Finn Prevett, leading mental health campaigner and the co-founder of The Positive Planners shares her advice for Winter Wellness and things to try during the colder months to supercharge your wellbeing.
Let’s face it, 2020 has been a rather bleak at times, and now as we enter the official most “bleak” of seasons, a few pointers on how to boost our wellbeing can only be a good thing right?
Read this with an open mind, this is not an extensive list and it is also not here to add to the pressure, take what you need and play with what speaks to you. Ultimately the most powerful boost you can give your wellbeing is kindness and self compassion, know that we are living through unprecedented times and it is normal to feel overwhelmed and anxiety.
These are some simple Winter wellness tips to help you navigate your way to a better wellbeing, take small steps each day and I promise you will notice a difference very quickly.
Stay hydrated
We don’t usually associate dehydration with the winter months, but there are many contributing factors that actually make us vulnerable to it when it’s cold. Breathing in cold, dry air increases water loss because the air needs to be warmed and moistened before reaching the lungs.
Wearing heavier clothing increases the amount of sweat produced, but this often goes unnoticed because it is absorbed by the clothing, and evaporates faster in cold climates. You might feel less thirsty, and because it is not hot you forget to drink regularly.
Dehydration can negatively alter your mood, leave you feeling fatigued and confused and limit your ability to take on new information. So if you feel a little sluggish during these chilly months, reach for the H20, it could be as simple as needing a little hydration.
Get some nature and air
No matter how hard it might feel to get dressed, put your shoes on and get outside. Take a walk if you can, Sit in the garden or near an open window if you can’t. Just feel the air on your body. Being out in nature has been proven to reduce anxiety, fear, stress and can even promote pleasant feelings and boost your mood.
Through being exposed to nature can contribute to your overall wellbeing, can reduce blood pressure, muscle tension and heart rate. In short your mind, body and soul crave nature, and although it is not always possible to get it, we can take comfort that even viewing it has positive effects on our wellbeing. A quote I try to remember when I feel like I can’t muster the energy to get outside is “Study Nature, love Nature, stay close to Nature. It will never fail you.” By Frank Lloyd Wright
Add houseplants to your space
During the colder darker months it is always more challenging to get out into nature, so how about bringing nature into your home? House plants boast an impressive array of positive benefits on both mental and physical health.
We are all a little more prone to illness during the winter months, and one of the bonuses of having lush greenery around the home is it can reduce the chances of catching a cold by up to 30%! Being around plants helps you to feel more calm and relaxed and helps to decrease levels of anxiety and stress.
Keep talking to others
Even pre COVID, winter time was a less sociable season. Now we are all spending far more time than ever in our homes, which can easily meen we feel cut off from friends and family. I know that I personally find it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones at the best of times, so throw in a pandemic, overwhelm, and in person contact restrictions, and it can feel nearly impossible. However, that lethargic feeling that tends to set in after a day at home can be transformed with just a little bit of human connection, even over the phone.
Speaking with a loved one does not only boost your mood, it actually triggers the release of endorphins (the feel good hormone). Regular contact with people we care about has so many fantastic effects on our wellbeing, it boosts our confidence, increases our sense of connection, motivates us and helps us feel seen, loved and appreciated.
Create a simple low pressured new habit or hobby,
You could use the extra time at home to try something new, or something you have been meaning to do. This is not about creating another stressful thing that you feel you ‘must” do, more about having a play and thinking about a nourishing activity you can get stuck into when you need a bit of headspace.
Journaling can be amazing for this because it allows you to enter a state of flow and get completely lost in your thoughts. Journaling is also a great way of processing thoughts, feelings, traumatic events and stressful situations, so it is absolutely perfect for 2020. There are many activities which allow you to enter that flow state, reading is another great one along with cooking and gardening.
Refrain the darkness
It’s easy to become resentful of the darker evenings and mornings, but how about reframing this? Use it as a time to get cosy, to focus on the activities you love that can only be done in the colder darker months. Create your own cocoon, light candles, get the heavy blankets out and create a nest that leaves you feeling excited for the sun to go down.
Spend time thinking about all your senses and how you can create a space that nourishes them all. Think about scents you like, music, or sounds that calm you, what fabrics make you feel cosy, what colours do you like to see in your home?
Nourish with food
Much like creating a cosy cocoon, winter offers us some delicious nourishing foods that only feel right eaten when it’s cold outside! So many of the mood boosting foods recommended for mental health and wellbeing are perfect for winter! Green leafy vegetables, root vegetables, blackberries (crumble anyone?) and smoky bean stews are all perfect winter staples which offer not just a full tummy, but a happier mind. If you need some inspiration, The Self-Care Cookbook by Gemma Ogston is full of mood boosting goodness.
