Have you ever noticed yourself getting sluggish when the weather changes? It seems that with winter comes increased tiredness. You’re not alone; many people experience this. A lot of people often experience symptoms of seasonal depression. Even if you don’t experience seasonal depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, the bleak winter months might cause some changes to your mood. Continue reading to find out more about human hibernation and the effects winter can have on our bodies.
Can Humans Hibernate?
The short answer is no; humans can’t hibernate. However, as winter settles in, many people notice that their moods can change. The cold weather makes us want to stay hunkered indoors. The long periods of darkness can make us somewhat depressed and can have us feeling tired more often. Many people experience a lack of motivation and want to stay indoors.
The Negative Impacts of Hunkering Down
While we may lose motivation and want to stay hunkered down during the winter months, this can lead to many adverse effects. The more we lay around, the less active our bodies become, leading to increased sluggishness. Many people also end up adding layers of fat during the winter months.
The more we allow the winter to keep us indoors, the worse it is for our bodies. Active bodies are healthy bodies. We need to keep this in mind even during the cold, dreary months of winter.
What to do Instead
Rather than avoiding the cold, we must keep a sense of normalcy even during the winter months. We need to keep our bodies active. Find activities that you can continue to do in the winter. If you’re used to going on jogs or bike rides outside, consider joining a gym so you can continue to get some exercise. It might even be a good idea to join a personal training class at your local gym so that you can be more motivated to go. It’s not a bad idea to find a motivated gym buddy so you can help motivate each other and hold each other accountable for keeping up with your exercise regimen.
West Coast Strength is more than your average fitness center, we’re a community. We have many different amenities and personal training classes for all types of gym-goers. Don’t wait to start your free 7-day trial!
