Your Guide to Beating Winter Fatigue
Boost your energy this winter naturally. Feel refreshed and energized in the mornings by following healthy lifestyle habits – get enough sleep, seek 10 minutes of outdoor morning light, get in some intense exercise, and be sure to consume a breakfast high in complex carbohydrates. Think porridge to reduce morning grogginess but limit the sugar so you’re not crashing during the day.
That’s the advice from researchers at the University of California who studied 800 people to see how lifestyle behaviours impact energy levels. Their research details the independent factors that help fight morning fatigue, something we can all use as the colder days set in.
A good morning mix for a peppy day starts with drinking more water and less coffee. While reaching for another cup of coffee feels like a perfect pick-me-up, it won’t last and you’ll eventually feel sluggish. Along with healthful hydration, eat foods with a low glycemic index, recommended researchers, including a blood sugar-friendly breakfast like steel-cut oats topped with blueberries. Fuel up your energy tank with foods rich in B vitamins, which your body can use to create energy, including chickpeas, kale, beans, nuts and whole grains like rye bread.
Add flavourful winter superfoods known for their exceptional nutrient qualities, including antioxidants and carotenoids, along with fibre and vitamins C, A and K. Energizing veggies star on our dining menu – delicious healthy dishes crafted to nourish the body and soul for immunity and well-being.
Stay away from high-sugar and processed food, and skip the energy drinks too. Many contain ridiculously high amounts of added sugar and caffeine and while they provide an energy kick, you’ll soon feel jitteriness soaring too. That temporary boost isn’t worth it.
Get the blood flowing and stimulate the body and mind with movement. Pick up the pace with brisk walking or jogging, interval cycling or weight training. Energy begets energy – exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and feeds energy levels, and keeps endorphins up while increasing endurance and muscle strength. The higher dopamine levels help elevate moods too.
Renew vitality with vigorous wellness classes. Our invigorating Functional Fitness class provides a full resistance training experience. Using dumbbells, kettlebells and stability balls, get your heart rate up while building functional strength and core stability. Our two suspension classes, TRX Resistance Training and Suspension Movement, engage the body and mind, helping to build balance, strength and flexibility and increasing core stability and range of motion.
Work on controlling stress – it zaps vast amounts of energy. Worries and fear can leave us mentally and physically exhausted, so it’s imperative to diffuse it with regular self-care habits. Exercise helps burn it off, and relaxation therapies like meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga and getting a spa treatment are all effective tools for reducing stress. Find relief in quiet pursuits like listening to music, reading a book or a restorative overnight getaway with a friend. At. Ste. Anne’s, come relax – it’s all included.
As temperatures drop, so does our energy, so combat winter fatigue with regular self-care habits, like healthy foods and exercise, which also help promote deep sleep, a critical element to feeling well-rested every morning and fueled up to take on the day!
