Winter can be the most wonderful, beautiful time of the year, but it also comes with its own set of problems, particularly when it comes to health and well-being. Due to this, it’s the ideal time to put into practice some self-care ideas, ensuring that you are happy and healthy throughout the colder, darker months, ready for the warmer summer ones ahead. Read on to find out more about how to really take care of every aspect of yourself during the winter. It’s so important when it comes to keeping you well.
Dry Skin Brushing
When its cold outside, the moisture in our skin tends to evaporate, and this can have a negative impact on circulation as well as the general health of our skin. Dry skin brushing costs very little, but it can easily boost your circulation again, as well as the lymphatic system. Whilst you’re brushing, you are also exfoliating, and therefore removing any dead skin and bacteria so that the new skin underneath can breathe more effectively. All you need is a soft brush and a little time; simply use the brush all over your body from your feet to your head, and you’ll feel great afterwards.
Dress Appropriately
When it gets cold, you need to dress for the weather. You may not enjoy getting bundled up in lots of layers, or wearing a hat and gloves, but for your health’s sake, it is vital that you do it. Wearing clothes that are too thin and that can’t protect you from the harsh climate certainly won’t keep you healthy, and you are more likely to end up with a chill that puts you out of action for a few days to a few weeks, impacting severely on your work, home, and social lives. Dress warmly, and you’ll feel more comfortable, and more able to get on with your day to day life, plus you’ll stay healthier too.
Combat Daylight Saving Time
Not many people enjoy the idea of daylight saving time; in fact, there is even a petition to end it which you can view here. Daylight saving time has a negative impact on our lives when it comes to our body clocks and the amount of sleep we get – we can easily become confused internally, and end up losing sleep which can mean that we are massively unproductive the next day. In the worst cases, when lack of sleep occurs for a longer period of time, we can become unwell both physically and mentally.
In order to combat the problem of daylight saving time, try going to bed an hour earlier. This may take a few days to get used to, but eventually, you will find that it works wonderfully, as your body clock won’t have to fight against what it is telling your body to do. You’ll be better able to sleep and, because you can wake up an hour earlier too, you can still be just as productive.
Take A Supplement
Vitamin D is something that we all need a good amount of, and the easiest way to get it is from the sunlight. However, during the winter months, there is much less sunlight than during the summer, and that means we can find it more difficult to have enough vitamin D in our bodies. Since vitamin D is needed to keep your bones healthy, boost your immune system, and generally make you feel healthier, going without enough can have a big impact on how well you are able to fight off colds and coughs and other wintry illnesses, for example. If you feel that you aren’t getting enough vitamin D during the winter (or the summer, in fact), then taking a vitamin D supplement might be the ideal way to make up for it. These supplements can be bought from any health food shop, and it is as simple as taking a pill each day.
Go Outside
It can definitely be very tempting to stay indoors as much as possible during the winter, only venturing out when it is absolutely necessary, but this can make you feel more unwell and even add to feelings of depression. Going outside (as long as you are properly dressed, as mentioned above) and taking a walk will make you feel a lot better. It will give you more energy, add oxygen to your cells, reduce your stress levels, and give you a change of scenery because you will have been inside for a lot longer than you would on a nice warm spring day, for example.
Walking will also make you more focused and alert, so if you’re struggling to get jobs done because you just don’t feel motivated, a brisk walk in the fresh air can help immensely.
Drink Warm Beverages
One of the best ways to take care of yourself during winter is to drink warming beverages. Drinking tasty drinks such as honey and lemon, hot cocoa, chai lattes, herbal teas, or even simple tea or coffee will warm you from the inside and make you feel much more relaxed and contented. You may even find that you can turn down the thermostat, saving you money and stopping your skin from drying out at the same time.
Rest
Remember that you don’t have to be on the go all the time; rest is hugely important and no matter what time of the year it is you should take some time for yourself, to be alone to relax and unwind. It is, perhaps, easier during the winter to do this than at any other time of the year – after all, no one expects people to be out and about during the winter as much as during the summer when parties and barbecues are happening all around. Whether you head out for a spa day or you have a long soak in the tub, or even if you spend 10 minutes meditating, make sure you rest at least a little during the winter; you will feel so much better for it.