22 ways to find your sunshine this winter

Here are some more ways to feel better this winter , as well as some healthy seasonal recipes and our favourite winter sun destinations.

Find it outdoors

Go green Exercising outdoors such as jogging, cycling and walking improves your mood and self-esteem more than working out indoors, numerous studies show. Being in nature or green spaces brings greater feelings of revitalisation and engagement. The benefits of green exercise include feeling less stressed, getting better quality sleep and more interest in sex.

Walk it off Even a 10-minute stroll releases the feel-good hormones endorphins and dopamine that lower anxiety and stress. A morning walk, even when it’s cloudy, also introduces your body to natural sunlight, which promotes wakefulness and suppresses the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. This exposure regulates our circadian rhythms – the body's internal 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. By bedtime as it gets darker our melatonin levels kick in and we’re more likely to sleep better.

Step it up It only takes a 15-minute jog to improve our mental wellbeing, research shows. If you’re new to running, get inspired by the Couch to 5K programme, which has you ready in just nine weeks.

Get in the saddle Replace that short commute or shopping trip by car with a bike ride for both physical and mental health benefits. A 20-minute leisurely journey burns up to 127 calories, so helps balance out all the winter comfort eats. Need motivation, use the Cycle Scheme’s calculator to see the health and environmental outcomes of swapping a car or train journey for your bike.

Join the Army for a session If you’re lacking motivation but respond well to instruction then an outdoor bootcamp could be the answer. This type of intense exercise will have you warmed up in no time and builds mental resilience as well as muscle power. Be Military Fit runs classes in parks around the country. They’re not for the faint-hearted, but you’ll get self-esteem boosting results.

Take a cold dip Swimming in cold water triggers a fight or flight response in the body which produces cortisol for an immune-boosting reaction. Evidence shows cold water immersion lowers the risk of infections and may even ward off that winter cold. Cold water induces the swimmer’s high as dopamine and serotonin levels soar. Find out about more benefits here.

Team sports There’s compelling evidence to show taking part in team sports builds self-esteem, confidence and reduces stress and anxiety. Being part of a team brings routine, commitment and a fun, social element.

Dog walks When we stroke or cuddle a pet, our body releases the love hormone oxytocin, says clinical psychologist Linda Blair in her book The Key to Calm. Dog walking is a sociable activity, helping you connect with other people. No dog, no problem, as Borrow My Doggy links you up with owners.

Find it with your friends

While it’s easy to want to stay indoors and hibernate, socialising has positive outcomes for our mood and self-esteem.

Green and pleasant A walk with friends in the park or any green space is so beneficial for our mental health that British physician Sir Muir Gray famously said that everyone needs a ‘natural health service’ as well as a National Health Service. People who garden daily have wellbeing scores 6.6 per cent higher and stress levels 4.2 per cent lower than people who don’t garden at all, RHS research shows. There are community gardening projects all around the UK where you can meet and create. Find your nearest project here.

Sing-alongs Belting out a rock classic at a singing group or the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah at your choir’s Christmas concert is confidence-boosting and helps with stress, research shows. Choral singing promotes mindfulness as it shuts down chatter in your head that may be making you anxious. Find groups near you at Some Voices and Pop Choir.

Shake your booty It’s hard to beat dancing when it comes to raising your spirits. It works as it brings together music, movement and a social activity, as the late Dr Michael Mosley discovered in his Just One Thing episode. Brain imaging studies show that dancing increases the hippocampus, the part of our brain associated with learning and memory.

Do some good deeds Helping others is a great way to improve our sense of worth. When you volunteer, you’ll make new connections, learn new skills as well as making a valuable commitment to your local community. A study by the British Medical Journal found that people who volunteered regularly have higher levels of wellbeing than those who never volunteered. Find opportunities through the British Voluntary Service here, or approach your local charity shop.

Wake up the grey matter Enrol in a class with a friend. It could be learning a language, a cookery or wine course or calligraphy evening. It’s one of the best ways to improve your mental health. Learning not only reduces stress, but encourages new brain connections and releases feel-good dopamine.

Find it on your plate

The vital vitamin Vitamin D is essential for our immunity and mood. It’s known as ‘the sunshine vitamin’ because it’s hard to get enough through diet alone in the winter months. Our bodies make vitamin D through exposure to direct sunlight on our skin in the summer. If you’re not eating the few food sources rich in this vitamin (see below), you may fall short. The UK government advises we take a supplement from October to March.

Oily fish Rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids – EPA and DHA, they help to keep depression at bay. A Harvard study showed depression is less common in countries where people eat plenty of oily fish such as salmon and tuna. Other food sources of vitamin D include eggs yolks, fortified cereals, red meat and fortified milks and drinks such as Horlicks and Ovaltine.

Dark chocolate It contains compounds such as antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids that work their magic on our brains by releasing serotonin. For the benefits, choose a bar with a high cocoa content of 60-85%.

Bananas This popular fruit contains the amin0 acid tryptophan that unlocks feel-good brain chemical serotonin to improves our mood and makes us less anxious. Eat one for breakfast with full-fat yogurt and nuts that both contain protein, as this combo will keep your energy levels up for longer. Other foods that contain tryptophan are chicken, steak, tofu, chia and sunflower seeds. Read more here.

Oats Make porridge your go-to breakfast or prepare a bircher muesli the night before, as research shows oats are good for helping to keep depression at bay. They’re also a good source of iron which we need for energy.

Blueberries and raspberries These fruits are high in anthocyanins that have been linked to lower instances of depression. Fresh and frozen both count so keep your freezer stocked. Find our delicious blueberry recipes here.

Leafy greens Vegetables such as kale, cabbage, rocket and Brussels sprouts contain the B vitamin, folate, which is key for brain function and our emotional wellbeing. A recent study showed that people who ate two portions of leafy greens daily experienced fewer memory problems.

Coffee The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant that instantly lifts our mood and makes us more alert. One to two cups a day have been shown to lift the spirits but more than four can create tension and anxiety. Other research found that a morning coffee really does make you happier if it’s drunk within two and a half hours of waking.

Head to the Med Research shows the plant-based Mediterranean Diet is linked to lower levels of depression. It’s nutrient-rich, limits fatty meats and focuses on poultry and fish and small amounts of dairy products. This diet can slow the decline of brain health as we age.