7 Self Care Ideas for the Winter Blues
It’s the middle of wintertime, it’s cold, grey and dark for most of the day. Christmas and New Year have passed and it's still a long way to go till Spring and Easter time. It’s this time of year when nannies may feel a bit gloomy and sorry for themselves and may need a bit of TLC.
Here are our 7 ideas of how to beat the winter blues:
1. Warm yourself up with a cup of hot chocolate. It’s a delicious treat to have in the evening or at the weekend curled up with a blanket in front of the TV to enjoy and boost your mood. Look for hot chocolate made out of natural cocoa powder, which is nutritious and delicious, rich in cocoa and full of flavour. You can top it with whipped cream, dot with marshmallows and spread it with a flake.
2. Go for a walk in the park when the sun is out which can lift your mood and release the hormones that help you feel energized. During winter months it’s dark when you start work and dark when you finish, so it can be hard to get your daily dose of natural sunshine. If you have the flexibility and the weather allows for it, schedule regularly an early-morning or lunchtime stroll.
3. Enjoy a cosy night in front of the telly, watch a feel-good movie, with popcorn or ice cream, binge-watch the series everyone has been talking about or anything else that has been on your list. There are many health benefits to watching TV, especially comedies that make you laugh out loud. Laughter is known to stimulate the happy hormones' endorphins. So go on give it a go and have a good laugh.
4. Reread your favourite book and remind yourself why you love it so much. It’s likely that you missed some details when you read it the first time around. Rereading your favourite book once again can also feel more comforting as you already know what’s going to happen so you can focus on the pleasure of revisiting something enjoyable that makes you feel good, happy and safe and savouring and recapturing the magic for one more time.
5. Take a nice hot bath – submerging yourself in warm water creates an increase in core body temperature and stimulates blood circulation. Additionally, a warm bath is thought to be linked to an increase in serotonin and endorphins, two happy hormones that promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness and love and can also improve your sleep.
6. Exercise – it can help improve your overall health, help manage weight and make you feel good and it can be a good chance to catch up with your friends playing tennis, running or walking together etc.
7. Buy flowers or new plants – having fresh flowers or plants in the house gives the impression of a natural environment. The scent of flowers can also make you feel more relaxed and happier. Plants and flowers oxygenate the air and can improve concentration and boost your mood and that’s why they make a popular gift for people who have been feeling under the weather.