How to prepare for the cold season ahead
For some of us, the coldness and dark weather leads us into the inside of our homes and minds. If you are working or living in a foreign country, it can also be a lonely time.
Here are some tips to nourish and prepare our well-being, both mentally and physically.
1. Be kind and listen to your body and mind. Our bodies are following circadian rhythms, based on the changes of day and night on the environment and organisms. During winter, the days are shorter and night falls in faster, yet we continue our normal routines and schedules as if nothing has changed. Due to the mostly dark hours, our brain prepares for more sleep. You can see this time of the year as a moment for the body and mind to rest, reflect and recover.
2. At the same time, also don’t forget the importance of exercise! Our bodies still need to move, and exercising is a great way to get some energy into our bodies.
3. Try to have more than half an hour of daylight or sun. Many of us work in offices or enclosed environments with artificial light. We go to work when it is dark, and we return home when it is dark. There are even some lamps to buy that are as close as possible to natural sunlight and help boosting vitamin D3 levels and mental health.
4. Eat nutritious, seasonal foods! There is a reason these vegetables are harvested during the autumn or late summer. They are full of nutrients to get us through the winter months. Some healthy winter vegetables (according to where you live) in Europe are: kale, brussel sprouts, carrots, swiss chard, parsnips, collard greens, red cabbages. Eat porridge, apples for vitamin C and eat more iron-rich and zinc-rich foods.
5. Do some activities with friends and acquaintance. These are perfect time to invite friends over to cook dinner, eat soup, or watch films together. The more, the warmer!
