It's been the quietest week at the gym for a while this week and I think it's because of the winter blues!
The last week or two has felt like a real shift in weather. It's dark, dull and rainy which is not very helpful when it comes to motivation for exercise.
On top of this there are loads of colds and bugs going around which only exaggerates this!
So first of is the winter blues which can be known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
SAD can affect mood, motivation, make us feel less energised, decrease sex drive, make us struggle to concentrate and even make us crave Carbs more!
The cause of SAD is not entriely clear but it seems to be linked to a lack of sunlight which affects an area of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, in turn this can affect our Internal Body Clock (Circadian Rhythm) aswell as production of some hormones like serotonin and melatonin.
As with all these things we are not qualified to give medical advice but certain lifestyle changes seem to help:
-Exercise.
-Sunlight (if we get any) and being in nature.
-Keeping up social connections.
-Managing stress levels.
-Some light therapies which mimick sunlight, I personally have found this light helps https://www.johnlewis.com/lumie-mini-compact-bright-sad-light-therapy-lamp-white/p112054599?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_home_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xnbaGVnSQVgVHXhmE8eMI44&gclid=CjwKCAjw68K4BhAuEiwAylp3kqfSZ-ijqfidTJ7lN3r9bzErI2lBzC5SdvsdTY46vxBr0N8U34F2_xoCt9gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Again none of this is medical guidance but just some things that scientifically and anecdotally seem to help.
The main thing to know is that you aren't alone! Lots of us experience this to varying degrees.
We then have the winter bugs. Now while some of these are unavoidable (especially if you have pesky kids bringing them home from school) there are a couple of steps we can take that may help:
-Eating plenty of micronutrients found in fruit and veg.
-Getting 7-9 hours of good quality sleep where possible.
-Staying hydrated.
-Continuing to exercise (unless you feel unwell).
-Consider supplementing Vitamin D.
-Don't overly limit dietary fats.
-Other supplements like Vitamin C may help.
-Consume more antioxidants in things like berries, dark leafy greens, dark chocolate and more.
As I have said throughout these are just some guidelines and things to consider. There is a lot of good stuff on SAD on the NHS website and I am happy to answer more personal questions on nutrition and potential supplements on an individual basis, just drop me an email!
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