Beat the Blues with the Brights

Time is flying past before our eyes right now - it seemed like just yesterday we were in the heart of summer complaining of the unbearable heat - and oh how we wish we now hadn't! 

After the clocks went back last weekend, it feels like proper winter. The nights are getting longer, and soon the delightful golden-brown hues of Autumn will make way for sugar-coated winter landscapes, we'll feel the rejuvenating icy air brush our cheeks, and there will be the beautiful shimmer of morning dew creating a magical carpet before our eyes. 

With party season looming and Santa coming (we hope he has a sleigh full of SH boxes!), we can't forget that the changing seasons don't delight everyone. Around 1 in 15 of us in the UK suffer from wintertime 'seasonal affective disorder', (more commonly known as SAD) - a form of depression triggered by lack of sunlight. 

In winter, it's perfectly normal to feel a bit slower, less energized, be lacking in concentration, excessively eating or sleeping, withdrawing from friends and family and generally just feeling sad. 

Did you manage to pay a visit to Sarah's Winter Bright's Bag Bar this weekend? It's bursting with feel good colours and products to lift your spirits and add some joy to your day. But be quick - it closes this coming Sunday!

But for all the cold weather haters out there who resonate with this, take heart - as there are plenty ways to avoid slipping into a wintery slump! 

We caught up with our very own Jo Tocher to get her top tips on beating the winter blues! For those of you who don't know Jo, she is a very talented transformational coach, holistic therapist and aromatherapist with years of experience under her belt helping people change their lives for the better!

Here's her top tips for beating the blues...

✨Try to get as much natural sunlight as possible – even a brief lunchtime walk can be beneficial. 

✨Take plenty of regular exercise!

Exercise can have mood lifting affects that are as good as taking anti-depressant medication. Feelings of sadness and low self confidence tend to arise when people are more sedentary, so finding ways to stay active to benefit from the natural endorphins released through physical fitness is key. 

The most recommended form of exercise to beat the blues is an outdoor walk in daylight. Make it a reason to grab your new Winter Bright's bag and pound the pavements showing her off in all of her glory!

Our brains are naturally a sugar hungry organ, and in the colder months we more often than not find ourselves reaching towards the biscuit tin or treat cupboard. But by eating sugary foods that may give us an instant boost, we will find that a slump will soon follow. 

It's super important to fill our diets with plenty Vitamin D - the 'sunshine vitamin'. Step 1 - check out this website here, packed full of fantastic recipes that are rich in yummy & nutritional goodness. 

Step 2 - grab your beautifully bright Fern and get yourself down to the supermarket to fill her with wonderfully healthy ingredients to get cooking in the kitchen!

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✨ If possible, avoid stressful situations and take steps to manage stress, - deep breaths always help
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✨ Lots of self-care and time for what makes you happy 😃  

Creating time for what makes you happy and indulging in self care is so important! It's not in the slightest bit selfish, it's absolutely necessary. As woman, we have a tendency to feel guilty for taking time to ourselves, but as Jo says, it's important for our wellbeing to do so. 

Whether it's lighting a candle, soaking in a bubble bath filled with essential oils (Jo's collection can be found here), or popping on a sleep mask and taking a nap, it's important that you do what makes you feel good! 

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✨Using essential oils to lift your mood can also alleviate some symptoms of SAD. 

Diffuse into your room, use an uplifting room spray.  Uplifting essential oils tend to be the citrus ones, such as Bergamot, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Lemongrass, May chang (Litsea) and the sunniest of all oils, Grapefruit.  The JOY blend Jo created is perfect for this, uplifting and enhancing our JOY!

 You can shop Jo's full collection here! 

But her top tip? Surround yourself with what brings you JOY!