies and rain are en route, let’s discuss the simplest of tricks to keep our mental states coasting until spring.

To no surprise, exercise is at the top of the list. (What doesn’t exercise solve?!)

When we exercise, we release endorphins. These chemical hormones in your body help reduce pain, reduce stress, and improve your sense of well-being.

When these "happy hormones" are released into your bloodstream, they also help reduce anxiety.

Exercise also helps reduce fatigue and tiredness by getting your body moving and muscles activated. With all the extra inside time, it’s too easy to let the regular worries of life monopolize your thoughts, but physical activity can be such a beautiful and useful tool to help take your mind off your worries for a little while.

Setting aside as little as 20-30 minutes a day to engage in physical activity can have so many beneficial impacts on your life, especially through the winter!

• Regular exercise is truly one of the simplest and healthiest ways of improving psychological and emotional benefits. In addition to help fighting the winter blues, exercise can also be used to:
• Boost confidence. Regular exercise can aid in improving your self-esteem. This is because you will begin to feel strong and powerful by increasing exercise habits into your daily routine. Additionally, exercise helps your confidence with respect to your appearance and feeling a sense of achievement.
• Help relax the muscles & relieves tension. Exercise is a powerful tool to ease up anxiety and tension in the body. Using exercise to calm your stressors will help boost your mood and energy.
• Sleep better. Studies show that even small bursts of exercise incorporated in the day can help regulate sleep patterns. Better quality of sleep links to better moods, increased energy, and helps promote healthier physical activity levels throughout the day.
• Boost energy levels & focus. As mentioned previously, exercise naturally helps boost energy levels. This is due to the cellular-level changes that occur in the body when you exercise. Scientifically speaking, exercise initiates the body to produce more mitochondria inside the muscle cells. These "powerhouses" create fuel out of glucose and thus increase your body's energy supply. Additionally, exercise increases hormone levels, making you feel more energized.

If regular exercise isn’t a habit for you right now, the best way to start is to set a small goal.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1.     Schedule workouts when energy is at its peak. Regardless of where you are in your fitness journey, you simply will be less motivated to go to the gym when your energy is at its lowest. Aim for when your energy is at its highest throughout the day to get some movement in.

2.     Don't overcomplicate workouts. Just a simple 15-minute walk can help you clear your mind and boost your energy levels!

Choose activities you enjoy. There are countless ways to exercise. It’s important to choose a form of exercise that you genuinely enjoy. Maybe it’s walking the dog a mile or two, joining a friend for yoga, or even gardening or raking leaves.

Any activity that gets you moving counts!

Sources:

Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms. (2017, September 27). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495#:~:text=Regular exercise may help ease, your sense of well-being

How Can Exercise Affect Sleep? (2022, May 06). Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep

The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm