Quite apart from the privations of the pandemi, winter is the time of year in which you pause and take stock. Above all, physical fitness, figure, and beauty are the focus and should be corrected by so-called good resolutions in the new year. But what about mental health? How to effectively prevent the soul-blues and bring more light into the dark season.
Soul blues? Icons like Audrey Hepburn also experienced low spirits.
The first step to greater well-being is self-reflection. So observe and evaluate yourself with a critical eye, be honest, and recognize the individual facets of your mood such as worry, sadness, listlessness, or the feeling of loneliness. You are not alone in this, the others out there feel the same way!
Allow yourself a previously defined time window of five, ten, or twenty minutes in which you can let go of everything and let the blues out uninhibited. Cry, whine, feel sorry for yourself, and speak out loud about your concerns. This frees and takes away the intensity of the worries. If the negative thoughts appear outside of the time window, consciously push them aside.
Keep a record of your mood and find out what is really bothering you. Those who not only specifically filter out the individual moods, but can even find out and document their causes, frees themselves step by step from their worries and help themselves to more mental immunity.
It is no secret that we lack bright sunlight (vitamin D!) And warm temperatures in winter and most people feel noticeable. Get outside as often as possible, go for a walk or jog, walk, and cycle through nature. Because: We absorb sunlight even when the sky is overcast, ideal are (logically) the bright hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Speaking of which: exercise is good for you! And not just because we work on our body and then feel better. Even about 20 minutes of moderate training stimulates the release of happiness hormones (such as serotonin), at the same time the production of neurotransmitters (such as cortisol) that makes you tired and depresses your mood is inhibited.
Find out what is good for you and what leaves you with deep satisfaction and positive vibes. And also (and above all!) In stressful phases several times a week consciously take time for yourself. Depending on your preferences, yoga, sports, painting, or music-making, a hot foam bath and reading can help you relax.
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In fact, you can also strengthen your mental immunity through diet - just as you can weaken it. So stay away from fast food, ready meals, light carbohydrates, and snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar. All of these nutrients have been shown to slow down the metabolism, bring the blood sugar level out of balance, trigger cravings, and can be a cause of listlessness, fatigue, hormone fluctuations, and depressive moods. Market-fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as light meals with white meat or white fish, have a positive effect on mental (and physical) health. Citrus fruits, berries, olives, and nuts are also true mood enhancers. And: drink one to two liters of water a day!
It actually comes about by itself: Be offline as often as possible, preferably very consciously and daily for a certain period of time. You can also deactivate seductive social media apps such as Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest on your mobile phone and only allow yourself to surf the net indiscriminately at set times. Frees you from social stress, directs the focus back to your own life, and creates an incredible amount of free time (keyword: Me-Time).
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