Happy Winter Solstice!

Happy shortest day of the year!! The good news is that from today the days start getting longer again, hurrah 😃 

Anyone else fed up of the dark? I went out for a walk in the afternoon this weekend and it was getting dark by 3pm. I definitely feel more tired and it’s so much more difficult to get up on these dark mornings.

This week I’ve been listening to this podcast episode https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/plant-proof-evidence-based-nutrition/id1367773989?i=1000501750684

It explains why our circadian rhythm (our body clock) is so important and affects every system of the body. It’s well worth a listen. It reminded me that although we take the seasons and simple things like light for granted, it has a profound effect on our health and the way that we feel. It’s normal to struggle a bit to get going in the dark as our brains aren’t getting the light 💡 stimulus from our eyes to the SCN, which is the supra-chiasmic nucleus in the brain which controls our body clock.

Top tips for winter months:
☀️ maximise natural daylight exposure when you can
☀️get outside in the morning 
☀️take a vitamin D supplement (NHS recommendation is 10micrograms daily in autumn & winter)
Help sleep better by:
🌙 avoid bright light in the evenings
🌙 turn off screens (phone, tablet, TV etc) for at least an hour before bed, ideally two.
Share your top winter tips below 👇