If you’ve been feeling tired and even a bit sad this past couple of months and you haven’t been able to explain yourself, then now that it’s all quite normal.
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See, during winter our bodies experience a slowdown, and just like animals hibernate during winter, our bodies too function differently this time of year.
Changes that occur when the cold sets in
During the summer, when sunlight prevails to darker days, we have more energy, and our mood is elevated because of the sun, particularly light and heat influence in a positive way functions in our body.
Think of how trees and plants need sunlight or at least a different source of light to survive. During daytime, plants soak up sunlight to get energy, but both plants and trees go dormant when autumn sets in and wake up in the spring, although of course they never really go to sleep completely.
But the analogy here is that just as with animals, plants and trees, changes occur in the human body too come cold temperatures just as they occur with other forms of life. Here is another thing to consider: in the evening too, the body goes into sleep mode and experiences a slowdown that starts before we actually go to bed.
Thus, in the winter the body goes into rest cycle so to speak. It starts adjusting to colder temperatures and darker days by operating more slowly. Another way the body changes is related to food. You start craving more fatty foods and starches because you need to get energy and carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy, followed by fat.
Recharging the batteries in spring with proper food
As we come out of winter, we naturally start feeling more energized and getting out of bed at 5 am for a morning jog, or a yoga session stops feeling like such a hard thing to do as in winter.
We still, however, need to listen to the body and allow transitioning from winter to spring to occur at the body’s own pace. This means not forcing ourselves into anything too physically extreme and starting off the season on the right food.
In some regions, spring comes from early March, whereas it takes as long as mid-May in other parts of the country. Depending on where you live, some foods may or may not be available. Do your best to adjust your diet and eat more of the nurturing foods like:
- Root veggies in the form of creamy soups.
- Spinach salads or spinach cooked as soup, dip, stir-fry meal, pasta meal, topping or filling, but do make the most of the raw spinach to rip more benefits.
- Cooked veggies in the form of steamed vegetables to which you can add flavors and spices for a more pronounced taste.
Your spring diet should include plenty of seasonal fruits and veggies, organic if possible and it should contain less sweet and oily foods. Heavy dairy particularly is not recommended because around this time what the body needs is to detoxify from any toxins accumulated during the winter diet.