Winter Is Coming!!! No, Not a GOT Sequel. Not That We Know Of, Anyway. Real Winter. Cold. Snow. Ice. Darkness. Hopefully Not Any White Walkers, But We Make No Guarantees! In Any Case Be Ready And Keep Fit Through The Winter! Beat back The Winter Blues The shorter days and longer nights of winter can be the trigger of seasonal depression for many of us men One way to combat winter depression is to exercise or, at least, keep our bodies moving. It should come as no surprise to you to know that regardless of the season, exercising and staying active can help alleviate depression. Getting outside and exercising gets your heart pumping. It also gives you the fresh air and sunshine your body craves. Exercising indoors can help too. With the amount of less sunlight due to the shorter days, our motivation wanes. You got to stay focused and sharp. You need to have a plan and always keep in mind why regular exercise sessions are so important for both, our physical wellbeing as well as our mental wellbeing. Why Exercise Feels Good? When you increase your heart rate and get the blood flowing through your body, it lifts your mood. Endorphins, also known as the feel-good hormones, are released into our body and affect our brain. Endorphins are like natural painkillers because they activate the opioid receptors in the brain that help minimize discomfort. The result is an elevated mood. In fact, many doctors recommend regular exercise to their depressed patients. It may not be the ultimate cure for all cases but regardless, when exercise is done right, there should always be only positive benefits. You Can Exercise Your Way Out Of The Winter Blues. Here’s Some Ides How: 1. Take a Daily Walk Unless the weather is unsafe, there’s a lot of value to good old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine. The sunshine stimulates the production of vitamin D which improves mood. It also helps your body manage stress. Taking a walk gets your body moving without the pressure of fitness performance. Aim to walk for twenty to thirty minutes a day. 2. Stretch Yoga and other focus exercise programs help you accomplish two things. They help you get your blood flowing to your muscles. This releases those endorphins mentioned earlier. Stretching and yoga also helps you become mindful and focused. It pulls you into the moment. Instead of worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday, you’re in the present moment. You can feel calm, in control, and centered. 3. Dance and Play Adults (We are looking at you, MEN! often forget how to play. They forget about the simple but truly wonderful joy and laughter that comes from playing just for the sake of playing. No need to compete, for a change just have some fun. Find an activity that you love. Find something that makes you laugh or brings you joy. Consider dance, martial arts, jumping rope or even riding your bicycle. 4. Run or Jog Running is a fantastic calorie burner and it’s great for improving your fitness. It’s also something that almost everyone can do. It doesn’t have to be about performance, speed and distance. You can simply embrace the sport as a fitness jogger. The health benefits to you are the same. If you’re new to running, combine it with periods of walking. Remember, the goal is to help boost your mental and physical health by getting active. You can train for the Iron Man later. 5. Go For A Swim One of the reasons that we can become down during the winter months is because it’s so cold and gray outside. Join a swim club or find a gym with a pool. The warm water and the bright lights will help you feel better. If swimming laps isn’t your thing, join a water aerobics class. There’s just something fun about water aerobics. You can laugh and get fit at the same time. Polar Bear Club, anyone? Stuck For Inspiration? Think about the activities you did as a child. What made you feel good during the winter months? As kids we couldn’t wait for the ground to be covered with a blanket of snow! Get outside and have a snowball fight. Go sledding. Climb a tree. Be careful! But have fun! If you have a significant other, or kids, or both, be sure to include them in some of your activities! Did You Know? In addition to the mental and physical benefits exercise offers, it also helps you sleep better. Studies have linked poor sleep to depression. Simply exercising and getting better sleep can help you beat the winter blues. Conclusion Beat depression by moving your body. Get outside. Work out indoors. Stretch, run, jump. Play, laugh and have fun! Need we say more? What about you? Do you have and tips, tricks or information on beating the winter blues? Moving to Florida does not count! Be A Man – Do The Right Thing. Take Care Of Yourself And Your Mental Health. BAM!!! Be A Man! Do The Right Thing. Be the DtRTy Guy!
