Winter blues in Rochdale? The answer could be on your doorstep!

It's the dead of winter, we're in the north of England, and the days are about as short as they get. There's not much that can be done to beat the winter blues when you live in rainy Rochdale, right? Wrong, apparently...

According to some local fitness and mental health experts, Rochdale’s location is quite the ideal place to live if you want to tackle that winter sluggishness. Not because we have glorious sunshine as we all know that’s not the case, but because we live amongst some of the biggest "mood lifters" - which are scientifically proven to boost our health, mood and overall well being. No, we're not referring to the pubs (though there's no shortage of good ones in Rochdale), what we’re actually referring to is...our glorious, largely unmatched, outdoor beauty spots.

Many of the hidden gems in and around the borough tend to be overlooked by the average Rochdalian, especially when the weather is less than inviting. But with physical fitness being so closely connected with mental and emotional health, one has to wonder what they truly have to offer in terms of banishing those glum moods. According to professional fitness and strength coach Andy Lavery, who runs his own gym in Rochdale, living in the borough has major benefits for beating the winter blues. A simple stroll around Hollingworth Lake, or a wander through Healey Dell, can be enough to kick-start those feel-good chemicals that ultimately change how we feel - making it much easier to tolerate those dark and cold days.

Andy, who founded Apocalypse Training Systems in Rochdale, has been helping local people reach physical fitness since 2017, and runs kids' classes to help keep the younger generation more active.

Also a keen walker and fan of the local outdoors, Andy says that our local green spaces could be used more for tackling mental health issues, as well as the common seasonal blues that some of us can experience at this time of year.

He said: "There are tons of reasons people struggle more in winter. Obviously the darker nights and colder weather makes people less likely to move their bodies, which can lead to a decreased mood. "But then, if you look at the time of year as well, it’s a time of increased stress with things like work deadlines, holidays, pressures at Christmas and so on.

"To top it all people are generally out and about less and it can be a lonely time."

He added: "It's great to join a gym community that only wants you to win, but you can start by arranging a walk with a friend.

"Living in Rochdale, we're surrounded by some amazing walking routes with views that would match anywhere else in the country, and for most are less than a 10 minute drive away."

According to the NHS, a brisk, 10 minute walk can improve your stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier, all whilst keeping your mental health in check.

But nutrition also has a huge part to play. David Leeming who runs The Health Food Centre in Rochdale town centre, says it's worth being mindful of the vitamins and minerals we are using throughout winter to keep our levels up when it’s needed the most.

He said: "Improving one's mental health through diet involves a multitude of things, eliminating junk such as excess sugars, alcohol, any food groups that interfere with the body's natural detoxification pathways, so gut health is crucial.

"Minerals such as zinc are so important, as is anything that boosts our feel good hormones, some of which are manufactured in the gut. Supplements such as multivitamin are a useful adjunct to the diet.

He added: "The winter months require a targeted approach to good health, so reducing sugar is good, as it can lower white blood cell count. Vitamins such as C and D work well, as well as zinc. Herbs such as elderberry and echinacea are good additions to the natural medicine cabinet, as they are anti-viral.

"Probiotics are things everyone should consider, as their effect on immunity is well documented. This is an enormous subject, and we pride ourselves at the Healthfood Centre in recommending the right products for the individual."

You can find the Health Food Centre on 2 Cheetham St, Rochdale OL16 1DL, Monday to Saturday between 9.00 and 17.00.

Kirsty Rigg - Features Writer / Images Mark Jolly

Top tips for beating the winter blues by Andy Lavery - Apocalypse Training Systems

1 - MAKE A REPEATABLE SLEEP ROUTINE

Use a phone as a reminder to start winding things down at a certain time each evening. I have a reminder set on my phone at 9:15pm to start winding down. That means the phone goes to 'do not disturb', TV volume is reduced and so on.

2 - WRITE TO-DO LISTS

As someone who has suffered anxiety in the past, writing a list of things I am doing today is single handedly the most productive thing I’ve included in my daily routine. It gives me focus and structure, the lack of both of these were (and still are) the route of my anxieties. I recommend not making a list bigger than 3-5 main jobs for the day. For me, if I have more to-do then they have to wait for another day. Whether it's an online community, a walking group, a gym class or coaching group, you can find someone to help keep you accountable for your new lifestyle and create new, positive habits that promote the life and wellbeing you deserve.

4 - GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D

I rarely promote supplements and vitamins, but I make sure I take vitamin D tablets when daylight is shorter than usual and I can’t get outside in the sun…or what there is of it at this time of year. There is a good amount of research linking vitamin D to reducing depression and anxiety too.

5 - TAKE UP A CHALLENGE!

Try something like a couch to 5k challenge, or learning to lift weights. It can even be learning to play a musical instrument, it doesn’t matter. Take on something that excites you… then implement point 3.