Light - I think I'm quite sensitive to the changes in natural daylight and have found that my energy levels are impacted by the darker mornings and evenings of late. I usually like to wake early and start my day with my morning routine that includes some mindfulness, reading, journaling and movement - but I find it harder to wake up so early in the winter. When the mornings are lighter, I'll often do some form of movement in the garden, allowing my eyes to take in some natural daylight, which I'm sure helps strengthen my sleep patterns. Now that I'm doing my morning movement indoors, I try to replace the daylight with some bright indoor lighting and then make a point of accessing natural daylight a little later in the day.
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Changing with the seasons
Katie Tarling • November 20, 2023
The habits I change as we approach winter
I thought I'd write this article, as we approach the end of the year, about some of the habits and behaviours that I've changed as the seasons progress towards winter. This article is for information and interest only and is neither advice nor instruction.
Sleep - As mentioned in my point on light, I think my sleep is negatively affected by the reduced natural daylight, but in other ways I think the darker evenings and cooler temperatures actually help me to sleep better. I think it's about adapting to the seasonal changes and not expecting to feel the same way all year round.
Exercise - I'll try to continue with my weekly running, and adjust my clothing to suit the weather, and I'm hoping to continue lake swimming for as long as I can manage it! I've already had to resort to wearing my wetsuit boots and gloves but I'm hoping to avoid wearing the actual wetsuit if I can! I'll continue to lift weights at the gym, and go for regular walks, digging out the walking boots and raincoat when required. I love the quote, 'there's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!'
Food - Like many people, I change my diet somewhat during the winter, eating fewer salads, and more root vegetables and warming soups. I tend to eat more lentils than in the summer as I like them in soups, but sadly I'm also inclined to want to curl up under a warm blanket after dinner and eat chocolate! I'm trying to buy fewer sugary treats and replace them with nuts and fruit as much as possible, not so easy when the shops are full of boxes of chocolates! I'm also aware of the reduced production of vitamin D in the winter, so I try to increase my intake of vitamin D enriched foods such as certain types of mushrooms.
Mindfulness and Breathwork - The darker evenings tend to have a negative impact on my mood, and so I find myself leaning more into my mindfulness and breathing practices. This helps me to stay more present in the moment and to minimise the likelihood that I'll spiral into anxiety about a mind-made scenario that hasn't happened yet!
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