Sadly, hibernation is not a very human thing to do, even though we all wish it’s something we were capable of. So how do we survive the cold months without curling up in a cave for several months straight?
Make your life easierTowards the end of the year, we all feel the cold, and we all feel the need to get warm and comfortable and hide in the comfort of our beds all day long. We feel like there’s no way we’re ever gonna leave our home again. There’s a strong wind howling outside, it’s slippery, it’s wet, and whenever the snow melts just a little bit there’s this gross, brown mud everywhere. Needless to say, a lot of people don’t enjoy the cold months and they want to hide.
In winter, our bodies will naturally shut down a little bit more. That means everything takes a greater effort than during the rest of the year, and sometimes even going on a walk or going to the gym can seem like absolute torture – even though we enjoy it during the warmer months. So, make sure you reduce all your habits to a minimum. Maybe make it a habit to go on a walk instead of going to the gym, or at least stick with a lighter routine. It’s okay to take a bit of a break during those months. It’s something our body wants us to do, either way. It needs the rest and it needs to recover, so there’s absolutely no shame in giving that to your body.
Of course, you will still have to go to work. There’s no way around that, but you can find small paths to make it more comfortable and just a little bit easier. The small steps matter.
Reward yourself
Reward yourself. For real! Take a hot bath when you come home after a long day at work, or eat your favorite meals and have your most favorite drinks. Make your life feel great around the annoying parts of it. Go to bed early and reward yourself with an episode of your most liked show, or just get a bit more sleep than usual. Our bodies will naturally want to shut down more during the cold months, so again, don’t hesitate to give in to that urge. Take it easy and focus on self-care during those months.
Make your home cozy, too, so you’re extra excited to come back. How about equipping your bed with a throw blanket? Maybe a faux fur blanket, or just anything soft and warm. It will give you a massive serotonin boost in winter and you should give it a try yourself before rolling your eyes and thinking it’s stupid.
Winter is cold, and for all of those who don’t love it, it’s also quite hard. But there’s no better reason for getting out of bed in the morning than promising yourself to return later that day. Be kind to yourself.
