The alarm goes off, and you open your eyes to darkness. It’s 7:30 am, but outside, it’s pitch black. Eventually, you haul yourself out of bed and pour a cup of coffee, praying for revival. But as soon as you reach work, you flop your head on the keyboard and repeatedly think, ‘I am so tired in the winter!’
Struggling with winter exhaustion is…exhausting. But you’re not the only one. Thousands of people feel tired in the winter months. Unfortunately, dark days, cold weather and fatigue come hand in hand. But if you’re done with being so tired during winter, look no further. We’re sharing how to boost your energy in winter so you can skip cold weather fatigue.
Why Do I Feel So Tired in Winter?
Struggling with extreme fatigue is never pleasant, and you feel extra tired when it’s dark and cold for several reasons.
Reduced sunlight - The sun contains vitamin D, which recharges your body and gives you vitality. So, it’s no surprise that a lack of sunlight = a lack of energy.
Dark mornings and evenings - The dark winter mornings disrupt your circadian rhythm (or sleep pattern) and can lead to you waking up later. Early sunsets also make it difficult to know when to go to bed. You may stay up later and fall behind on sleep, causing fatigue during winter.
Eating high-sugar foods - It’s natural to reach for chocolate on dark evenings because sugar releases a hormone called dopamine. This gives you an instant energy and mood boost, but high-sugar foods cause a glucose crash, plummeting your energy levels.
How to Regain Your Energy in Winter and Stop Feeling Tired
If you’re reading this, you’re probably no stranger to extreme tiredness in winter. And that sluggish exhaustion can get you down. So, keep reading for ways to reduce cold weather fatigue and recharge your seasonal battery for better energy.
Take Vitamin D to Reduce Feeling Tired in Winter
Vitamin D is responsible for strong bones, healthy joints, balancing moods and creating energy. And the kicker? It mainly comes from sunlight. So, it makes sense that months of overcast days and short daylight hours increase your tiredness in winter. In fact, 1 in 6 UK adults have a vitamin D deficiency, which ramps up over the sunless season.
But there is a solution. You can enhance your energy during winter by increasing your vitamin D levels. Our liquid collagen supplement contains vitamin D to replenish your levels, reducing cold weather tiredness.
Get Enough Winter Sleep
A lack of sun exposure dramatically affects your melatonin, which tells you when to get up and when to fall asleep. Your melatonin levels naturally decline as the sun rises, so you feel lively and increase as it gets dark, inducing sleepiness. But when it’s dark most of the time, you create more melatonin, making you feel groggy and always tired in winter.
The trick is to establish a solid evening routine so your body knows when to wind down. It helps stop drooping eyes during the day whilst ensuring you still get eight hours of beauty sleep.
Read more: 5 Reasons You Procrastinate Going to Bed.
Eat Well to Boost Your Energy
Fresh fruit and green shakes aren’t very appealing when it’s chilly. And when you’re constantly tired during winter, you don’t fancy making a lavish meal. So, you find yourself reaching for convenient chocolate and biscuits, enjoying the short sparkle of joy and instant energy hit.
But, although these foods feel good in the moment, they’re followed by a sugar crash, leaving you with even worse winter exhaustion.
Eat wholesome, nutritious foods containing vitamins and minerals to keep warm, reduce fatigue, and enhance energy. Instead of trying to gnaw your way through a cold kale salad, switch to heart-warming meals like stews, baked sweet potato, soup and roasted veggies.
Read more: 5 Vegan Collagen-Rich Foods to Hack Your Hormones.
Protect Your Immune System
Whenever there’s cold weather, feeling sniffly is just around the corner, and the first thing to take a hit is your energy. So, the best thing to do is get ahead of winter coughs and colds by supporting your immune system. Here are a few pointers:
Eat nutritious foods - Nourishing your body with foods abundant in vitamins and minerals gives you fuel to defend against illness.
Prioritise sleep - Cells regenerate while you sleep, refilling energy levels to fight harmful pathogens.
Take vitamin C - Our collagen supplement is infused with vitamin C to increase white blood cells and reduce illness.
Read more: How To Boost Your Immune System In Autumn.
Take Your Supplements
If you’re constantly tired in winter, you might need additional nutrients in the form of a supplement. Arella Beauty’s liquid collagen supplement contains vitamins C, B3 and retinol to top up your levels and tackle winter exhaustion.
Read more: 5 Reasons Why You Need Retinol in Liquid Collagen.
Look After Your Mental Health
Have you ever stood outside in the warm sun, closed your eyes, and just felt good? There’s a reason. Sunlight releases serotonin, a happy hormone, which makes you relaxed, awake and lively. And when there’s only watery sunlight struggling through a mass of clouds, you don’t get as much serotonin, causing you to feel down.
But there’s good news. Looking after your mental health increases serotonin levels for more energy. Do light exercise, try cosy hobbies, eat well and get outside as much as possible.
Read more: How to Improve Your Mental Health in Winter.
Stop Feeling Tired in Winter With Arella Beauty Liquid Collagen
If you’re always tired in winter, take our collagen supplement daily to rejuvenate your body and get a much-needed energy increase. You can also reduce fatigue with high-quality sleep and soul-warming, comforting foods. Look after yourself and stop feeling tired all the time in winter with Arella Beauty.
Read next:
- How to Improve Your Mental Health in Winter
- Always Tired? Why You're Exhausted and How to Fix It
- 10 Evening Routine Tips for Better Sleep
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Written by Emma Carey for Arella Beauty.
Emma is a holistic beauty and wellness writer. She has three years of experience in the well-being industry and a Master’s degree in Creative Writing and Wellness. Check out her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
