Since Boston experienced a really gnarly snowstorm yesterday, I think it’s safe to say we’re really in the peak of winter now. And, I don’t know about you, but in the middle of the winter I start to hate EVERYTHING. I’m miserable, I feel like summer will never come, and am 100% done with having to wear a heavy winter coat. I don’t want to get out of bed, nevertheless walk to the train to go to work. I am pretty sure this is probably a sign of seasonal depression, or maybe I’m just a major Negative Nancy, I don’t know.
Part of the reason I hate winter so much is because I just feel awful. My skin is dry and pale, my hair gets dry and breaks, and I feel tired and ready for bed as soon as the sun goes down in the late afternoon. New England winters are definitely less than ideal, but that doesn’t mean we should waste an entire season feeling lousy. To combat some of this negativity, I’ve come up with a list of wellness tips to get through the dark and frigid months.
7 Wellness Tips To Survive The Winter
GO FOR A WALK
Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you should swear off going outside for the next few months. There are still some mild days throughout the winter (depending on where you live) and the sun still makes an appearance. It may be cold but you should still get outside and reap the benefits of vitamin d.
MEDITATE
This is a new one for me. I’ve tried it a handful of times in the past and always felt like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love who focuses on the mosquitos and everyone else around her (I wish I could say I read the book but I didn’t, I watched the movie). Anyway, I’ve heard even a few minutes a day can be beneficial so I’m giving it a go and I think a few minutes of technology free silence a day is going to be a good thing.
HOT YOGA
I used to do hot yoga but haven’t gone back in years. When I did do it, I hated being there but loved how I felt after. Especially in the winter, I think hot yoga is a really great way to relax and treat yourself to 75 minutes of sweating and stretching.
READ
I think I’ve said this before, but I always forget to read. I love reading when I actually do it, but I get so caught up in work, social media, Netflix, Charlotte, and everything else that I forget to do it. In an effort to do a little better at it this winter, I’ve committed to finishing the Harry Potter series by the end of winter. I know I’m about 20 years behind on this trend but whatever. I’ve read the first two and hope to finish the rest come end of March? I actually can’t remember when spring starts and am too lazy to Google it right now.
ESSENTIAL OILS
I’m all about the essential oils lately. I have a diffuser that I turn on whenever I’m in my bedroom and my mood immediately shifts from grouchy AF to a standard amount of sass. I think there’s different scents for different purposes, but I just put in several drops of whatever I’m feeling. If you want a more scientific explanation of essential oils, I suggest clicking here.
WARM WATER WITH LEMON
As soon as LC from The Hills said in an interview circa 2011 that she does this, I decided I should do it. My efforts lasted about 2 weeks before I forgot about it and decided I didn’t have enough time in the morning to drink lemon water. But, I jumped back on the bandwagon when literally every wellness account started listing it’s benefits. It’s one of the easiest things to do and it does have a lot of benefits (hydration, kick start digestion, vitamin c boost). Plus, it’s nice to start a cold winter morning with something warm.
BE GRATEFUL
To combat this abundance of negativity I’ve been feeling lately, I remind myself of what I’m grateful for every morning, night, or both. Sometimes I write out little reminder throughout the day if I’m feeling extra sassy. These aren’t anything deep or highly insightful, but the basics. For example, clothes, food, a job, my dog, and access to my sister’s Netflix account. Reminders of what I’m grateful for help me keep everything in perspective and help me hate the winter a little less.