(NC) -- This is the best time of the year for resetting our priorities and starting out fresh with better and healthier habits. It is also wintertime, when those beautiful sunny days make us feel like we can climb any mountain but the lack of light produces the opposite effect: without it, our batteries are hard to recharge. Here are some tips to make 2014 your best year yet.

Go outside for a walk during lunchtime

This seems simplistic. However, if you think about it, we often eat too fast (sometimes in front of our computers). Take time to walk outside for a few minutes after eating. This daily dose of sunlight can make all the difference and you won't feel like you haven't seen the light of day.

Put some sun into your plate

In the height of summer, 10 to 15 minutes in the sun, two to three times per week, is enough to meet your vitamin D needs. However, in the winter, our exposure to daylight is often far from sufficient. A study reported one third of Canadians are deficient in vitamin D during the winter. To make up for this lack of sun you can take supplements or eat certain types of food. Did you know that a portion of salmon is enough to reach 90 per cent of your daily requirement of vitamin D?

Benefit from the goodness of light therapy

To get your dose of light before even starting out the day, a good option is the Philips Wake-up Light. It reproduces a gradual sun rise over a 30 minute period and helps you wake up in a more natural and pleasant way than the beeping of an alarm-clock – contributing to a better mood and energy level.

Philips has also developed the goLITE BLU, a light therapy device you can slip into your handbag and use it at your desk for 15 – 45 minutes for an energy boost instead of an afternoon coffee break or when you want the blue sky of summer back.