guido Mid-January: the holidays are over, resolutions are wobbling, and outside it is mostly dark. Not for nothing is the third Monday of January called Blue Monday. Scientifically the date means little, but that many people feel less than their best in this period is familiar to almost everyone. These routines help you through the winter.
Sleep enough, and regularly
During sleep your brain processes the day and your body recovers. Chronically short sleep shows up immediately in concentration and energy. Go to bed on time, keep fixed hours, and make the bedroom dark and cool.
Catch every bit of daylight
In winter we see little sun, while daylight steers the biological clock and is needed for vitamin D production. Step outside briefly every day, preferably in the morning. And because the sun sits too low at our latitudes from October to March, a vitamin D supplement makes sense for many people in the winter months: vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system, the maintenance of normal bones and normal muscle function.
Keep moving
Precisely when the sofa calls loudest, movement does the most. A daily half-hour walk combines daylight, fresh air and exercise in one. More in our article on cardiovascular exercise.
Hold on to your nutrition routine
In winter the menu drifts toward comfort food. Fine now and then, but keep the basics: eat varied, and take your omega-3 daily. DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function, from 250 mg per day. Your omega-3 status also builds over months, so consistent intake through winter pays straight into your account. The Scandinavians understood this long ago; read the Nordic secret.
FISH-FREE
Gloominess that will not lift?
Tips like these are meant for the ordinary winter dip. If you genuinely feel low for a longer period, talk to your doctor. That is not a heavy step; your doctor is happy to think along.
Your winter base in one routine
Testa Omega-3: over 450 mg of DHA and EPA daily, plant-based and fresh, all year round.
Good for you. Good for the ocean.
Authorised health claims (EFSA): DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function (250 mg/day); vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system, the maintenance of normal bones and normal muscle function. This article is not medical advice.