Winter can be a tough time of year for a lot of us, as the weather gets colder and the nights get longer. To help support you this season, our expert team have come up with some winter wellbeing top tips, to support you with your mental, physical and social health.

1. Maintain a healthy wake/sleep cycle

Samantha Gaunt, zeno’s Delivery Director recommends looking after your sleep routine to support your overall wellbeing; “Whilst hibernation mode is always tempting in Winter, over sleeping can in fact leave you feeling more sluggish throughout the day. Research suggests that following a regular sleep wake routine, rather than adopting erratic sleeping patterns can leave you feeling healthier, more energised and happier as a result. Life will inevitably interfere but aiming to sleep between 7-9 hours per night uninterrupted will positively impact all other areas of manageable health – nutrition, active minutes and stress management!”

2. Get Outside!

Take ex England Rugby Captain Jamie Peacock’s advice and get outside! “My tip for winter is the importance of still getting outside for 20 minutes a day! A 20-minute run would be great, a 20-minute walk just as good. So, take a break from working at home, embrace the colder weather and get out for 20-minutes once a day.”

3. Fill The Dark Mornings with Pockets of Joy

In the darkness of the winter months, staying connected with the small things in life that bring you joy on a personal level is so important. “From my own personal perspective, I love to read on topics such as personal growth and learning. In the winter months, I find I can easily spend that little bit longer in bed for the desire of the warm sheets as opposed to the cold floors. So, I make sure I fill my morning routine with 20-30 minutes of joy, so that I know that my first section of the day is a pleasure and not a chore. For you, this could be anything from walking the dog, listening to the radio or meditation. Wherever you find your small pockets of joy, be sure to fill each day with a bitesize version and be sure to do it often!” David Drake. Performance & Wellbeing Coach

4. Try meditation

Zeno’s Yoga and Meditation teacher Taylor Selby says, “Once winter hits it is all about keeping your immune system strong! Stress can be the immune system’s worst enemy. Meditation coupled with some heart opening yoga poses can not only help fight stress but also help you avoid getting colds and flu. Heart opening yoga postures such as cobra pose and bridge pose stimulate blood flow to the thymus which is the immune system’s frontline. Give yourself 10 minutes daily to find a guided meditation and move through some heart opening. Beat the stress through relaxing both body and mind!”

5. Listen To Your Body

Positive Psychology & Wellbeing Coach Laura Schober says, “Our body is constantly communicating with us, whether it’s hunger, exercise, connection to others or rest we need – our body will send us the message. Thus, if we learn to connect with our body through, for example, practising mindfulness, meditation, or journaling, we can read our physical and psychological needs way faster. Especially in winter, we sometimes simply do not have as much energy as during the bright summer months and that’s okay! Give your body what it needs and show compassion towards yourself!”

6. Enjoy The Change In Seasons

Operations Manager Annie loves walking through crunchy fallen leaves as the seasons change, “Try taking a mindful walk and noticing the changes in nature around you each day – it might surprise you!”

7. Stay Mobile to Avoid Freezing Up

Zeno’s Osteopath Ed Madeley recommends getting up for 20 seconds every 20 minutes to keep pain & stiffness away – especially in the cold.

8. Grab a hot shower and body brush

Georgie Britt, Performance & Wellbeing Coach at Zeno says, “It is vital throughout the winter that you keep your circulation and blood flow moving. If you find yourself getting cold and run down, have a hot shower or bath to encourage blood flow and follow by body brushing. Use a fine haired brush (boar’s hair brushes work really well) and always brush up in the direction of your heart, from down to up. This will help boost circulation, encourage lymphatic drainage and eliminates toxins from the body.”

9. Breathe

Yoga and Breathwork teacher Alice Rawsthorne recommends focusing on your breath; “One of the most effective ways to reduce stress and anxiety levels is to take conscious, deep, abdominal breaths. Intentional breathing can help to calm your mind, reduce tension and keep your blood oxygenated. And proper breathing techniques can directly reduce inflammation levels in the body, even helping to support your immune system – so even more important during winter. Find a quiet spot in your home or your office, place your hands on your belly and breathe into your abdominals, feel your belly raise and breathe out slowly, repeat as many times as you like until you start to feel calmer and more relaxed. If you’d like to take this a step further, try breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6 – this extended exhale helps to activate our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest, versus fight and flight) to increase those feelings of calm.”

10. Embrace it!

“Embrace the dark mornings and dark evenings. For many the darker days feel more of a struggle, however can we welcome the darker evenings to take life a little slower? Give yourself permission to spend the evenings reading a book, watching your favourite film with loved ones and recharging your batteries for the challenges ahead of a new day. You don’t need to feel guilty or lazy in order to do this, because you can try a short outdoor walk/activity to start your day and still see the natural daylight.” Tia Roqqa, Partnerships Manager.

Choose a couple of these tips and see if you can test them out this week – let us know how you get on!