Beat Shorter Days and Darker Nights @ Girl-Doll Fashion Gossip

XML

There are benefits to every season, but the one thing that bothers me the most is the short days of the winter months. It seems like I walk out of school in the afternoon and it suddenly it’s dark and feels like bedtime before I even have dinner. The days feel shorter and somehow (I know it’s not scientifically possible) the nights feel darker. I can tell that sometimes these dark nights actually spoil my mood and make me feel a bit gloomy. For those of us out there trying to beat the short days and dark nights, it’s a matter of lighting up the gloom.

Use the Daylight!

With the sky getting darker before seven right now and soon to be six in the evening, it’s important to take advantage of every hour of sunlight there is. I’m setting the alarm earlier and doing some stretches in the morning with the sunlight coming through the windows. I’m not taking any naps or even closing my eyes in the afternoon. I use up my energy in the daylight hours and if I’m tired, I go to bed earlier. That way I don’t feel like I’m missing anything since I’m sleeping during the dark night instead of the bright day.

Get Outside

Being outside and taking some deep breaths of air is hugely therapeutic and can boost your mood in a serious way. Make it a point to drag your books outside every afternoon and study in the pockets of sunshine you can find. Walk to school so that you can walk home in the dusky afternoon light. Open your windows and let the outside in. Immerse yourself in the fading sunlight and fresh air and you’ll feel less enclosed in the darkness and more peaceful overall.

Stay Active

The dark can be a downer, so you should beat it with a few boosting exercises. Skip the peaceful exercises like yoga in the early evening, and opt instead of exciting kickboxing or dancing exercises. You’ll be moving and grooving like nobody’s business and you can imagine yourself in the exciting night life of the big city with the dark outside rather than the oppressive darkness of bedtime. Beat away the blahs with plenty of loud music and big movements.

Don’t End Your Days Early

If the dark makes you feel like you should just pack it in early, try to avoid the temptation if it’s bringing you down. It is far better to just continue your day by the clock than by the weather outside sometimes. Turn on your ultra-bright kitchen lights and bake your friends some cookies. Hide in your room with every lamp turned on and your music going and talk and chat with your friends. Put your back to the dark windows and you’ll likely forget that it’s even night time out there until your clock tells you it’s quitting time.

Of course, if you’ve been in the habit of staying up too late, the dark nights can be a great time to restructure your days by the clock rather than by the sun. Get home from evenings out earlier and take care of homework and the like earlier in the evening as well. Go to bed at the right time and you’ll soon feel better and more energized. After all, once you do go to bed in the inky black night, it’s awesome to snuggle down into the blankets and sleep like the dead.