Friday, January 27, 2017

Four Tips to Survive the Winter

Winters can be rough. For many of us living in areas with substantial snowfall, you know how much work it can take to get out of the driveway some days.
Winter can be a cold, miserable time of year, and if you don’t take care of yourself, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can legitimately affect your psyche.  
One demographic that is especially impacted by bad winter weather is college students. The managers at the Ivy Apartments, a BYU-Idaho Approved Housing provider, know Idaho winters can be difficult. To help everyone cope with long, harsh winters, here are a few tips to help you have a happier, healthier winter.
#1 – Stay Active
Typically, an individual's first instinct in the cold weather is to wrap up in a blanket and cozy up on the couch. Though this might be comfortable,  it can be quite damaging to your energy levels. Though it might be more difficult, one of the best things you can do is stay active. Staying active during the winter can help keep energy levels up, release stress build up and even keeps you warm.
#2 – Get Natural Light
During the winter, the darkness sets in much earlier at night. With shorter days, it’s no wonder why winter can be a depressing. A study by researchers at the Harvard Medical School found circumstantial evidence that shows that a lack of natural sunlight can be a trigger for seasonal depression. Not only does our body get vitamin D from the sun, but the natural light has a warming, positive effect on our body and mind. Sitting by a window or stepping outside for a period might be very effective. You could also make something like these vitamin d drops part of your winter routine to make sure that your body gets the amount of vitamin D that it needs to keep you going as normal. 
#3 – Moisturize
Cold, dry winters can affect your eyes, skin, and breathing, so ensuring your body is properly moisturized is huge. Items like eye drops, skin moisturizer, and humidifiers should become daily staples to avoid dry, itchy skin, eyes, and airways. Not only will moisturized skin help prevent itchiness, but you will have fewer static shocks too.
#4 – Maintain Good Health
Winter might not be the cause of a cold, but it is the season of sickness. Everywhere you look, friends, relatives and strangers are all coughing, and it might seem like you have nowhere to hide. Though it might seem like it at first, you don’t necessarily have to avoid all contact to avoid sickness. You just need to take the proper precautionary steps. Be sure to wash your hands regularly, get plenty of sleep and stay active. These steps can help keep you healthy and strong to fight off nasty colds that could keep you down.

18 comments:

Unknown said...

I had no idea there was an actual term for this. Great information. We are mid winter here and my husband is a shift worker so I suffer from a lot of these issues for sure!

Amy Jones said...

I can't imagine what it's like living in a cold place. Sometimes I complain about how hot it can get where I live but I think the opposite is worse

Sarah Bailey said...

A lot of thanks for the tips and that makes me choose to do Zumba in the morning from the comfort of my home. I am always wrap up in my blanket during the cold weather and always sleepy.

Unknown said...

These tips are all so true. I lived in Vermont for five years and my husband advised me that I should make sure to keep active. I embraced cross-country skiing and it was the best thing to get me through the winters!

Azlin Bloor said...

A fantastic list and not something people ensure to do! Getting enough light can be a touch difficult I guess, and is probably the most important!

Karlyn Cruz said...

Thank you for the tips. sometimes it is hard to get natural light but I agree that it is needed.

Victoria Heckstall said...

It is so comfortable to stay in bed and cover with blankets during winter. laziness. haha. But yes, we need to be more active!

Jennifer Gilbert said...

I find myself feeling a little blue in the winter. More than likely due to lack of light since we haven't seen the sun in Michigan in quite some time! I'll have to try sitting by the window and soaking in some natural light.

nellwyn said...

We've had so little sunlight in Toronto this past month that it's definitely making me a little glum. Going outside and getting some exercise from walking around my neighbourhood definitely helps me feel a little better even if the skies are grey.

Unknown said...

The winter is hard. I grew up in Norway and kinda escaped it with moving to Australia for three years and now Ecuador three years. I only go back in summer. I am moving back next year and I know I have to deal with it again. For me, I hate going out in the cold so I just stay inside mostly which is bad. It is so true that natural light is key, many people have wake-up lamps that give you that as well. It is so important to exercise as well because if you don't you just end up sleeping all day haha.
x

AiringMyLaundry said...

I really do need to moisturize more. I'm really bad about this and my poor skin suffers.

Unknown said...

These are great tips. I hate the winter so I need all the help I can get.

Wendy Polisi said...

These are such a brilliant tips, I really hate winter but I have to survived.

Elizabeth O. said...

Winter can really take a toll on your health. It would be nice to be able to stay active, exercising at home can solve that. I think it's always important to moisturize regardless of the season.

Unknown said...

I'm not a huge fan of winter. Thankfully in South Carolina, it doesn't really get terribly cold.

Fatima D Torres said...

Maintaining a good health during the winter is essentially to not getting sick. Always going for walks or staying active indoors is key. And yes, it helps to have a warm cup here and there.

Unknown said...

What good advice!! Winter can be a trying time mentally and physically!!! Taking your advice onboard x

Joyce said...

Winter Season is very beautiful! I LOVE SNOW! It feels like peace inside home, resting, and making sweet cookies while the winter time. I know getting sick during the winter really sucks 😕

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