Well, it is 2021! The holidays are over, the Christmas decorations are coming down, friends and family have departed for their homes and it is time to return to go back to our regular daily routines. But even though the holidays are over that doesn’t mean the cold and gloomy winter days are.
On those cold, cloudy winter days it is tempting to let the weather dictate your mood… but it doesn’t have to.
It’s easy to take a break during the holidays and not stick to your normal routine of diet and exercise. I mean, come on! It’s a holiday! We have to take SOME breaks, right? But once it is all over and the new year has begun…it is really hard to get back into the swing of it again. And…let’s admit it, we feel rather sluggish and lazy, and the cold and gloomy days of winter make us feel less than excited to start again.
But there comes a time to get off the couch, leave the Christmas leftovers behind and get back into the old groove in a new year. Don’t let your break go on for too long or it will get harder to get out of and your body will feel worse…and that is when we face the temptation to give up before we are even two months in. Here are a few important ways to get yourself out of the slumps and re-energize your mind. Start out slowly at first if you have to…but keep on going!
Drink, Drink, Drink
I know drinking a lot of water is harder to remember during the winter months, than it is when we are really active, hot and sweaty…but it is just as important to avoid getting dehydrated during winter as it is in summer. It helps avoid low energy levels, fatigue, headaches and improve your mood.
Drinking plenty of water is essential to good health, and I believe should be one of the top items on the list for the new year…and all year long. water helps improve the digestive system by helping to keep things moving and clear out waste, clean the blood, and aid the detox process. It can also improve the appearance of your skin, giving you a healthy glow, and help your eyes look brighter and your hair shinier!
Exercise
Not only does this help get rid of those unwanted holiday pounds, but getting back into a workout routine also boosts your happiness and energy levels. Experts discovered that low-intensity workouts, such as a leisurely stroll, caused a drop in fatigue levels and a 20% energy boost! Some good news after the holiday slump!
Exercise could also be an answer for helping you face going back to work! One study found that employees who worked out on work days felt less stressed, happier and were more productive than on days when they skipped a workout.
Joyful Smells
Odors can have a rather big effect on our mood. Some smells can make us feel yuck and give us a headache, thus putting us in a foul mood, or they can relax us, clear our brain and make us feel happy. This makes aromatherapy a great way to help improve your mood and boost your brain focus. Smell is the strongest of the sensations and is best able to influence brain activity. Olfactory bulbs are part of the limbic system and directly connect to the regions of the brain that process emotion and learning. This is one reason why a certain smell will trigger a memory or remind us of someone or something.
It is always important that you are inhaling CLEAN smells, and not a bunch of toxins (even though they may smell wonderful). So maybe switch out those candles for a diffuser with essential oils, such as: Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, or Lavender. Find your happy scent and enjoy!
Retrain Your Eating Habits
What you feed your body will either fuel and energize it, or weigh it down, making it sluggish and depressed….not to mention, sick. It’s time to put away those leftover desserts, baked goods and Christmas candy, and pull out the greens! Getting back into a diet of clean fruits and vegetables and whole, organic foods rich in vitamins and nutrients (such as omega-3 fish and foods), can help FUEL your body, feed your energy and get your body and brain out of the holiday fog and gloom…even on those grey gloomy days!