Shorter Days, Colder Temperatures — Expert Advice On Keeping Your Energy Up Through Winter
This content is brought to you in partnership with OrthoCarolina, one of the nation's leading orthopedic practices with offices across the Southeast.
Keeping up with your health and wellness routine through the winter can be tough for all kinds of reasons.
First, depending on where you live, you're going to be dealing with drastically colder temperatures, and motivating yourself to climb out of your cozy bed out to the frigid morning air (whether to exercise outdoors or just to walk to your car so you can drive to the gym) can be tough.
Second, the season is scattered with holidays that invite indulgence, from Thanksgiving feasts to holiday cocktails to sweet treats and beyond.
Third, the shorter days and increased hours of darkness throughout the season can make it tough to motivate yourself to work out — but they can also bring on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which the Mayo Clinic describes as a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
With all of that working against you, how in the heck are you supposed to stay on top of your fitness goals until spring arrives?
We spoke with Jenni Freie (DPT, OCS, and CCI at OrthoCarolina) to learn more about how you can work to keep your energy up and stay motivated to make healthy choices throughout the winter months.
Melatonin, man
Culprit number one for our low energy? Melatonin.
"The decrease of daylight in the winter months increases our melatonin production," Freie explained. "The increase of melatonin makes us feel more sleepy and tired."
And while you'd think the extra sleepiness would lead to getting lots of high-quality sleep, you'd be wrong.
The melatonin can actually mess with your ability to get your ideal eight hours of shut-eye, but Freie stresses the importance of getting ample sleep however possible.
"Due to the altered melatonin levels, our sleep cycle can be disrupted," she explained. "And it is important to still get the 6 - 8 hours of sleep at night, as this allows you to be energized for the day."
So, maybe aim to get to bed a bit earlier than usual and allow yourself a bit later of a wake-up time to accommodate the disruptions that melatonin may cause in your sleep cycle throughout the night.
Active afternoons
A great way to boost your energy during a timeframe where darkness descends before dinner time? An afternoon workout!
"Getting 30-45 minutes of exercise in the late afternoon can give us a boost of energy to get through the rest of the day," Freie said.
So, consider starting your morning with a 30-minute workout for a boost of energy before the sun comes up, then taking a 30-minute break sometime between 2 PM and 4 PM to increase your energy levels again before the sun sets.
Soak up the sun (real or artificial)
Though we may be in a season of less light, Freie noted that it's still important to find light wherever you're able!
"Find time during the day to soak up some daylight by getting outside, opening the shades, or getting a light box," she suggested.
If you think you might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the Mayo Clinic notes that treatment include light therapy (phototherapy). They explain that during light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.
Light therapy (also known as bright light therapy or phototherapy) is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing SAD symptoms. Using a light therapy box may also help with other types of depression, sleep disorders and other conditions.
Supplement with supplements
Your body is running low on energy. So, supplement your daily meals (which are hopefully full of vitamins and nutrients!) with doctor-recommended supplements to help boost your mood from the inside out.
"Supplements like B complex, vitamin D, and Omega 3s can help to keep your energy up during the winter months," Freie suggested.
Learn more about making healthy choices from the experts at OrthoCarolina
Whether you've recently experienced an injury, need help with recovery after tough workouts, or are simply experiencing chronic pain and need help managing it, OrthoCarolina can help. Make an appointment at a location near you to start getting the treatment you need.