Sleepy season is well and truly upon us. From waking up when it’s still dark to fighting off lurgies and simply spending more time indoors, many of us feel more tired in winter.
A YouGov survey found that one in eight UK adults feels tired all the time. And then there’s SAD (seasonal affective disorder), which, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, affects around three per cent of adults in the UK during the winter months with symptoms including low mood and low energy levels.
So, how can we feel more energised at this time of year? Start with water. “Hydration is really important in winter,” explains registered dietitian Helen Bond, flagging that it’s tempting to think we don’t need to drink as much water when it’s cold outside.
“Irrespective of the weather, you need to keep on top of your fluid intake if you want to stay energised and alert, because even mild dehydration leads to tiredness.” Bond adds that women need around 1.6 litres of water per day (around eight glasses), while men need two litres (around 10). “That’s on top of the water provided by your food, with soup, fruit and vegetables also being good sources of fluid.”
How can you tell if you’re drinking enough water? “Take the colour of your urine as your guide,” says Bond, noting a healthy colour is that of pale straw. “Tea and coffee also count towards your fluid intake, but not alcohol, which will dehydrate you.”
But it doesn’t stop at hydration. We asked Bond and other experts to devise the ultimate daily routine for staying energised in the winter months. Of course, you might need to shuffle these times around slightly depending on when and if you leave the house for work.
7am: Wake up
“Aim to wake up at the same time each day,” says Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert and author of How To Sleep Well. “If you wake up at roughly the same time, your body starts to prepare you for the day ahead by releasing the hormone cortisol 90 minutes before you wake.” Though cortisol is known as the “stress hormone”, Dr Stanley explains that “it’s also the ‘gives you the energy to get out of bed hormone’, helping us feel less groggy and more refreshed in the mornings.”
Not only does keeping a regular sleep pattern give you more energy, but it can also improve your heart health. A 2020 study found that adults with irregular sleeping habits are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease as those who wake up at the same time each day. In 2023, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US found that waking up at the same time each day is as good for your heart as exercise and a healthy diet.
7.30am: Get a dose of daylight
Open your curtains wide, or get outside for a morning walk – either way, treat your eyes to a good dose of daylight first thing. “Sunlight is nature’s way of telling you to be awake, so getting sunlight as soon as you wake is the best thing you can do to start your day feeling alert,” says Dr Stanley.
7.45am: Take Vitamin D
Now is the time to start taking your vitamin D supplement, says Bond. “The NHS recommends taking a vitamin D supplement between October and March, when the UK sun is not strong enough. I take it all year round for my energy levels, but it also helps with bone and teeth health, and your immune system.” As well as taking supplements, she also advises looking for it in food sources, such as oily fish, eggs, and mushrooms.
7.50am: Have a cold shower
Every morning – winter included – fitness expert and celebrity personal trainer Matt Roberts turns his shower to cold for around 90 seconds, which he says causes a release of the “feel-good hormone” dopamine and adrenaline, which increases our energy levels. A study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences backs this up, finding that it increases our heart rate, circulation, and energy throughout the day.
8.15am: Do some light exercise
“Any exercise, at any time of the day, is good for us,” continues Roberts. However, the reason morning exercise is so good for us is that our bodies start burning off energy much earlier in the day. “The ideal morning should start with a 30-minute walk followed by your breakfast.” Although he acknowledges this is often easier to do at weekends, unless you can factor in a walk to work.
It will also make you feel mentally more alert and energised: a 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that morning exercise led to better decision making and concentration. A 2017 study from the University of Georgia found that study participants felt more energised after going up and down stairs for 10 minutes than they did after a strong coffee – and the energising effects lasted longer.
9.30am: Have an energising breakfast
While there is no ideal time to have breakfast, the right one will keep you energised all morning, explains Bond. “I usually have a bowl of porridge, which keeps releasing energy slowly all morning,” she says. “Porridge oats are also great for your digestion, which helps with energy levels.”
Nutritionist Sam Rice, author of Supercharge Your Diet, says if you have more time, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast with a side of wilted spinach is the perfect energising breakfast. “Focus on having a balanced breakfast containing complex carbs, plenty of lean protein, and some healthy fats to fill you up and keep you energised,” she says.
Breakfast should contain complex carbs, plenty of lean protein, and some healthy fats (Photo: haoliang/E+/Getty)11am: Offer to do the tea round
Nothing will kill your get-up-and-go more than not getting up at all. A 2016 study published in the British Medical Journal found that constant sitting lowers the heart rate and impacts the sleep/wake cycle, leading to feelings of tiredness. The Australian authors found that taking regular light-intensity activity breaks (in other words, walking) every 30 minutes acts as “an effective fatigue countermeasure” and helps increase energy levels.
This is particularly important if you work from home and don’t factor in natural movement breaks, like walking to the tube or popping out for a sandwich at lunch. So, whether you work in an office or from home, make sure you’re walking around at least every 30 minutes, even if it’s to make a cup of tea, or walk over to a colleague’s desk rather than sending an email.
1pm: Have protein and carbs at lunch
There’s a reason our energy levels often crash in the afternoons. “It’s known as a ‘postprandial dip,'” says Bond. “A good dose of protein at lunch is your best frontline defence against an afternoon energy slump. Your lunch should always contain slightly fewer carbs than your breakfast if you want to avoid that.”
But don’t avoid them altogether, says Rice. “Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source, but we need the complex, nutritious kind for sustained, slow-release energy. Nuts, oats and other wholegrains, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroot, pumpkin and squash are on my winter shopping list.”
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Read More 4pm: Keep moving
A 2008 study from the University of Georgia found that some exercise in the afternoons can increase our energy levels by 20 per cent. Of course, many of us are at work in the afternoons, so a gym session isn’t always possible. But Roberts says: “What you can do, is take a brisk walk around the block or briskly walk up a couple of flights of stairs. Any kind of movement will energise you.”
7pm: Have a light, nutritious dinner
Now is the time you want to start optimising for good quality sleep. Research has often pointed to eating carb and calorie-heavy meals less than an hour before bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep, despite the lethargic lull that often follows this sort of food. For the most part, experts recommend eating two to four hours before going to bed so you’ve got enough time to digest properly. Similarly, try to avoid high-intensity exercise in this window, too, as various research as linked it to poor quality of sleep.
10.30pm: Go to bed
Dr Stanley says the key to restorative sleep is “to go to bed at roughly the same time each night, and as soon as you start to feel sleepy”. The problem with that, he admits, is that night-time is more fun – dinner with friends, your favourite TV show, or scrolling on your phone often beats an early night. So don’t fret if you just can’t make this happen. “Whether you go to bed at 10pm or 3am, what matters more is waking up at the usual time the next day,” he says. “It’s better for your health to have a consistent morning routine than a consistent night-time one.”
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