We all have days when we just don’t want to get out of bed, especially when the winter season hits. But some people feel tired more frequently than normal this time of year. If this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with winter tiredness. It’s a condition that happens when our bodies increase the output of melatonin in our brains. Melatonin is the hormone that makes us feel sleepy, and its production is directly linked to light and darkness. So when the sun sets earlier in the wintertime, more melatonin is created and leaves us feeling tired more often.
There are a handful of lifestyle changes that can help combat winter tiredness. Try a few of these tips to beat the fatigue and boost energy levels.
Get outdoors
Since more melatonin is produced during darkness hours, getting out in the sunlight as often as possible during the day is a good way to ward it off a little longer. Spending all day inside can really mess up your internal clock, but some people can’t avoid it because of work or other reasons. So keep the blinds and curtains open or sit closer to a window. Any exposure to light will be beneficial in fighting off feelings of fatigue.
Increase vitamin D intake
Vitamin D deficiency is common in the winter months. Usually we get enough by being outside in the sunlight throughout the summer – something that doesn’t happen as often during the colder seasons. So consider tweaking your diet to increase intake of both vitamin D and iron to improve physical energy. Iron is plentiful in dark leafy greens, nuts, lean red meats, lentils, and whole grains. Eggs, fish, and fortified cereals are great sources for vitamin D.
Get some sleep
Regardless of the season, a solid night’s sleep is always a good way to make sure you wake rested and refreshed in the morning. Yet millions of people nationwide suffer from sleep disorders that make this difficult to accomplish. Still others just simply don’t get enough sleep due to their lifestyle or work schedules. A visit to the doctor can help find a solution to sleep problems, and various herbal remedies are known to promote sleep.
That said, try to avoid oversleeping. Otherwise, you’ll just feel more groggy and sluggish when you wake up. Aim for around seven to eight hours every night.
Get moving, keep moving
Regular exercise is a good way to boost your mood during the winter. If you’re dealing with winter tiredness, this is probably the last thing you feel like doing. However, exercise releases endorphins that leave us feeling more energetic and give us a much-needed lift. As an added benefit, staying active helps us to sleep better at night. Likewise, it’ll help maintain a healthy weight, which in turn improves fatigue and daytime sleepiness.
Minimize stress
Stress has been proven to leave an affected person drained and without energy, so the root cause of any excessive stress should be addressed as best as possible. Regardless of what’s causing it, always try to set aside some time each day to relax, wind down, and depressurize. Figure out what works best for you, whether it’s mediation, watching a movie, reading, listening to music, or something else.
Winter tiredness is annoying and can affect your productivity throughout the day. It may take some trial and error to pinpoint a solution, but the problem can be beaten. If none of these solutions work, then the fatigue may be a sign of something else like seasonal affective disorder. If you’re not sure, talk to your doctor.