Beating off the winter blues
You can’t have failed to notice all the rain we’ve had recently and with the official start of winter only two weeks away it’s hard to see how staying active can be possible over the next few months. Not only does the weather put you off exercising outside, or even leaving the house to go to the gym, but the shorter days and lack of sunlight seem to make a lot of people feel lethargic and lacking in motivation.
Our body naturally follows a circadian rhythm which is partly controlled by exposure to light. This affects our daily sleep/wake routine and also influences our mood, appetite and energy levels.
This decrease in physical activity and increase in appetite can mean that all your hard work during the summer months can be lost. So… in order to overcome the ‘winter effect’ and take control, there are a few things you can do:
1. Alter your approach to exercise and activity. Maintaining activity levels through the winter can have a dramatic affect on how you feel as it improves energy levels, boosts metabolism and improves circulation. The following tips make it easier to fit activity and exercise into your lifestyle when it’s cold outside.
- Try and get outside at least once a day while it’s light. Instead of seeing your activity levels ‘flatline’ in the middle of the day, try to build in a lunchtime walk whatever the weather, even if it’s just a 10 minute dash to the shops. This will increase your exposure to direct sunlight (even if the sun is nowhere to be seen!) and should help you to feel less sleepy during the day.
- Swap modes. There are plenty of activities that you can do inside when it’s too cold to go out. Swimming is a great cardiovascular activity that works the whole body and is easy on the joints. Ice skating can be a great way to get the whole family more active for a few hours. An exercise DVD in the warmth of your own home can be a good option when you don’t feel like leaving the house.
- Be flexible. If you’ve planned a run or bike ride for the morning, have a plan B as a back up for when the weather is really bad. You can often go out during a gap in the weather later on, or swap your outdoor session for an indoor one.
- It doesn’t all have to be ‘exercise’. Don’t forget the impact that routine activities can have on your calorie burn. Housework and DIY can burn just as many calories as some types of exercise and this non-exercise activity can make a big difference to your daily energy expenditure. If you’re not sure whether a particular activity is a good calorie burner or not, the Ki Fit System can tell you exactly how much you’re burning every minute during daily tasks.
- Wear the right clothes and being outdoors will be a joy not a nightmare. It can be difficult to choose what to wear when exercising outdoors in bad weather. You’re cold when you start, but soon get too hot. Light breathable fabrics and layers are the best way to go, with base-layer ‘wicking’ fabrics that draw moisture away from your skin. You can take the outer layers off as you warm-up and fold them up so that they fit into your pockets or bag. A hat is also a big help in keeping you warm as you lose a lot of your body heat via your head.
2. As well as staying active, maintaining the good habits that saw you through the summer can also really help:
- Maintain a regular sleep pattern. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day should help your body clock establish a natural pattern and your sleep quality should be better during the night.
- Keep yourself well hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink when it’s cold outside, or when you exercise in cold conditions, but keeping well hydrated can have a big impact on your performance and on the way you feel.
- Remember your fruit and veg. You might not feel like a salad on a wet and windy day in the middle of December, but it’s really important to maintain the quality of your diet through the winter and vegetables can easily form part of stews, soups and other hot meals. The vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables are vital in supporting your immune system and that should mean less colds!
