The temperature is dropping, the days are getting shorter, and you’ve noticed some unpleasant changes in your mood, energy levels, and overall sense of well-being. Feelings of lethargy, increased stress, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often accompany the winter season, so it’s important to prioritize self-care. 

Self-care is just that – taking care of yourself; it’s recognizing your needs and taking measures to meet them. Here are 6 tips, plus plenty of suggestions, that can help you nourish your body and mind during the colder months, so instead of brooding all winter long and hoping for an early spring, you can flourish in the here and now. 

Pamper Your Skin

Dry, cracked, irritated skin in winter is one of the top complaints. During winter, it’s important to take extra special care of your skin; after all, it is your body’s largest organ. Treating it well helps make you feel better all over, from head to toe. Here are some ways to establish a DIY skin-pampering spa-like routine you can afford to indulge in every day. 

• Office, auto, bedside… Keep hand lotion within easy reach for a quick moisturizing session.
• Shower or bath? Liquid or bar soap? Doesn’t matter; use moisturizing soaps. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, aloe vera, coconut oil, and ceramides. Avoid soaps with synthetic fragrances and opt for those with essential oils, which smell good without any harsh chemicals.
• Exfoliate at least once a week. Skin cells die faster in the winter due to dry indoor heating and cold air, and dead skin cells can prevent moisture from penetrating the skin. Try a gentle exfoliator, like a cotton or loofah mitt, or exfoliating soap or scrub. Be sure to moisturize afterward!
• Slather on body moisturizer. We offer an abundance of the best soothing, hydrating, and protective lotions, creams, butter, and oils. Look for those containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera to draw water into the skin. Shea butter will lock in the moisture, and emollients like argan oil, ceramides, and coconut oil can help reverse dryness.
• Relax… and soak your feet. Soaking in lukewarm water with Epsom salts, essential oils, oatmeal or honey can help soften, soothe, and moisturize your feet. (Don’t use hot water, as it will strip away protective oils.) A pumice stone will loosen and remove dead skin, and soften corns and calluses. As always, moisturize afterward.

Try Aromatherapy

Do you know how some fragrances bring back fond memories, excite you, or simply make you smile? That’s the essence of aromatherapy. Current research suggests that aromatherapy may have mild therapeutic effects, so it makes good “scents” to surround yourself with uplifting scents. The best essential oils for cabin fever and winter blues include bergamot, citrus, lavender, patchouli, and rose; that said, whatever makes you smile is the best essential oil for you.

• Pamper yourself with scented bath and shower soaps, hand and body moisturizers, and a dab of your favorite perfume on pulse points, or even on a tissue that you keep handy.
• Take the plunge and purchase an aromatherapy diffuser for your main living space or bedroom.
• Add scented bath salts to your bathing routine. Shower salts are equally effective and available for shower lovers.
• Burn high-quality incense to reset the mood in your living space. Avoid varieties with synthetic fragrances or filler materials. 

Eat Well Every Day

Incorporate nourishing foods, such as soups, stews, and healthy carbs into your diet; they’ll work from the inside to help you feel cozy and warm during the colder months. 

• Too busy or not in the mood to cook? You don’t have to forgo a delicious hot meal. Enjoy made-from-scratch flavor and wholesomeness with our Frontier Co-op® soup mixes. For a taste of the exotic, try a heat-and-serve Maya Kaimal soup.
• It’s natural to crave carb-heavy comfort foods in colder months, but the ones we often end up eating aren’t always healthy carbs. A protein powder will make you feel warm and satiated, while also help build muscle and support your immune system.
• Winter well-being supplements help your body fight infections and support mental focus and balance. They include Vitamin C, Vitamin D, B-complex vitamins, and Zinc. If you eat out often or travel frequently, you may want to include a probiotic supplement in your diet.

Excercise & Hydrate

Even just a short walk can warm you up and boost energy levels, as well as improve your mood and overall sense of well-being. Plus, you may also reap health benefits like lower blood pressure and heart rate, and decrease your risk of some serious diseases. 

Staying hydrated is important year-round, but many people don’t drink enough water in the winter. That’s because our bodies don’t give off the common clues of dehydration, yet the kidneys produce more urine in colder weather. Adequate hydration aids good digestion, blood circulation, and body temperature regulation, and promotes sound sleep. So, keep your eco-friendly thermos on hand and drink at least 64 ounces of healthy liquids every day. 

Fresh fruits and vegetables high in water content can support hydration. Pineapples, citrus fruits, blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery all contribute some amount of fluids to your daily needs, plus they provide essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 

Drinking coffee (in moderation) and teas can also help you fill your hydration quota, with the bonus of their warming effect on the body. For extra benefit, opt for soothing, calming, or refreshing tea blends. Popular winter teas include chai, peppermint and mint blends, cinnamon and cinnamon blends, Earl Grey, ginger, and specialty Holiday blends.

Limit Onscreen Time

Social media has been touted as bringing people together and making us feel more connected. Believe it or not, tuning into what others are doing, thinking, and feeling online can increase your sense of isolation and stress – young, teens, older adult – no matter your age. And too bad there’s not a “Good News” TV channel. Medical experts advise we decrease our onscreen time, and while we’re at it, turn off the tube and tune into our favorite music. 

Considering that the average person spends over 2.5 hours on social media and nearly 3 hours watching television each day, plenty of time can be opened up for other pursuits. How best to use that time? Research shows that socializing face-to-face with others can help alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness and improve mood and overall mental well-being.  Here are a few suggestions of how you might enjoy socializing during the extra time you’ll have on your hands… 

• Plan and share fun activities or special outings with friends and loved ones.
•  Join a reading group, hiking club, or other shared-experience group.
• Throw a do-something party: build jigsaw puzzles, make bluebird houses, scrapbook….
• Give someone you’ve lost touch with a phone call.
• Visit the neighbors and bring along a healthy snack.
• Take a class. Try a new craft or take your current hobby to the next level. Check out our blog on fermentation or making your body oil.
• Be a local volunteer. Get out into your community and help in a capacity that interests you. Not sure where to start? There are numerous websites to help you find volunteering opportunities.
• Housebound? No problem! You can still nurture someone or something – and your well-being. Consider fostering or adopting a pet. Write an old-fashioned letter and send it via snail mail. Consider getting a pen pal. Call someone you’ve lost touch with on the telephone. Grow a windowsill garden or get a houseplant.

Sleep Well

No matter how well you eat, how much you exercise, or how well you pamper your skin in the winter if you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t enjoy optimum health and well-being.

Sleep deficiency is linked to a host of chronic health problems, and it’s also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children. 

Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble falling to sleep or staying asleep, try relaxing activities before bed like meditation, reading, and taking a warm bath or shower. Sometimes a cup of calming herbal tea will warm your body and help ease you into a more relaxed state of mind that’s conducive to falling asleep. Look for teas with ingredients like Ashwagandha, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, tulsi (Holy basil), skullcap, St. John’s Wort, and valerian. 

With winter’s shorter days and longer nights often come gloomy weather and increased stress. It’s only natural that we all have times when we need a bit more help getting to sleep and maintaining a restful slumber through the night – that’s why such a great variety of sleep aids are available. From gummies and patches to tinctures and sprays, there is certainly at least one that will support your needs.