4 Tips To Help Your Body Adjust To Winter

It’s finally winter here in Nashville and if the shorter days and colder weather bum you out, you're not alone. Many people experience wintertime blues. 

Your body is trying to adapt physically to these changes, which can affect you mentally as well. Not to worry, there are a few things you can do to make this transition a little easier on your body.

Winter may not be your favorite season, but it doesn’t have to be terrible for you either. There is a purpose in every season and if we follow God's design and go with the changing of the seasons, instead of against them, it tends to go a lot easier for us.

Here are 4 tips to help your body adjust to winter:

1. Eat Seasonal Foods

God created the seasons, and created the foods in those seasons to nourish us during that specific time of year. Foods that are abundant in the colder months help to keep us warm and nourished. 

Benefits of eating seasonally:

1. Keep you warm and nourished

2. Brighten your mood

3. Help your body follow it’s natural circadian rhythm

4. Give you more energy

5. Support a healthy immune response

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables that are in season now. You don't have to eat only these foods but try to incorporate them into your meals this winter and see how much better you feel!

2. Start Moving & Keep Moving

I know it's harder to find motivation to move and exercise when it's cold out, but doing so will help you manage stress, improve your mood, and increase your energy! Things we all need help with when these cold, dark days make you want to just curl up and hibernate.

But how do you actually do that? Here's the thing - don't wait until you feel like it. Just decide that it's something you do (non-negotiable) and make it a part of your lifestyle, even if it's cold out. Just tweak your routine to make more sense for winter. 

tips to start adding in more movement or starting again:

1. Start slow & easy! Every little bit counts. Easing into movement is better for your body anyway.

2. Think of exercise simply as movement. You don't have to sign up for a gym membership and take HIIT or Zumba classes to count as movement if that's not right for you. Taking an easy walk at lunch or after dinner can be what's best for you in this season.

1. Add more movement to your day in little ways. Taking the stairs, parking farther away, stretch breaks at your desk, play with your kids, etc. It all adds up.

3. Choose movement that you enjoy because you're more likely to stick with it if it brings you joy. A key in building good habits is making them easy and enjoyable.

4. Move your workouts indoors. If the idea of going outside in winter gives you the chills (pun intended), maybe getting a gym membership is worth it for now. Or sign up for some online exercise classes until the weather warms up and workout at home.

Whatever you do, remember to make it easy and enjoyable. The benefits of adding more movement to your day outweigh the extra effort it may take to do so!

3. Set A Schedule and Keep It

This may seem like an insignificant thing to incorporate but it actually helps you preserve energy, time, and helps you adjust to your body's circadian rhythm. 

Setting and keeping a schedule minimizes decision fatigue because you're not left wondering when you should work out, eat, or when to get things done that day. You'll be in a good rhythm and can make the most of these shorter days more easily. 

The goal is to make good habits feel like second nature and having a set schedule can help do this.

4. When in need, seek help

Health is a journey, much like the seasons of the year. We are constantly changing, encountering new things, and having to adapt to those demands whether good or bad. This is a lot, for anyone. So if anyone says they're doing it perfectly, they're lyin'. We're all just trying to figure this thing out and need the support from others from time to time.

Most of the time the support we need needs to be individualized. There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to health. It’s important for us to find out what’s going on with us individually. That is the best way to really see lasting results.  

Luckily, that’s what we specialize in. If you need extra support this time of year, we’re always here to help. Feel free to reach out via email or schedule an appointment so we can find an individual approach to your health situation.