Practical Self-Care Tips for Winter: Simple Ways to Reduce Stress and Recharge
By: Ximena Mancilla Delgado, BOTN Macro Social Work Intern
We all have been stressed at some point in our lives, whether it is school, work, relationships, or just life. We often hear the advice: “take care of yourself” when we share that we are feeling stressed but sometimes are met with no concrete steps making it overwhelming at times. As winter fully settles in, living in colder and gloomier states can be challenging, leaving us wondering how to take care of ourselves.
Why is self-care important? Let’s begin by defining self-care: “the ability to refill and refuel oneself in healthy ways” (Gentry 2002, p. 48) and “engagement in behaviors that maintain and promote physical and emotional wellbeing and include factors such as sleep, exercise, use of social support and emotion regulation strategies” (Myers et al. 2012, p. 56). Prioritizing self-care can reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and help us stay more focused and productive in both our professional and personal lives. It also allows us to be more present in the moment.
With the holidays approaching and offering time to recharge and relax, here are some self-care tips and activities that vary in time and effort—from those suited for when you're in a time crunch to those you can enjoy when you have more time and capacity.
A short amount of time and little effort required
Deep Breathing
This is an exercise from WebMD for a Breathing Technique that can be changed. More can be found on this here.
In this exercise, you'll match how long you breathe in with how long you breathe out. Over time, you'll increase how long you're able to breathe in and out at a time.
Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.
Breathe out through your nose to the count of five.
Repeat several times.
Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out. You can work up to breaths that last up to 10 counts.
Stretching
Science has shown that hips tend to store the toll of stress on the body. Depending on accessibility, stretching can help destress and relieve some of that stress in the body. Depending on your flexibility, here are 8 yoga poses for beginners, allowing you to do them at any time of the day and can be done on your floor or bed.
Mindful Practices
During a busy day, if you are feeling overwhelmed, being able to take some time to be present can help alleviate some of the stress. This can be looking out the window and focusing on nature (birds, trees, sky, leaves), listening and jamming to your favorite song, drinking a cup of tea, or even being able to stand up and go on a short walk.
Hydration
If you are busy running around, staying hydrated can be a forgettable task. Some applications can make keeping track of your water intake fun, such as plant nanny and it’s free.
Medium amount of time and more effort
Journaling
Spending time each day to write about thoughts, feelings, and experiences can help with tuning into your body and feelings. You can do this by daily journaling or having a gratitude journal to share the things that you are grateful for. Penzu is a free journal and it can act as a diary on your phone, or you can get a journal and decorate it to make it incentivizing.
Self-compassion practices
These are recorded practices that can reconnect with yourself and you can do it when needed; they range from 4 minutes to 10 minutes. You can do this while going on a walk, or lying in your bed.
Hobbies
Trying out new hobbies might seem intimidating, and more so if you have a busy schedule or are not able to go outside due to the weather.
Connecting with your loved ones through technology can be a way to help when you are not able to meet in person
Learning a new language through Duolingo
Borrowing puzzles, games, and books from your local library can help pass the time and immerse yourself in different activities from the comfort of your home
Self-care products :
If you have the funds and where you live is gloomy most of the time, a sunlamp might help especially on those days you need the sun and light
Therapeutic tool guns can help to relieve muscle tension (Massage guns, acupuncture mats, and neck rollers)
By dedicating time and effort to self-care, exploring activities that can help nurture your body, mind, and spirit can enhance your well-being and help manage the stressors of life one step at a time.
Do you have other activities that you like to do when you want to take time for yourself? Do you have other applications that you use when doing self-care?
References
Gentry, J. E. (2002). Compassion fatigue: A crucible of transformation. Journal of Trauma
Practice, 1(3-4), 37– 61. https://doi.org/10.1300/J189v01n03_03
Ishler, J. (2021, June 17). The Powerful Connection Between Your Hips and Your Emotions.
Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/the-powerful-connection-between-your-hips-and-your-emotions
Myers, S. B., Sweeney, A. C., Popick, V., Wesley, K., Bordfeld, A., & Fingerhut, R. (2012).
Self-care practices and perceived stress levels among psychology graduate students. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 6(1), 55–66. DOI: 10.1037/a0026534
Orenstein, B. W. (2023, August 20). 8 Yoga Poses for Beginners. EverydayHealth.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness-pictures/yoga-poses-for-beginners.aspx