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How to Chase those Winter Blues Away

The dark of winter can make people feel tired, sluggish, depressed, moody, and even hungrier than usual. The good news is that waiting for spring isn’t your only option.  Instead, here are several proven effective ways to brighten your mood until added daylight and warmth combine to do it for you:  

Light: Once we turn the clocks back in early November, people often complain of having difficulty getting up in the morning. To help compensate for fewer hours of daylight, plug a bright full-spectrum or fluorescent light into a timer, and set it to go off about an hour before you wake up. This will simulate an artificial dawn to help put a little bounce in your early morning step.

Exercise: The brain releases dopamine when you exercise and that makes your whole body feel better and more positive. So, get outside for a brisk walk, invest in a treadmill or stationary bike, or head to the mall for some indoor walking if the weather is just too harsh.

Eating light: When the body is tired, it compensates by eating more, and when we are cold we tend to eat heavy, warm, gooey, rich foods. Adding more fruits and veggies to your diet will help you feel better, less moody, and make your body crave more of the same. If it’s too much of a struggle to stay away from that mac and cheese, then eat it! But also have a salad on the side. Eating healthier doesn’t have to mean giving up foods, but your body will benefit just by adding something plant-based to your plate.

Time for yourself: One of the best parts of winter is having more time to enjoy your indoor activities. That book you never got to read in the summer, that project you meant to finish, that hobby you were interested in learning more about – you get the idea. And now, it’s time to get into a whole different rhythm to make the most of your winter at-home time.

Here’s another way to enhance your mood:  don’t let anything bad happen to your heating and plumbing systems.  Easier said than done, you say?  Not when you call Messmer Mechanical for a whole-house plumbing inspection and preventative maintenance for your furnace or boiler.  These services are designed to stop problems from happening which then leads to lower (if any) repair costs, lower utility bills, and longer system lifespan.  Contact Messmer today for services designed to put a smile on your face.