9 Ways to Nurture Your Mental Health This Winter

Written by: Cora Gold

Winter is a time for chunky knit blankets, steaming mugs of hot chocolate and all of your favorite people celebrating under one roof. It’s also common for some to start struggling with depression and anxiety. Take care of yourself by nurturing your mental health with new habits. You’ll feel happier and potentially even improve your quality of life in the long term.

1. Start an Indoor Exercise You Love

Outdoor jogs aren’t always possible in freezing temperatures. You might not even feel like bracing the cold to stop by the gym. Regular exercise can help manage depression and anxiety, in addition to boosting your self-confidence. Try incorporating it into your routine this winter with indoor activities.

Play a virtual reality (VR) game that requires moving your entire body or follow along with a Pilates video on YouTube. As long as you get your heart rate up, your mind and body will benefit from your winter exercise routine.

2. Get to Bed Earlier

It gets darker in the winter, which means it’s the perfect time to reshape your sleep routine. Try getting to bed 15 or 30 minutes earlier than usual. If your mind has more time to unwind, you might stay asleep longer and rest better. You’ll feel much more composed mentally once you’re getting a full night of sleep every night.

3. Enjoy Aromatherapy at Night

You never know what the day holds when you wake up. If you arrive home in the evening feeling anxious, treat yourself to some aromatherapy. You could turn on a diffuser while you make dinner or watch TV. Selecting oils that specifically ease anxiety will mean you always have a tool nearby to manage your mental health. Lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus oil can even relieve headaches, which you might experience if your winter holiday travel feels stressful. 

4. Listen to Your Body

Your physical health can have a big impact on your mental health, so it’s important to listen to your body. For example, if you have a cold, don’t force yourself to go into work if you have paid time off available. Doing so will only make you feel worse and lead to burnout. 

Also think about ongoing discomfort you might feel. After sitting at a desk all day, do you feel sore? That’s a good sign to start stretching during the day or doing yoga when you get home. Maybe you feel like you have a constant headache. If you experience headaches for 15 days out of the month, you should talk to a doctor and see if you qualify for migraine treatments. Addressing your issues, rather than ignoring them, will completely change your quality of life.  

5. Listen to Soothing Music 

Even if your schedule is always busy, find time to listen to music that calms your mind. You could combine it with other self-care activities, like reading a book or crocheting. The songs will help you relax after a long day or work through whatever is worrying you.

Pressing play on a music app might not seem like a big deal, but it passively soothes your mental health. Listening to songs with lyrics might even make your day more fun by singing along. You’ll notice your spirits lifting as long as it’s tunes you enjoy.

6. Eat More Nutritious Meals

Cold weather is a great reason to make comfort food. While a bowl of macaroni and cheese fresh off the stove might sound delicious, you can improve your mental wellness by eating nutritious items. Your brain needs nutrients to keep up with things like memories, cognitive functioning and emotions. Eating only processed food every day is not a well-rounded diet.

Start by adding just one healthy food per day or week. Small changes lead to long-term habits because they’re easier to maintain. Eating chia seeds will add more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, which improves brain function in the long term. You should also drink more water so dehydration doesn’t affect your cognition. 

7. Breathe More Fresh Air

Cozy nights by the fireplace are lovely, but feeling cooped up isn’t great for your mental health. Try to get fresh air occasionally, especially if you work remotely and don’t leave your house often. A few deep breaths on your back porch will send extra oxygen to your brain. You might also feel more awake after a shock of cold air.

8. Schedule Regular Social Activities

Socializing nurtures your mental health by creating supportive bonds you’ll need when life gets hard. Healthy relationships reassure the brain that you’re not going through life alone. Schedule at least one social activity per week if you typically feel more lonely during the winter. Having something to look forward to with your family members or best friend may ease your mind by warding off long-term isolation.

9. Plan a Vacation for Yourself

The winter holidays are great opportunities to catch up with loved ones. They might also cause a lot of stressful traveling. If you’re anxious after hanging out with family or staying on the road, plan a vacation just for yourself.

You could book a hotel room in your hometown or fly somewhere on your bucket list. Regardless of what kind of vacation you take, the change in pace will feel refreshing. It might also make you feel more in control of your schedule, which is sometimes all you need to fortify your mental well-being.

Maintain Your Mental Health Through Spring

Nurturing your mental health doesn’t require a ton of work. Add one new habit to your daily life and give yourself time. Once it feels routine, you can add another new self-care strategy to your routine. Stick with whichever strategies bring the most improvement to your mental well-being, and this will be your best winter yet.