Two friends relaxing on a sofa with their eyes closed, holding mugs.

Winter wellness: look and feel great this winter

Winter can be a toughie, especially if you’re a summer lover, those winter blues can be hard to shift. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Winter comes around every year, so it only makes sense to embrace it with open (sleeved!) arms.

The sunlight may be a rarity in the colder months, but there are some things you can do to make sure you still shine bright all winter long, including:

making sure to nourish your body with nutrients and energy it needs to tackle even the greyest day
forget sad, dry skin that comes creeping in with the cold keep your skin bright, soft and beautiful with winter skincare
last but not least, get your sleep routine down to restore your mind and body at the end of every day – it is the season of snuggling up with a blanket after all!

Not sure where to start? Keep reading and let us guide you through our best winter wellness tips.

Keep your energy high

Regardless of what time of year it is, feeling energised and capable of tackling whatever the day throws at you is essential for your wellbeing. However, we fully get that grey, drizzly days can make this seem 10 x harder.

Our bodies are complex things, and the internal systems that regulate our energy levels and mood need certain vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients to function efficiently. So, if you feel like you could do with some help with your energy levels, the following nutrients could do the trick:

B vitamins

B vitamins are essential for keeping our energy levels up, as they support your normal energy-yielding metabolism. When that’s running nice and smoothly, you should feel less tiredness and fatigue. B vitamins also help your body to form red blood cells, help cell division and help keep your hair and nails looking fab.

Try it: H&B B Complex & B12

Iron

Iron is one of the most important minerals for our body, especially when it comes to mood and energy. If you’re not getting enough from your diet, try a supplement to help reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue, as well as help your brain function normally.

Try it: H&B Iron liquid

5-HTP

5-HTP is made by the body from the amino acid tryptophan, which is transformed into serotonin – a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood. Feeling content and happy usually helps us to feel more energetic, so why not give 5-HTP a go this winter?

Try it: H&B 5-HTP 50mg

Energy supplements

If you want a good all-rounder of a supplement that can support your energy levels throughout the day, we recommend trying our H&B Energy Gummy. It contains vitamins A, D, E, and C, as well as B vitamins, taurine and caffeine – covering a lot of bases!

Sometimes an energy drink is all you need to keep some pep in your step, especially on those days when it was a struggle to get out of bed, let alone go to the gym! Next time you have a craving, try Tenzing Natural Energy Drink for all of the natural energy and none of the nasties.

Love your skin this winter

Just because it’s cool and crisp outside, it doesn’t mean your skin has to follow suit. Your skin may need a little TLC in the colder months, but with the right products for your skin, you can make sure it glows all year long. Here are some of our top tips:

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Our skin needs all the moisture it can get during the winter months. Try our intense and antioxidant-rich CBD day cream for your face and let Weleda Skin Food Body Butter soak into your skin overnight for soft, glowy and beautiful skin.
Don’t forget SPF. Those harmful rays can still get through when it’s cloudy and raining.
Limit your HOT hot baths and showers. We know, a scorching bath or shower can feel pretty heavenly after coming in from the cold. However, too many hot baths and showers can strip oils from your skin and dry it out. Try to turn the temperature down to lukewarm.
Wrap up warm. As simple as it sounds, donning your woolly gloves and scarf is one of the best things you can do for your skin during the winter months.
Ease up on the exfoliating. Exfoliating can get rid of the flaky skin that pops up when its cold outside but doing it too often could cause irritation. Try to limit your exfoliating and choose more natural scrubs for when you do indulge.
Prepare your arsenal. Always have a decent lip balm and rich hand cream at the ready to nourish your skin on the go.

Sleep better, feel better

Sleep is so important. Unless you’ve mastered meditation, it’s the only real time your mind is able to shut off from everyday life. The same goes for your body, sleep is when your body repairs and recuperates, and a getting a good night’s sleep on the regular is essential if you want to lead a happy and healthy life.

Our top tips for getting a good night’s kip:

Enjoy bright days and make sure to avoid too much artificial light in the evening to support your natural sleep cycle (Circadian Rhythm)
Get into a regular ‘waking up’ and ‘going to bed’ routine going to help tune-in to your normal sleep-wake cycle
Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet
Write down your worries before bed (if you have them)
Exercise regularly
Lay off the stimulants a little – try reducing your coffee intake little by little
In fact, don’t drink much of anything 1-2 hours before you plan to sleep
Avoid sleeping on a full or empty stomach

If you want to read more about these tips, check out our 10 expert tips to help you sleep better.

There are also natural remedies and supplements that you can take to help you get better sleep, like:

Land a good night’s sleep with lavender

Feeling calm and sleeping well go hand-in-hand, and lavender could help you do both. Try spraying relaxing lavender sleep mist on your pillow before you go to bed or simply inhale some lavender oil to help you catch those ZZZs.

Read more about lavender oil here