2019-11-01 In The Moment

T

here is undeniable beauty in every

season but as winter descends, the call

to hibernate is real. While the building

blocks to wellbeing remain the same

all year round, including movement,

nutrition, environment, rest, play and social

connection, we are wise to take our cues from

Mother Nature and tailor our nourishing practices

to respect the energetic flow of the seasons.

There are delights intrinsic to winter – the play

of light through bare trees, crisp frosty mornings,

wrapping up in warming layers and the festivities

of Christmas and New Year to anticipate and savour,

but plummeting temperatures and diminished

daylight can leave us all feeling depleted, down

and demotivated. We need to proactively build

a self-care toolkit to buffer ourselves from low mood

and fatigue, or the depression experienced by the

6 % of Britons with Seasonal Affective Disorder

(SAD). Even simpler, we can look at ways to switch

up existing daily routines to help us feel brighter.

We all know that gloomy weather has a tangible

effect on our minds and bodies but what are the

mechanisms at play? The impact of sunlight on mood

via vitamin D absorption, regulation of circadian

rhythms and production of serotonin is widely

known, but less commonly appreciated is the effect

that temperature has on our posture. The body

steels itself against the cold, as seen in wrapping the

arms around the body – rounded spine, a downcast

line of sight and often a clenching in the jaw.

Research has shown that the way we hold our

bodies has a powerful impact on our mood and

energy levels, with a tall, upright spine, open-hearted

chest and a relaxed swinging action of the arms

giving us access to a feeling of optimism and zest.

Conversely, the posture we adopt when we brace

ourselves against the cold lowers our energy level,

our mood and makes it easier to recall negative

memories. It’s also hard to breathe deeply in this

body position – so perhaps the mantra here should

be, ‘When we breathe better, we feel better’.

For some of us, the arrival of winter marks the

start of a season of low mood, but there is joy

to be found in the colder months too

Winter rituals to

lift your mood

Words: Suzy Reading

wellness

20 CalmMoment.com