After the Christmas festivities have passed and the newness of the new year has worn off, the winter blues can hit hard. While winter is a time to slow down and renew our bodies and minds, it can be challenging to cope with the long stretch of cold temperatures and extended darkness. Read on to discover five incredible ways to calm your mind and soul during the winter to keep you at your best.
Have a change of scenery
A change of scenery is almost guaranteed to beat your winter blues. Not only will it allow you to recharge your batteries, but the chance to relax and rejuvenate will also do wonders for the mind and soul. Escape the cold and treat yourself to a holiday in warmer climates such as the sun-soaked Caribbean or the Canary Islands for a hefty dose of vitamin D to boost your immune system and help improve mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
There are also many excellent winter wellness retreat that offer thoughtfully-designed immersive programs and experiences, such as sound healing, tai chi, vegan menus, on-site healers, and even astrology readings. _
Move your body
It may seem like the oldest trick in the book, but moving your body can help to calm your mind and beat those winter blues! The winter months force many of us indoors, and exercising is the last thing many want to do, indoors or outdoors. But swapping your daily jogs for naps on the sofa will cause you more harm than good.
Moving your body even 30 minutes a day will help you clear your head while building your physical strength and release those feel-good endorphins to improve your mood and mental health on dark, gloomy and cold days. Going for a long walk with the dog or running in the brisk outdoors is guaranteed to wake you up and inject some energy. Can’t face the cold? No worries, hit the gym for a sweaty workout session or try some yoga to nurture your mind and body.
Meditation
Winter tends to be a season where we look inwards. Not only are you more likely to spend more time indoors, but it is also often a contemplative time of the year. Meditation has many known health benefits and is a tool that provides calmness in the chaotic reality of daily life. During the cold, dark winter days, people tend to wake up later, leave the house less, and struggle to stay motivated.
Therefore, your top priority should be turning to meditation to give your mental health a much-needed boost. Take ten minutes each morning to breathe deeply and sit quietly to find your center while breathing out negative thoughts. If you are new to meditation and don’t know where to start, there are many great classes you can find online or via apps that you can easily download to your phone or tablet.
Reconnect with nature
Every year when winter rolls around, there can be a lot of resistance as the world changes from warm weather and long days to cold, short days. Rather than going into hibernation mode and resisting the change of season, embrace it and appreciate that winter also has a purpose. Take the time to go for a daily walk outside and find the essence of nature and beauty in the winter. Mushroom foraging is a popular outdoor activity and is a great excuse to get away from the laptop and get together with friends for a trek to your local forest instead.
If you live along the coast, take advantage and go for daily walks, embrace the cold, and join your local wild swimming community to take a quick dip if you can brave it. If you’re having a down day and are lacking energy, you can still reconnect with nature. Wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, go outside into the garden for your morning tea or coffee, and listen to the birds sing for a gentle and calm start to your day.
Try a new hobby
Thanks to a lot of indoor time, the quiet winter months are the perfect season to try out a brand-new hobby. Creativity is good for the soul, so take part in activities that bring you genuine joy and excitement, whether learning to knit, paint, make candles, embroidery, or try baking or cooking. Remember, you don’t have to be good at it – the whole point is that the process should be fun and relaxing. The winter months can be difficult, so by picking up a new hobby; you’ll be able to boost your mood, relieve stress, and fuel your imagination to keep those pesky winter blues at bay.
Conclusion
Put simply, winter can be challenging – but there are things you can do to get through it with a calm mind and soul. Change your scenery and treat yourself to a winter wellness retreat to rejuvenate your body and mind. Move your body daily to release endorphins, take ten minutes to yourself daily and try your hand at meditation, reconnect with nature or try a new hobby to fuel your imagination and get yourself excited for days to come.
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