How to beat the winter blues
With winter quickly approaching and the summer sun fading away, we all start to feel a bit of those winter blues. With the cold rainy nights and dark mornings, it’s not surprising! With Carrot Sun there's no need to let those winter blues get you down. We are here to give you all the advice you'll need to kick those blues out of the window and thoroughly enjoy the winter season! Read on for tips and tricks on waking up with more energy and staying happy whatever the weather may throw our way this winter.
Start as you mean to go on!
The cold and dark mornings are fast approaching, making it so much harder to jump out of bed. Research shows that we need bright light at the right time in the morning to switch off our melatonin trigger, hence allowing our bodies to shift into their daytime rhythm. An easy solution is to turn on your bedside lamp half an hour before you plan to get out of bed - just set your alarm for half an hour earlier, and as you hit the snooze button, switch on your light. Even better, buy yourself a lamp with a timer and set the light to come a half hour before your alarm goes off. Doing this will stimulate an artificial dawn, and hence help your body and mind prepare to wake up, allowing you to feel less groggy and more energetic when you climb out of bed.
Carrot Sun has discovered that whilst most information on-line tells you that light therapy can help, it doesn't actually explain that you only have a short window of opportunity, unique to your body clock, when you need to get light therapy. Miss your window, and those winter blues can just creep up on you!
Create The Building Blocks of Happiness: Part 1
No one can deny that looking good means feeling good and that's why so many of us use a sun bed year round. Apart from gaining a tan, though, sun bed users can benefit from other therapeutic effects of the beds' UV lights including vitamin D production. Not only is vitamin D essential for the release of feel-good endorphins, but it also is vital for healthy bones and certain skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis. The safe and responsible use of sunbeds can help alleviate some of the symptoms of those winter blues and help you feel good - but don't forget to take your Carrot Sun with you!
Create The Building Blocks of Happiness: Part 2
It has been scientifically proven that exercise triggers your brain to release feel-good endorphins that give you an immediate boost of joy, no matter what the weather. Of course, you don't have to use a gym to exercise, there are plenty of exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home, like a fitness DVD or some basic yoga. If you’re an outdoor person, jogging or simply a nice brisk walk for 20 minutes in your local park will also do you the world of good! Or simply put some music on and shake it- wherever you are! Exercise is an immediate pick-me-up and you can do it anywhere at any time. Keep it up on a regular basis, and you will be a happier person and more capable of coping with anything that may come your way.
Eat Your Way To Happiness
Keep your cravings for junk food at bay. Serotonin is an important chemical produced by the body and although the scientific jury is out on whether decreased levels of serotonin contribute to depression or depression causes a decrease in serotonin levels, it is known that a lack of sunlight and poor diet can result in reduced levels of this mood-enhancing chemical which regulates hunger and the feeling of wellbeing. Foods that can boost serotonin levels are complex carbohydrates like whole grain bread and brown rice, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, dairy products and best of all dark chocolate! Examples of foods to avoid are highly sugary like sweets and cakes, anything with high amounts of caffeine in and simple carbohydrates like white bread and white rice – these foods might give you a quick, instant happiness boost but your mood will come back down again as they don’t stimulate the on-going production of serotonin.
Supplement Your Joy!
Vitamins and supplements! Of course a balanced diet is the best way to obtain vitamins, but if you're suffering the effects of winter blues you may just need a little bit of extra help! As the days swiftly turn back into nights remember that vitamin C, which is available in freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, or simply taking an extra 10 minutes outside in the sun light, can dramatically increase your energy levels. For a boost of mood-enhancing endorphin production, eating more fish, or taking supplements such as St John’s Wort can supply your body with serotonin building blocks. Vitamins B and D and Omega-3 fatty acids can also be obtained supplements too; check these out at your local health store.
The winter months may not suit everyone, but there is so much to look forward to with Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and New Year! So make sure you do your best to stay healthy and happy with all our helpful tips and you will be well on your way to avoiding those winter blues and enjoying a wonderful joy-packed winter season.
Also in From The Blog
How To Get A Real Tan If You’re Fair, Pale, or Just Can’t Tan!
We often get asked if very fair-skinned people can get a real tan. Yes! We know it’s possible. We’ve seen them out there. Scandinavians, Germans, people who are naturally incredibly pale, parading around with stunning golden tans. How do they do it? We got hold of some of these clever tanned goddesses and they revealed their tanning secrets for the fair-skinned… read on!How to Use Tanning Beds & Sunbeds- A Complete Guide
Do you want to go on a tanning bed but aren’t sure how long a session you need for your skin type? Or how to maximize tanning during your session? Or which is the best type of sunbed? Or what a tan accelerator does? Or how to tan safely?
Fear not! We've done all the research for you in answer to these important questions so that you can get the best results from your sunbed sessions whilst tanning safely and caring for your skin.
How To Tan Your Legs If Your Legs Won't Tan!
They say, the further away from your heart a part of your body is, the harder it is to get a tan there. A common problem people have while tanning is getting that golden glow on their legs. If you’re one of those people then this blog has the answers to help you solve this problem and get that tan on your legs, so that you’re not walking around looking like you’re wearing white tights all the time!
GLAMOUR 
