Do you know this too? As soon as the days get shorter, your mood goes downhill. When it's dark , the hormone melatonin , which normally controls sleep, is produced in the body. The more of this hormone there is in our body, the more tired and sleepy we feel. Serotonin, the "happiness hormone", is produced in the light .
Conclusion:
- the longer it is dark, the more melatonin is produced, which makes us tired and
- the less serotonin is produced, which can affect our mood.
Voilà, we already have a full-blown winter blues.
Just a few little tricks can help to alleviate or banish the winter blues. Try them out!
What can you do to combat the winter blues?
- Go for a walk outside for at least 15 - 30 minutes a day, even if the weather encourages you to stay indoors. Daylight - even if we are not directly illuminated by the sun - stimulates the release of serotonin.
- Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Dairy products, bananas, wholemeal bread and poultry contain a lot of magnesium, which has a positive effect on our mood.
- Spice it up! Nutmeg and chili stimulate our brain to release endorphins. The body's own painkillers and happiness boosters.
- Be communicative. Meet up with friends for coffee or cook your favorite dishes together. Social contact lifts our mood.
- Give your day a structure. Even if it's hard to get out of bed, don't lie around for too long - even at the weekend. If you get some daylight in the morning, you'll feel fitter all day long.
- Cold shower for the legs. It's best to start with alternating showers. Alternate between hot and cold water and shower your legs alternately. Great side effect: Kneipp showers improve blood circulation, prevent varicose veins and strengthen our immune system.
- If you can't stand it any longer, escape! Somewhere where the sun shines. This could be a short trip to the south or a weekend somewhere in the mountains. Above the fog line, there are also sunny places in Switzerland.
- Treat yourself to a wellness weekend. Massage, sauna, bathing and pampering. Relaxing and unwinding is guaranteed to produce happiness hormones.
If you notice that you are very depressed and sad, can hardly get out of bed or don't feel like doing anything, you should contact your GP. There is a fine line between harmless winter blues and genuine depression. Don't trivialize anything! Take action if you have the feeling that you can no longer pull yourself together under your own steam.
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