It's officially the dead of winter, it's cold, it's dark, even when it's sunny it's too shitty to go outdoors. For most of us that means our mood is in the pits and not just those of us who suffer from seasonal affective disorder. It's an important time to add in some self care measures to create some resiliency to carry us into spring.

1. Get some Vitamin D

Since there is less sunlight at this time of year we have decreased amounts of Vit D, having optimal amounts of this in your system can help improve your mood! If you can getting natural sunlight in is the best, but supplementing works too. Ensure you're eating your fruits and veggies to get all your vitamins in too!

2. Be Social 

I am the worst for this, I get very hermit like in the dead of winter. All I want to do is get cozy and hibernate. While this is nice for a bit, after a while it can be very isolating and make you feel worse. Even as an introvert it's good to spend some time with people in your life who bring you joy. Plan a bi weekly girls night, or invite a friend for brunch or coffee!

3. Talk to a Professional 

Go see a psychologist, they're great to help you talk through an issues. They can also give you suggestions on tactics to deal with low mood, or problems you're facing. It's also nice to have someone listen to you for an hour with their full attention.

4. Try something new

Anything new, just try something you've wanted to do for a while but haven't done. It can be something simple like a new restaurant or something like a new workout.

5. Get enough Sleep

Most of us are really bad at this, and the amount of dark in our winters can really throw off our circadian rhythms. Supplementing with melatonin can help get you back on track, this is the hormone that tells your body when it's time to sleep and wake up. Adding a small dose of this at bedtime can help you get to sleep faster and sleep more soundly.

6. Take a Day 

Take a day every month or biweekly to do something for yourself that you want to do. For some this can be getting a massage, going to the movies, or even cleaning house. But whatever you pick you should feel more relaxed and at ease afterwards.

7. Exercise!

It's so easy to fall off our routines when it's cold and shitty out but this is when it's so important to continue to get those feel good endorphins flowing. If you're feeling cold, bummed out and tired going and working out at a medium level intensity for 30 minutes to an hour is going to give you a big boost mentally, physically and emotionally!