Have you ever left the house only to see a dark and bleak sky, and you instantly know that your day will be a boring and gloomy one? This shows how many of us experience surrounding and seasonal moods that affect our mental and physical well-being.

Most of us are familiar with the saying ‘Seasons come and go’ but we don’t usually acknowledge that the seasons may bring with them different experiences and changes that may have lasting effects on our lives.

Seasons come with their complexities and evoke different feelings and emotions. While summer can bring you heat and brightness, evoking playfulness and joy. Winter brings coldness and darkness, and that often evokes gloomy feelings.

Have you ever thought of what would happen if we embraced the coldness and stillness of winter by slowing down and restoring our well-being? In addition, actively working on challenging our health and emotions?

Here are a few winter wellness tips to boost your well-being, while staying warm and safe:

1. Create a Routine

Creating a cozy routine you look forward to can help you evade the feelings of winter blues. Find things you enjoy on a cold day, such as regular movie nights, reading a book close to a heater or fireplace, chatting with a loved one, or just comfortably being under the blankets drinking hot tea while munching on marshmallows. These are things that you could do on a daily.

2. Be Active and Keep Moving

Winter often makes us lose interest in physical activities that we might have enjoyed in other seasons. Exercising can be challenging as the days are short and dark, and the weather makes us less motivated.

 Although we might not be able to participate in some of our usual outdoor activities, there are plenty of indoor activities.

Here are some ideas:  

• Try a new activity like Yoga or Tai chi, as a gentle exercise. https://amzn.to/3PytqF1
• Try going outdoors for a short mindful, and atmospheric walk while enjoying the calming and stillness of winter.
• Try some deep stretching, and if you are lazy do some chair-based exercises. https://amzn.to/3IPGd1W

3. Pay Attention to Your Health

When we are feeling down or about to get sick, our bodies usually alert us that something is wrong with our health. Sometimes we ignore the warnings and keep straining ourselves. But if we listen and slow down, we can better take of ourselves and allow our bodies to heal.

Winter self-care is important, so looking after yourself also requires you to stock up on medication that can relieve colds and flu. Most importantly eat healthy food and make sure to have enough rest to protect your mental and physical health.

4. Be Comfortable and Warm

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Winter is such a slow-moving season where all you want to do is sleep, eat, and just laze around while being comfortable. Although comfort is important, you must be mindful of how you go about it.

Firstly, be mindful of the food you eat, and make sure to keep a balanced diet. It’s normal to crave all kinds of food in winter, but you must include healthy warm winter dishes with nutrients, vitamins, and delicious flavors.

Secondly, if you decide to stay indoors make sure your surroundings are nice and warm. Essentials you need to keep in mind are an electric blanket, a heater, a hot-water bottle, and a warm blanket with a hot beverage.

Lastly, when you go outside make sure you are wearing thick warm clothes. Layer up with warm clothes, such as gloves, jackets, coats, and so on. What matters is that you are comfortable and warm.

5. Take care of Your Mental Health

Being indoors most of the time and not getting enough sunlight can greatly affect our mood, resulting in low energy and feeling down. Furthermore, at times we often end up overthinking, having hormonal imbalances, and low-immune systems that can negatively affect our mental health.

Here are a few things to do to help with your mental health in winter:

• Journaling- Cozy up next to a fireplace with a warm blanket and reflect on your feelings for the day or what you are grateful for in your life.
• Keep in touch with loved ones- connecting with loved ones can improve your mood and also help you with loneliness.
• Be Active- Short walks, breathing exercises, and meditation can help reduce stress and help with anxiety and overthinking while at home.
• Start a Hobby- Start painting, play a new instrument, or read a book. This can help stimulate your mind and get you busy and active.

Winter can be lonely and isolating sometimes, but when you take care of yourself it can also be a calming and rejuvenating season. This Winter take a step back and try to be more proactive in creating a healthy and happy winter where you protect yourself and take necessary steps for your wellness.