Beating the Winter Blahs

5 Tips

How are you doing? No really, how are you doing? If you’re like most folks, you may find yourself struggling in these winter months. I don’t mean depression, but a more a case of the blahs. Colder temperatures and dark days can bring us down. Here are some things that may help you to get through the next few months.

1. Light

One factor in Winter is less daylight. We need sunlight to produce Vitamin D.

This is an interesting article from the NIH about the benefits of sunlight. It includes an overview of how thoughts about sunlight exposure has changed over the century. Swinging from the virtue of no sunlight, to the connection between lack of sunlight (vitamin D) and rickets and TB, to the swing in the opposite direction with the “healthy” tan and increase in skin cancer.

Things to try:

Happy Light: I’ve found using a Happy Light for 15-30 min in the morning helps.

Vitamin D Supplement : Check with your Doctor before taking any supplements

Go Outside, although it’s cold, nature is healing.

2. Movement

Exercise is important to well being. I don’t mean killing yourself with hours of cardio in the gym, but simple movement of your body.

Things to try:

Bundle up and go for a walk

Try a free home exercise routine on you tube—no need to pay, try some free programs until you find something you like.

3. Smile

We’ve all heard the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” What you may not know is there’s truth to back this up.

These two articles from The Mayo Clinic and The NIH are fascinating:

Stress Relief from Laughter

The Laughter Prescription

Have you laughed lately?

Things to try:

Watch a movie or tv show you know makes you laugh.

Watch stand-up comedy on tv or even better, live.

4. Embrace the Cozy

We all know that bears hibernate for the season, in all honesty, that sounds like a great way to survive the winter. Unfortunately or fortunately, we aren’t bears and we have life to live. There’s something to be said for embracing the coziness of the season. I live in a 100+ year old farmhouse. My winter routine includes making a fire in our woodstove each morning. I like it.

Things to try:

If you have a fireplace, use it.

Snuggle under some fuzzy warm throw blankets. You can get some nice, comfy, inexpensive ones at Target. Here’s one I love: Cozy Blanket

Try an indoor hobby. My husband loves doing puzzles. We know winter is here when the puzzles come out. I’ve been into painting. I’m not great at it, but I took an online course on flower & abstract painting with acrylics and am currently doing a paint-by-number. Yes, they have all kinds of adult paint-by-number kits for sale online. I also like to paint rocks with my grandkids and then hide them on walks for others to find. I also find winter is a great time to read. Is there a book or series you’ve been wanting to read?

5. Dream

There’s power in imagination. Do you have funds to take a vacation? If so, start planning it. If not, can you plan a stay-cation? Or you could get super creative and plan both, even if it’s just for fun. Where would you go if you could? What would you do if you stayed at home for a week?

Things to try:

Create a mood board the old fashioned way with magazines and poster board or on Pinterest. (You can have private boards there.)

Make a list of things to do near you in a word document or on your notes app in your phone.

6. Help

So far, all of the suggestions I’ve listed have been inward focused. Research has shown that often when we help others, we end up helping ourselves. How can you volunteer?

Things to try:

Think about what you love to do? Is it a certain sport? Singing? Gardening? Art?

Once you’ve got some ideas, see how you can use this to help others. Look for local homeless shelters, boys and girls clubs, nursing homes, churches, schools…

I have one friend who is a fitness coach, she spends Friday mornings at a nursing home teaching seated dance and movement to the residents.

Think small. If reaching out isn’t or helping on a consistent basis won’t fit into your schedule, who can you help small? Love to garden, is there someone in your life who would love a plant or flowers? Love to cook? Is someone in your life in need of a meal?

Write an old-fashioned letter. What a treat to get a nice note in the mail for no reason. Who can you connect with?

You may be surprised at the good feelings you both enjoy from a thoughtful gesture.

Photo by Mira Kemppainen on Unsplash

Let’s help each other