Wintering - a survival guide

                                   

I have recently read the book ‘Wintering’ by Katherine May and it really changed my perspective on how I tackle the winter. I used to dread it, come August I would feel anxious about the darks nights and bleak days. No flowers to photograph and once the joy of Christmas has been and gone it’s just a case of waiting for Spring. 

                                                

But this year I chose to do it differently, and if you aren’t fond of this season I would highly recommend that you read her book. 

One of the reasons I don’t like the winter is because I have depression. And on top of that, I have SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and then I tend to over indulge on alcohol during December and the whole period of winter makes me lethargic and wishing the time away. 

But this year I decided to try a different approach. Living in England means we can’t avoid it, it would be lovely to be rich enough to fly off to the Bahamas for a while but it’s a struggle to pay the heating bills right now let alone book flights long haul!

So I wrote a list of all the things I could try and do to make life a little better and was interested to see how this experiment would go. Admittedly I did spend some money on this but I was giving up alcohol in January and I wanted to spend money on things that would bring me joy. 

It might not be for everyone but let me know what you think! 

I use a SAD lamp from Lumie, I can’t start my day without it. It has different light settings and it starts your day with a gentle alarm and a sunrise effect. This boost of light helps regulate your circadian rhythm and will help keep your sleep cycle consistent . 

I bought new pjs, comfy socks and loungewear so that after work, after a bath I could be warm and comfy. Decent slippers and a dressing gown are important too! 

I bought a lot of supplements like vitamin D, magnesium, iron and ashwaganda to help me stay healthy. 

I bought candles and room diffusers so my home smelt lovely and I like to bath by candlelight as it relaxes me. As I spend so much time at home I want it to be the most cosy place to be. 

Herbal teas. (I drink lemon and ginger in the morning, mint tea and sleepy tea at night) hydration helps to ward off fatigue and it made me feel healthy drinking lots of different teas instead of gin and wine. I also bought some matcha to have in the mornings with oat milk which actually tastes ok  it’s meant to be a powerful source of green tea and a natural caffeine boost; perfect to give me the energy I need for my morning exercise! 

I signed up to a Pilates course. I use an app which has a mix of live classes and pre recorded. Some classes are ten minutes some are 45. I like to follow the schedule and can do it at home in my own time. Daily movement helps me feel less depressed and sets my intentions for the day. I do this six days a week and I love it .

I bought lots of books, in January I was going to bed early and I like to stop using my phone before going to sleep and read instead. 

                  

Having a dog means I walk each day but I love walking anyway. It gives you a boost of fresh air, natural daylight is good for depression and energy levels and it’s good to take some time away from your laptop and be surrounded by nature. 

I was given a lot of bath time goodies for Christmas but I bought some more in the sales. I bathe every night and nothing warms my soul more than a long soak in the tub. I listen to some meditation on Spotify or just calming music and stay off my phone  to be present and relax. 

I use my hot water bottle each night in bed. I did toy with the idea of an electric blanket but it was another cost and I thought I would try this winter without one and so far I don’t think I need one but a hot water bottle is so good to have. Especially for us ladies when it’s the time of the month. 

I did a beauty pie haul and invested in a new skin and hair care regime. My skin gets so dry in winter but having a simple and consistent routine has been nice to do, a little pamper time is always worth it. Plus it gives you things to do in the evening instead of drinking wine and scrolling through my phone or mindlessly watching tv. 

I booked fun activities like horse riding and candlit yoga. Not drinking gave me so much more energy and it meant my weekends weren’t slobbing about wasting the day. Going for a hack in a forest on a bracing Sunday morning was an exhilarating way to start my day! 

I tried zero alcohol wines to curb the craving. I love a wine with food and whilst cooking so thankfully I found some decent alternatives to keep me from cracking and buying the real deal. Now dry Jan is done I have had wine again but I want to drink less in general and more mindfully. I want to live with intention and alcohol in excess just isn’t worth it for me as it makes me tired and depressed.

The last thing I tried was some lavender sleep pillow spray and balm. Not only is the smell dreamy I do think it helps promote a good nights sleep. 

So yes, I probably did spend more money than I needed to, but I would have spent the same if not more on drinking and socialising and I felt GREAT. So much energy, I lost a bit of weight, my skin looks less puffy and I really enjoyed getting lost in my books and just being well rested! 

What are your survival tips for the Winter?