Well hello to you my reader chums! Cold season has arrived which means darker nights, shorter days and the lead-up to Christmas. I'm going to admit, I struggle immensely during this time of year with the freezing mornings and dreary atmosphere. I'm a summer baby and thrive in hot weather, with blue skies and a peppy atmosphere.

If you're someone who struggles with seasonal depression or low mood in the cold weather, here are my best tips to boost your mood in the winter months.

Get outside for a walk a day

With limited daylight hours, it's more important than ever to make the most of the daylight when it's there. Whether that's just popping outside for ten minutes or an hour, going for a walk a day will do you wonders. I prefer this either first thing in the morning or during my afternoon slump to give me the boost I need for the rest of the day.

Stay social with friends and families

It's incredibly easy to go into hibernation mode in the winter months, especially if you're an introvert like me. Due to this, staying social is key to helping you feel part of the community. Try and make plans with friends and family, whether that's popping around someone's house for dinner, planning a games night or a day out somewhere. Whatever the plan, implementing social situations can boost your mood as you can bounce off people's energy.

Keep to your usual routine

I know it's hard to stick to a routine when it's dreary outside, however, I find a usual routine keeps me feeling much better. Even if you wake up later, keep to that morning routine and night routine. For me, it's waking up and reading a chapter or two of my book and then doing some form of exercise before breakfast. It really helps to start my day on a high.

Treat yourself with kindness

Beating yourself up is a lot easier when you're feeling glum or down due to the weather. This is why something like a positivity log is helpful, using affirmations or treating yourself to something that makes you happy, will boost you up. You can also set boundaries, talk kinder to yourself and give yourself more breaks to help with this.

Eat nutritionally-heavy food 

Diet and what you eat really can change how you feel. I'm not going to advise you on what to eat, however, what I would say is to eat the foods which make your mind and body feel good. Whatever these foods are, introduce more into your diet for this period.

Doing something you love every day 

Filling your day with positivity and joy can help boost your mood immensely and doing something you love every day helps. Whether it's reading a book, baking a cake, doing a yoga class or having a film night, whatever the activity, ensure it's something that makes you happy. 

Ensure you're getting enough vitamin D intake

The problem with the winter months is the lack of sunlight and therefore, the lack of vitamin D. During this time, ensuring you get enough vitamin D is crucial. This could be by getting sunlight where possible, taking quality vitamin D supplements or eating more foods rich in the vitamin.

Find a form of exercise that works for you

Exercise does wonders for my mental health, especially during the winter months. Every person likes different types of exercise to boost their mood. For example, I like to go running (weather dependent), pilates, yoga and walks. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips would you add?

Thank you for reading <3