Winter Blues and How to Beat Them: Three Tips to Share with Your Team 

The cold weather can have a major impact on our mental well-being, and our motivation levels. An occurrence many have coined as “The Winter Blues.”  As many as?35% of Canadians?have suffered fromThe Winter Blues. Luckily, there are steps to take that might help avoid a case of The Winter Blues: 

Vitamin D Intake:According to Health Canada, as many as?80 percent?of men don't get enough Vitamin D naturally from their diets.The lack of exposure to sunlight can leave your body deficient in Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus from the foods you eat, which leads to healthy bones and teeth, and it's been?linked to keeping Winter Blues on the sidelines. 

Get Outdoors: It can be difficult to find the motivation to get outside in the wintertime, but fresh air and social contact are important in maintaining mental health. Ice skating, tobogganing, ice fishing or winter walks are all fun activities to make sure you get the fresh air you need – and you can choose an activity suitable to your cold-weather tolerance levels.  

Expose yourself to sunlight: Light therapy is often used clinically to combat winter blues with a specific type of bright light. It works by causing a chemical change in your brain, taking around 15-30 mins to be effective.You can emulate the same benefits at home by ensuring the places in your home that you spend the most timeexpose you to natural light. For example, moving your sofa or desk next to a window and remembering to open your blinds or curtains every day.