It's Even Better When This Is Out

 It is even better when the Aurora comes out to play.  It is always moving around as if it is alive. 

I Love Looking At The Night Sky

 

I love when it is clear enough to stand outside and enjoy the beautiful night sky.

Why Sunlight Is Important In The Winter

 

The hardest thing for me about winter is the lack of sunlight. Where I live in Alaska, there is like 4, maybe 5 hours of sunlight on the shortest days and I miss the bright sun shinning in my window. Even with the sun, it is often gray and cloudy outside so I notice it.  

I've noticed that I tend to be more energetic and happy when it's sunny out.  I pop out of bed, prepared to face the day but in winter, I tend to crawl out of bed, want to nap all the time, but I know spring isn't far away. If you read up on things, you will know that it is important to get enough sunlight even in the winter.  

One big reason that sunlight is important is that the sun helps boost your immune system while preventing disease.  When your skin is exposed to sunlight, the sun helps your T cells move consequently improving your immune system.  In addition, sunlight also helps your body produces 90 percent of vitamin D which is used by your body to build bones, control inflammation, and increase your immunity. Vitamin D also helps protect your body from certain types of cancer and slows down aging.  Yes, it is recommended one use sunscreen but you only need 15 minutes of exposure to the direct rays. This can be done by a short morning outing just before the sunscreen is applied.

Furthermore, sunlight helps improve your mood because it makes you feel good. Unfortunately, the amount of sunlight decreases during the winter and many people undergo SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and certain types of depression. If you can't get enough sunlight, buy a special light to use on days without enough sun.  

Sunlight also helps to improve your energy levels.  It perks you up and keeps you going. When the light hits your eyes, your brain is told to wake up and release the cortisol your body needs to increase your metabolism so you make it through the day.  When your body is exposed to the sun at least 15 minutes every day in the morning, it tells your body to stop producing melatonin which is the hormone responsible for helping us sleep, helping us wake up. 

Research has also found that when you are exposed to sunlight year round, it helps you live longer.  In fact, specific research shows that the women who were exposed to a minimum amount of sun every day over a 20 year period, tended to live much longer than those who didn't.  Furthermore, when the body is exposed to UV rays, the body produces nitric oxide which helps keep your weight down and slows the development of type 2 diabetes.  In addition, being exposed to sunlight helps lower our blood pressure. 

It is easy to forget about getting enough sun during the winter due to the temperature drops, snow, storms, wind, and other things.  I don't always get outside but I do have a window open I sit by so I can get some sunlight.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great weekend.

Why Is It Important To Exercise In Winter.

 

As I look out my window, the ground is covered in snow.  I don't know what the temperature is but I know it snowed more last night because the car is covered in it.  With the colder temperatures, the shorter days, and longer nights, I find I have to push myself to exercise.  It's hard to get enthused to go to the gym when you have to prewar the car, put on your coat, shoes, etc to protect you and head off when it is so much easier to just say "I'll do it tomorrow" but as we know tomorrow never comes.  It's even hard to get motivated to exercise at home some days because we get into the snuggle up with a hot drink mentality. 

There are some important reasons to keep exercising through winter.  One is that it helps us work on the body that we want to have during the summer.  It also helps us keep over eating under control and get air into our lungs.  In addition, some of the benefits are more noticeable in winter.

First, when we can exercise outside, we expose ourselves to the sun, our bodies get Vitamin D because the sun provides that.  There are very few foods that provide you with vitamin D so when you expose your bare skin to the sun, you are bathed in it.  I live so far north, it's too hard to exercise outdoors so I have to take a supplement but if you have decent weather, get out there and enjoy the sun.

Second, participating in a workout helps warm your body up naturally.  When you workout, your core temperature helps sooth and calm your body.  It does it in the same way as soaking in a hot bath. Furthermore, regular exercise helps makes your immune system stronger because exercising makes your blood pump through your body circulating your immune cells throughout.  This helps your body fight infections and you stay healthier.  Although the effects only last a short time after the workout, it is important to exercise regularly to enjoy the long term effects of protection.

In addition, when you work out daily, your body releases chemicals that help you feel good, helps destress you, and eases depression.  When you workout, your brain releases serotonin and dopamine so you feel better and if you do this daily, you feel better the whole winter.   The best thing is that exercise helps keep the traditional winter weight gain especially when combined with proper eating.  

Now if you live in a place where you can exercise outside, there are some advantages to that.  You get direct exposure to the sun, are able to breathe in fresh air, and so many other things.  It is shown that exposure to the cold can help improve your endurance because your heart doesn't have to pump as hard, you sweat less and your exercise becomes more efficient.  There is also research to indicate that exercising outdoors in cold weather can help turn your stubborn white belly fat into calorie burning fat. 

If you decide to exercise outdoors, be sure to warm up properly, protect your head, feet, and hands, wear sunscreen, and stay hydrated.  In addition, check with your doctor if you have certain conditions.  I do not exercise outside in super cold temperatures because it can trigger my asthma so I stay inside but once it has warmed up, I'm off walking. It doesn't matter if you work out indoors or outdoors, just do it regularly. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Keeping All Your Skin Beautiful And Hydrated In Winter

 It is winter time when the cold and wind does a job on our hair, face, and overall skin. I often forget about my skin until I discover it is flakey and dry.  I sometimes get so busy, I just shower, take care of the face but don't bother with my skin.  Even if your skin does not get to the rough, flakey stage, it can become dull due to the temperatures, indoor heat, wind, and low humidity levels.  

Not all signs of dry skin are obvious.  In addition to dry flakey skin, your skin might turn red, become rough, itch like crazy, become raw and irritated, have cracks, or you might experience a stinging or burning.  These symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the person.  Dry skin is referred to as Xerosis in the medical community.   I also realize that most of the suggestions are similar to those recommended for your face but we still need to be reminded to take care of the rest of the skin properly.

Although it seems as if dry skin is always around in winter, there are steps you can take to make it easier to have beautifully hydrated skin throughout the season.  As soon as you are done with your shower, slather a moisturizing lotion or cream all over your body because when you shower, you wash away your natural oils and they need to be replaced.  

We've talked about protecting your face with sunscreen throughout the winter but you also need to apply it all over the exposed areas of the skin even if you wear a coat or sweater.  The sleeves can ride up, exposing your skin to the sun and cold.  Any time UV rays hit your skin, the barrier helping to keep your skin hydrated can be disrupted and this can lead to dry skin. Always apply the sunscreen on top of the moisturized skin and use one rated at least 30 SPF.

Use the thicker emollients at night because they take so much longer to be absorbed.  This gives your skin a chance to absorb all the oils and nutrients it needs.  If you use oils or emollients on your hands or feet, think about wrapping them in plastic or gloves to help protect the bedding while helping the absorption rate increase.  Think about using products that have shea butter, cocoa butter, reship or jojoba oil because these ingredients help provide a protective barrier to lock in the moisture and oils.

If you notice your skin is more sensitive or irritated in the winter, you might want to simplify your routine with just a moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning, perhaps a gentle cleaner for the body instead of the usual body wash.  In addition, the irritation could be due to the fragrance in your body wash.  Pull out the humidifier to use all winter long.  Too often the air inside the house loses moisture and that in turn can make your skin drier.  When you run a humidifier all winter long, it keeps the moisture in the air, which helps keep your skin in better shape. 

Instead of taking a hot, hot, shower, switch to a lukewarm temperature because the hot water strips away your natural oils, leaving your skin drier.  When you are done with the shower, don't forget to pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it dry because that helps the skin stay hydrated.  Furthermore, watch the amount of exfoliation you use.  If your skin is drier, you might want to switch to a chemical exfoliant as they are more gentle to the skin than using a physical one.

As stated before, many of these steps are the same you'd do for your face but you have to remember to take care of your whole body.  Purchase a few small tubes of a good creme to carry with you at all times so you can take care of any issues while you are on your way.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

By Myself

 By myself.

Getting Away

 Need to get away from here.