In the winter, the days are shorter, temperatures are colder and there’s less sunlight (trust me, I’m sad about it, too). These changes can affect us all in different ways. Some people find the winter months to be full of joy, while others get more down in the dumps than usual. Suppose you’re finding yourself feeling sadder than usual or struggling with symptoms of depression during this season of darkness. In that case, it may be time to consider some self-care practices that will help keep your mind and body healthy and preserve your overall happiness levels.
I want to emphasize that these are tips for the normal seasonal affective disorder (SAD) a lot of us deal with around this time of year. If you’re feeling like nothing is working and you’re staying stuck, please seek out a medical professional.
The negative effects of cold, dark days can be challenging, even for those who love winter.
This can be especially challenging for those who love winter; but man, it is cold! As someone whose birthday is in February, I completely understand oh too well how you can love and hate a season at the same time.
In the winter months, we are bombarded with images of cozy fires, hot chocolate and warm blankets—all things that make us feel warm and fuzzy. But what about when you’re feeling blue? When it comes to staying healthy during the winter months, there are many ways to take care of yourself physically as well as emotionally.
Self-care is important to help manage the stress that comes with shorter days, colder temperatures, and less sunlight.
Self-care is not just about taking care of others. It’s also about taking care of your mental and physical health. It’s about making time for yourself and making time for self-reflection.
Take a break from work to go for a walk or yoga class. Even when it’s just 20 minutes a day, a walk is a great way to clear your head and just get some fresh air. Also spending time with friends is a great way to get your blues to go away. Sometimes it’s as simple as calling up that person you haven’t spoken to in so long and going to a nice dinner to break up your week.
Here are some ways to practice self-care during the winter months.
During the winter months, it can be hard to remember to take care of yourself. Here are some ways you can practice self-care this winter:
- Get enough sleep. Try going to bed earlier or waking up earlier so that you make sure you’re getting at least seven hours of sleep every night. Create a really relaxing nighttime routine where you’re not rushing into bed but taking it a bit at a time. I love to also meditate at night and decompress.
- Eat well. Make sure your meals contain lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as these foods are packed with energy-boosting nutrients like vitamins A and C, iron, and magnesium. Also, try not to skip breakfast—it’s an important meal that gives our bodies the fuel they need in order to function properly throughout the day!
- Exercise regularly outside when it’s warm enough—and inside if necessary (but don’t overdo it!). Even just 30 minutes per day will help keep up your strength during cold weather conditions by improving circulation through increased blood flow throughout veins near the skin surface level which heats us from the inside out so we don’t feel as cold outside either.
Post-holiday season blues can be hard to manage even when you take good care of yourself.
Even if you take good care of yourself, winter can be a tough time. The long days are over and the nights are cold, dark and long. Even when it’s not actually freezing outside, your body can respond to climate changes in a way that makes you feel colder than ever before.
The winter blues can also come from social pressures—you may feel like there are so many holiday obligations (or regular obligations) that it’s hard to take some time for yourself with friends and family. The holidays can feel like a very emotionally taxing time for you as well. Listen to yourself and create healthy boundaries that don’t pressure you more than you’re willing to handle. Remember, YOU matter and boundaries matter.
When we don’t take care of ourselves properly, our bodies send signals about how stressed we are feeling by releasing hormones like cortisol into our systems—and this stress response has been shown to contribute directly to depression over time! But it doesn’t have to be this way; fortunately, there are things you can do right now at home without canceling any plans or asking anyone else anything at all–these self-care tips will help relieve stress while still allowing room left over in your schedule for fun stuff later down the road!
Remember, self-care is always important. It can be easy to forget that when you’re busy with work or family commitments, but it’s always worth taking the time to do something good for yourself—even if it’s just a little bit each day. And don’t forget that you aren’t alone in feeling these changes! The winter blues affect most people at some point or another during the colder months of the year; what matters is how we deal with them.
