When the festivities are over, the lights go out, no more presents or parties, we naturally feel down. As we get back to our daily routine, it is dark and cold outside.
You are not alone if the cold weather and darker days cause you to experience the winter blues. You might have fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sadness, or disrupted sleep. So, how should you go about dealing with it?
Acknowledge the mental challenges of the winter season, so you can prepare yourself and plan ahead to ease the difficult times.
Take a look at the Northern European countries such as Denmark and Finland. They are the happiest countries despite the cold weather and long hours of no daylight.
Get ready to look ahead, keep track of your New Year resolutions, get cozy, and cook some great food. Change the things you are not satisfied with.
Ways To Keep Away Winter Blues
1. Introduce Hygge Into Your Home
Hygge is a word that only exists in Danish. The closest description is coziness, happiness, warmth, and homeliness. The state of well-being, when we are tucked up in the safety of our home, usually with friends or family.
The ethos embrace winter as an opportunity to slow down, enjoy being at home and spend quality time with others. As you spend more time inside during winter, it is key to organize your surroundings to your own taste, to create a little hideaway from the darkness.
The essential props are candlelight, fluffy slippers, woolen socks, blankets, cake, and hot drinks. This is to make the experience even more special, spending time with loved ones.
Also, grab some fairy lights that have warm white lights to light up the dark corners of your home. You will get a welcoming atmosphere instantly.
The best results come from a good blend of aesthetics and comfort. Aim for the sweet spot considering natural textures and tones, beauty, and coziness.
You are more likely to feel down or alone if you are by yourself. So, invite friends and family over and bring out the old board games for a cozy night in.
2. Bake a Lemon Blueberry Cake
Nevertheless, it is crucial to eat the right healthy foods, but the occasional slice of cake is also feeding our souls.
Baking a cake yourself is always a satisfaction. The lingering sweet smell coming from the oven in your home makes you feel you have done something right.
And don’t worry, even if you are not a cake fairy, this recipe will not exceed your skills. When you invite people over, it is nice to share a home-baked café alongside a cup of tea or coffee.
3. Surround Yourself with Others
Now that you have the cake, it is time to invite some friends over for a netter. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just gather around sharing some cake and coffee.
Social interaction is a well-known cure against depression. If you are with your loved ones, it lowers your blood pressure and the level of stress hormones.
Volunteering is another excellent way to be part of a community. Check the opportunities in your area. This is a great way to connect with others and give back.
4. Physical Activity
We took care of the home, baked a cake, and invited friends over for a cozy night in, it is time to get moving.
Physical activity has been a proven mood booster for a long time. During exercise, the body releases endorphins which then interact with receptors in the brain that reduce the perception of pain.
Start slowly, then build up to 30 to 60 minutes a day, four-five days a week. This can be yoga, Pilates, running, dancing, walking, or any fitness-related activities.
Aim to do 30 minutes of workout a day, break it down into three smaller ones of 10 minutes. Whether it is walking or yoga, do it at your own pace but don’t put it off, you need to force yourself to stay active.
5. Plan Your Way Out of Darkness
You can improve your mood by using the extra time to plan things that you will look forward to later in the year.
Let this be birthday celebrations, excursions, or longer trips. Many people who love traveling get more excitement from anticipating and planning the holiday than from the trip itself.
Plan how much your income will be. Then set your monthly outgoings but be generous because it is better to count more now rather than ending up being short later. The leftover sum will show how much you can put aside for savings, which you will ultimately spend on things that bring you joy.
Take account of your New Year resolutions and personal goals and plan the steps of how you are going to achieve them.
These are some of the best possible ways to keep away winter blues. Hope you like this article.
