Well, hello to you, my reader chums! The darker, winter days are here, and I'll be honest, they always have a massive hit on my mental health. I really struggle with lack of sunlight, darker mornings and darker evenings and the constant freezing temperature. I know I'm not alone in this, and many deal with seasonal depression during this time of year.

It's not an easy thing to deal with, whether you're dealing with seasonal depression or feeling low, here is how to prioritise your mental health in winter.

Make the most of daylight hours

Daylight hours are minimal in winter, and it can be hard to utilise them, especially if you work a traditional 9-5 or the weather is awful outside. However, make the most of the daylight hours in any way you can. This could be a walk around the block on your lunch break, stepping outside in your garden with a hot drink in the morning or if you have a more flexible schedule, being outside during daylight hours. 

Keep to a morning and evening routine

Routines always do wonders for my mental health as they give me mini goals to hit and to know what to expect every morning and night. All routines are different; choose one that works for you and stick to three things: food, exercise and joy. This could be some light movement, a delicious breakfast and reading a book. 

Stay active as much as you can 

It's much easier to stay active when the sun is out and it's warm, as it inspires us to do fun things and go for lovely walks. But when it's lashing rain outside and freezing, being active is just as important. You can go for walks in terrible weather, and most importantly, you can make use of indoor workouts, whether that's pilates or a dance routine.

Add joy to everyday

Dull and dreary weather doesn't mean life has to feel that way. The wintertime should still have joy as part of everyday, whether it's baking your favourite cake, socialising with friends, watching a brilliant show or celebrating an occasion. Whatever the day, find the small snippets of joy as much as you can to keep your mood boosted.

Make nourishing, warming meals

Food is the heart of everything, and when we're in hibernation mode, nourishing and warming meals will do you wonders as they're comforting, delicious, and will warm you up.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What do you do to help?

Thank you for reading <3