the self-care tips you need for surviving and thriving through the winter

As the Game of Thrones saying goes, winter is here.

I live in that freezing, snowy state that is Minnesota and I’m one of those Minnesotans who constantly asks her family why we live here. It’s cold and dark for like 80 percent of the year and by definition we’re all eternally vitamin D deficient. My mental health in winter is always notably different than other times of the year because I start exhibiting a bunch of seasonal affective disorder symptoms, like low energy and depressed mood. The mental toll a long winter takes is really significant. We spend so much of our day in darkness and these days we’re spending so much more time indoors that we’re bound to experience feelings of sadness and isolation. Post-holidays especially, it can be hard to have things to look forward to and I know I tend to feel cabin fever but hate to be cold. I did write a post on how to coze-ify your space for the winter, but read on for some winter health tips.

get your snow armor on

While I hate going outside in winter, making sure I have truly the right winter clothing outdoors helps so much. Make sure you have plenty of fuzzy socks, thin turtlenecks and sweatpants for indoors, down coats and scarves for outdoors! Something about having all of my outdoor wear in one place and organized where I can easily grab it if I need to exit my nest of an apartment is really mentally comforting. Having a good relationship with winter means having what you need to interact with it.

go outside anyway

Okay, so winter weather isn’t all bad. There are so many outdoor winter activities so if you’re lucky enough to live in a place with frozen waterfalls, snowy forests and hiking trails galore, then you have so much at your disposal. Last winter, I tried my best to force myself to go on a short walk or something even though it was cold. It ended up being really good for me! I got more fresh air and enjoyed the better parts of the season. I know that with Covid, we’re all going to be spending way more time inside and there aren’t going to be nearly as many places open.

reach out and reach out again

I know I tend to self-isolate at the best of times and staying holed up does not help with that. I already have reminders set to reach out to friends and I want to make lots of Zoom plans for all the things we’d normally do in-person, like celebrate birthdays and have chats. Take the time to express to your loved ones just how much they mean to you—they’re probably feeling similar struggles as far as winter goes.

engage in comfort

I encourage you to embrace the Danish idea of hygge, defined by Oxford Languages as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being”. There are so many ways to bring more of this feeling into your life but some of my suggestions are to watch movies that are comforting or get you in the winter mood. For whatever reason, the 1994 version of Little Women is my go-to for that, it’s a great reminder that we can get through unprecedented times while also dealing with anxiety, cold and interpersonal relationships. I also think winter is the perfect time for indulging in new healthy winter recipes like soups and drinking your favorite seasonal coffee or teas. I’ve been starting most mornings lately with this cozy London fog drink. Stay in pajamas all day if you’re one of the many who are now working from home on the daily, or don your slippers when you get home.

We’re all still dealing with a great deal of anxiety and there are undoubtedly events we’re still grieving. Putting tools in place (and yes, warm clothing and cozy winter drinks can be tools) to cope with those intense feelings or with seasonal affective disorder symptoms is necessary to assist your mental well-being.

There is a lot of power in our smaller daily decisions, plus the mindset we hold about winter. I try to remember it’s the only time of year that I can ice-skate outdoors or gawk at the frost and icicles on the trees.

Romanticize the little things through this season: your morning coffee; fresh snow and icicles. Standard mental health enhancers still apply: enough sleep, enough water, enough activity. Pencil in time to do things that are just for you.