Getting through winter
I know, I’m not alone when I say that my mood seems lower in winter.
Maybe it’s the darkness
Maybe it’s the rain and grey skies
Maybe it’s that seems to be less happening in winter
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to tweak my routine and find ways to improve my mood during winter
I thought I’d share some of the things that I find helpful
Number 1. Exercising outdoors in the morning.
Being able to walk the dog, walk or ride to work while the sun is out has been really helpful. On days when I work from home sometimes I’ll work for a couple of hours and then walk the dog so that I get the most of the sunlight.
When I worked in an office, I would do something similar, where I would try and have a walking meeting outdoors, or go for a walk on my lunch break, so that I didn’t feel like I was indoors all day and commuting home in darkness.
Number 2. Not oversleeping.
We hear about the importance of sleep a lot and I love LOVE my sleep. One thing I noticed was in Winter it’s easier to over sleep to go to bed my normal time and if I don’t have something on in the morning to keep pressing snooze or sleeping those extra couple of hours. Occasionally, sometimes it’s what my body needs. I found, however, that oversleeping sometimes made me feel groggy and sluggish and I miss that window in the morning to get some movement in outdoors
Number 3. Yoga.
I’ve been practising yoga for over 20 years. And I have to say it’s one of my favourite things to do. It changes over time. Sometimes I go to classes other times I do things online at home and other times I incorporate mini yoga sequences into my daily routine depending on what I need.
What I have particularly enjoyed about yoga is it meets me where I am. If I’m feeling tired and sluggish, I don’t have to push myself if I need some support I can use blocks, bolsters and ropes and other pieces of equipment to support my body. There’s a focus on breathing relaxation and calming the mind while also moving the body , I can do it anywhere in the world without much equipment.
Number 4. Having things to look forward to.
In Summer and Spring, there seems to be a lot more happening from events, festivals, concerts ..the list goes on. In Winter those things seem to die down. So I try really hard to book things to look forward to, even if it’s going to the movies or going out for dinner and having things sprinkled throughout the week. These things give me something to look forward to and help me get out of the house even though it’s dark outside outside
Number 5. Wearing the right clothing.
I know this might sound a little weird, but often I find if I’m not dressed appropriately for the weather it can make my experiences worse. So planning to have an umbrella in my bag, a raincoat, wearing layers of thermals, having a jumper, all the things that I might need for a Winters day in Melbourne. Being prepared means that I feel more comfortable and I’m less likely to be miserable, cold and wet if I’m out and about on public transport community
Bonus number six
Going away for a weekend. My birthday falls right in the middle of winter and one of my favourite things to do is go away somewhere in a cabin or Tiny House where I am surrounded by nature, and I get to breathe in the fresh air and explore a new community. I absolutely love a weekend away. I feel so rejuvenated after,
Here are just some of the things that I’ve been tweaking over the years.
