Less Daylight Doesn’t Have To Mean Shorter Days

African American woman with her little daughter with curly fluffy hair having fun and cooking pastries in the kitchen. Mom and daughter cooking together. Child pouring and sifting flour into a bowl.

Because of daylight savings time, the sun doesn’t shine as long in the winter as it does in the summer. In some parts of the country, the sun sets as early as 5:45. It’s easy to understand why so many people struggle with early darkness. However, there are still a lot of fun activities that’ll make the shorter winter days seem longer.

Start Exercising

When it’s cold outside, you might not feel like going to the gym. However, you can still exercise, just in the comfort and warmth of your home. You don’t even need a designated workout room. Instead, choose a form of exercise that you enjoy. If you have kids at home, encourage them to exercise with you.

Change Your Bedtime

Instead of the usual time, go to bed earlier in the winter. Doing this will make it easy to wake up earlier when it’s light outside. Keep in mind that it’ll take your body about a week to adjust to the new schedule. Even so, you’ll notice a big improvement in how you feel.

Venture Outside

Although you might feel tempted to stay indoors, you’ll still want to go outside. The air will give you a boost of energy and help clear your mind. Then you can meet a friend for lunch, go shopping, or walk around a local park or your neighborhood. Just be sure to bundle up so you’ll stay warm.

Avoid a Heavy Dinner

Often, people make heavier dishes in the winter. After all, most of them are rich and thick, making them delicious. However, heavy dinners can also make it difficult to fall asleep. Not only that, but if you plan to do something in the evening, you’ll feel sluggish. Whether you plan to go to bed early or head out with friends, stick to lighter meals in the evening.

Organize a Get Together With Friends

Laughter and good conversations are two of the best ways to get the most out of winter’s shorter days. That’s why organizing a get-together is such a great option. You can host a dinner party, movie night, or spend the evening playing board games. Regardless, this is a healthy way to combat winter.

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Spend Time in the Kitchen

Another way to make the short winter days easier to deal with is to make something in your kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you bake yummy cookies or pies or create an entire gourmet meal. Rather, it’s about quality time alone, with a spouse, or whipping something up with your child.

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