10 Ways to Take Care of Yourself this Winter | Winter Self - Care
Winter can be a tough time and taking care of yourself is vital. The elements can be harsh, the temperatures can be cold, the weather can be fierce, the nights are long and the daylight is minimal. Our surroundings lose colour as everything goes into a deep hibernation. Everything can feel a bit bleak and dreary.
Managing energy can be tricky, waking up in the dark and finishing work in the dark whilst battling the elements of winter can be mentally and physically draining.
At Soapfullness we are passionate about self-care and taking care of yourself. Self-care is about taking and making the time to consciously and purposely promote your own mental, physical and emotional health and this is so important during the winter months.
Here our are ten ways to take care of yourself this winter.
1. Meditation for Winter Self-Care | Taking Care of Yourself
Meditation is a great way to take care of yourself. Our mental health is vital for our overall wellbeing and meditation can be a successful tool at managing and enhancing your mental health.
Meditation has a way of nourishing your mind, body and soul all at once. Yes, it can be tricky at first. The thought of meditation can be overwhelming or you simply don’t know what you should be doing, and that’s ok. We all have to begin somewhere; else we will never know or experience the benefits that meditation has to offer.
Meditation is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. If you simply google, there are a lot of free YouTube videos and free apps that will get you started on your meditation journey. There are also fantastic paid apps such as Headspace and Calm.
Meditation produces and provides so many benefits such as reducing stress, managing anxiety, helping to reduce the feelings of depression whilst improving self-awareness, mental clarity and it can even help improve sleep; what’s not to love?
To get the most out of mediation schedule it in a couple of times a week. Apps such as Headspace have fantastic courses which introduces you to mindfulness and helps you keep and stay on track with your journey. It’s a great way to be introduced to meditation without feeling completely overwhelmed or awkward.
2. Have a Warm Relaxing Bath for Winter Self-Care
Is there anything better than a warm bubble or salt bath? Relax your body and mind with the warmth and comfort of warm water, use it as a way to relax and switch off from the outside world.
Embrace the peace, the stillness, the sound of the water and the comfort that it provides whilst allowing yourself to recharge your mental and physical self.
Baths are a great way to take care of yourself this winter. You can customise your surroundings to suit your self-care time. Grab some candles, grab a book or magazine, listen to an audio book or podcast, turn the lighting down so that it isn’t too bright, have a drink and snacks ready; make it relaxing for you!
Think about what makes a bath feel and smell good for you. Do you love bubble baths or are you more of a bath salt person? Do you love bath bombs or essential oils? Think about what your perfect bath would be and make the time to have one when you know you won’t be disturbed or distracted.
3. Winter Skin Care Routine | Taking Care of Yourself
Skin care can be one of the best ways to take care of yourself this winter.
Your skin is the biggest organ that you have. It accounts for 15% of your bodyweight and the average adult has nearly 21 square feet of skin that contains over 11 miles of blood vessels. Crazy!
Your skin helps to regulate body temperature, dispose of body waste and play a vital role on your overall health and wellbeing. It protects the inside of your body from the outside world from such things as bacteria, germs, chemicals and temperature.
Skin can have a huge impact upon your mental and physical wellbeing, which is why it is a vital way to take care of yourself this winter. Have you ever had dry, flaky or cracked skin? It can be unpleasant and itchy, which in turn can have a big impact upon how you look and feel.
During winter, our air can become much drier because the colder air holds much less water than warmer air. In winter time humidity in the atmosphere is low, so when moisture is around it quickly is drawn up into the air. This can quickly dry skin out too.
Adding a humidifier to your household can be a really beneficial but be careful not to increase the humidity too much as this will cause mould growth.
Creating a self-care skin routine this winter is a great way to take care of yourself. Most skin routines should consist of AM and PM routines. Skincare is personal and unique. We all have very different skin and want different results. Have a google or search Caroline Hirons book which is filled with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to skin care.
As a basic guide to winter skin care:
♥ Stay hydrated
♥ Add a humidifier if you can
♥ Wash your face with water and a flannel when you wake and when you go to bed.
♥ Use a cleanser – removes the dirt and impurities that can irritate skin.
♥ Hydration or toner spray – Keep your skin hydrated
♥ Eye Cream – Keep your winter skin rejuvenated and support the skin around your eyes.
♥ Moisturiser – Prevent dry skin and lock moisture in.
♥ SPF minimum of 30 (am and early pm) – Prevent UV ray damage and finish your routine with a good SPF.
It’s also important to add a body moisturiser after getting out of the shower to help trap moisture into the skin and apply this to all over your body.
4. Exercise for Winter Self-Care | Yoga for Winter Self-Care
It can be a struggle to take care of yourself in winter. The dark mornings and long dark evenings can make motivation hard to come by. It’s easy to wrap up and snuggle up and not move any more than what you have to do.
However, whilst the slower pace of life can be beneficial, hitting the yoga or exercise mat is a great way to support your body and mind.
Studies have shown that just 15 minutes a day exercise can reduce your risk of depression and put you into a better mood; which let’s face it is very beneficial in winter.
Exercise is a great way to help keep the winter blues away. After exercise the brain releases the feel-good chemicals Serotonin and Dopamine, which help to reduce anxiety and depression whilst improving your general wellbeing. It’s a great way to feel good and start or end the day feeling good.
So whether you are into HITT, Yoga, Dance, Pilates, strength training, grab your mat and support your mental and physical health by scheduling exercise a few times a week.
5. Go for a walk -embrace your surroundings | Self-Care in Winter
Whilst winter can be bland and dreary, nothing beats a good winters walk. Experience the elements. The feeling and sound of the winter wind or the rain is very therapeutic.
‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing’.
A winters walk can be crisp and clear. It can be still and quiet. It can be mindful and peaceful. It will get your body moving and your blood pumping. Soak up your natural surroundings and embrace some you time.
6. Unplug and Disconnect Day | Take Care of Yourself in Winter
Sometimes we just need to unplug and disconnect from the busyness of daily living. We can easily surround ourself with negative news and environments which can have a detrimental impact upon our health.
Take time to unplug and disconnect, help you take care of yourself this winter. Discover and focus on things which bring you joy. Don’t get distracted or caught up on aspects that provide little to no benefit to your life.
Take some time to focus on you and the things that you love and enjoy and be in the present moment, something that isn’t always easy!
7. Sad Lamp | Take Care of Yourself in Winter
Winter can be tough and taking care of yourself can be hard work. The light we have is minimal and this can have a big impact upon our mood and motivation, which in turn can lead to negative effects on our physical and mental health.
SAD, short for Seasonal Affective Disorder is known as a depressive order that causes sadness or depression when the seasons changes. This is typically experienced by women and young adults when the days become short the amount of sunlight that you are exposed to decreases.
Some symptoms of SAD include:
♥ Day time fatigue
♥ Increased irritability
♥ Not wanting to see people or do much
♥ Changes in appetite
♥ Lethargic
♥ Weight gain
♥ Unhappiness
Please note that everyone has different symptoms and different severity of symptoms. If you have any medical problems, it is always best to contact your GP before using light therapy. If you believe you are experiencing SAD please contact your GP for further advice.
SAD lamps are a way to help combat the symptoms and impacts of SAD. SAD lamps are bright lamps which you sit in front of. It’s believed that the bright light hits your retina and this triggers your brain to stop making so much Melatonin and trigger Serotine production, which will help lift your mood.
Regular household lights aren’t bright enough to have an effect on the symptoms of SAD and that is why you need a specific SAD lamp for this purpose.
8. Eat Well for Self-Care during Winter | Nourish your body
During winter your food preference, metabolism and energy levels can change drastically which can affect how we feel and our mood and motivation.
It can be easy to embrace sugary convenient foods which don’t nourish your body and don’t leave you feeling full for long. It can be easy to pop the weight on due to our diet and physical activity changes. This can have a negative effect on your mental health during winter.
But you diet is a vital component of taking take care of yourself over winter. Nourish your body and local produce. Embrace root vegetables. Slow cook stews. Embrace a smoothie when you wake up.
You want to support your body and your immune system so that you stay healthy through the winter months.
Plan your meals in advance. Batch cook where possible. Embrace supporting and nourishing your body.
9. Embrace Cosy Winter Clothing for Winter Self-Care
There is nothing like being wrapped up in a warm waterproof winter coat and a good warm winters hat. Whilst the conditions outside can be harsh and varied, one of the best parts is making sure that you are prepared for it. There is nothing like being soaked through freezing cold whilst your teeth are chattering away.
Get comfy, get cosy and embrace the winter months. Get outdoors and enjoy that winter sun where you can. Yes, it might be cold and wet but don’t let your clothing keep you from enjoying the seasons.
10. Consider Your Winter Self-Care Space
Often an aspect very overlooked when it comes to self-care. Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things that you can do. It is one of the most important aspects that affects your overall wellbeing.
During winter we spend a lot more time indoors and it is important to cultivate the space to suit you and your self-care needs. There is nothing worse than being in a space which makes you feel unhappy and uncomfortable.
Harness your space to express yourself. Make it personal and unique. Embrace the winter blankets, invest in some art, grab some beautiful houseplants or flowers, grab some candles or wax melts, purchase some books for winter reading, think about the type of light you want to relax too.
Think about how you can cultivate your space to make you feel happy and comfortable and a place which is welcoming and relaxing.
We hope that you find this taking care of yourself in winter guide helpful. Small positive changes can really help your overall wellbeing when times can be challenging.
♥ Our Wax Melts are Made with 100% natural soy wax.
This means that our Soy Melts are non-toxic, strong scent throwing, clean burning.
♥ Our Soy Melts are long lasting and will last 60-90 hours, making them excellent value for money.
♥At Soapfullness we do our upmost to use recycled and recyclable materials for our packaging.
