How to Navigate the Winter Months

The colder weather often leads to an increase in cases of the winter blues. The dark and gloomy winter weather can make us stay indoors, exercise less, be unsociable and eat less healthy foods.

Here are five tips for looking after your mental health in winter.

1. Sit outside and get more sunlight.

Exposure to sunlight plays an important role in influencing our moods. Sunlight helps increase our body's levels of vitamin D and also promotes the production of serotonin which regulates mood.

2. Eat Healthy

Resist the urge to eat high sugary foods and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables.

3. Remain active and move as much as you can.

Exercise is important. Exercise does not just include playing sport it may also include other enoyable activities such as dancing, rock climbing, walking on the beach.

4. Make an effort to be social.

Humans need interaction and connection to other people so try to engage socially.

5. Rug up and embrace the cold.

Dress for the weather and get outside in the sunlight.