Self-Care During Winter & Beyond
By Dr Miranda Phaedonos, Osteopath & Yoga Therapist
Do the colder months leave you feeling flat or demotivated? Is your mood up one minute and then down the next?
Every year the shock of heading into winter may leave feelings of dis-ease and perhaps emotional distress. This is precisely why it is important to respect your needs of self-care on a daily basis (no, I don’t mean getting your nails done, having a daily bubble bath, online shopping, or even mindfulness – these are all secondary at a time like this). Sometimes getting out of bed can be hard enough. Let alone drawing a bath, cooking dinner and making sure you’re doing that 5-star rated workout.
So, what’s the self-care I’m talking about? Self-care is ensuring that your basic human-needs are met on a daily basis. With your usual routine out the window, a new one might require a check list.
Try to start small and as you continue to tick things off your self-care list, add one or two more on as the week progresses. What may a self-care routine actually look like?
Perhaps:
- Waking up and going to bed at a similar time every day & night
- Brushing your teeth morning and night
- Having a shower as soon as you wake up (this will help you with point 1)
- If you’re working from home try to avoid pyjamas, but stay comfortable
- Eat nutritious food. Treating yourself is fine but try fruit, nuts and other healthy snacks first
- Sip on water often through the day
- Wash your clothes and bed sheets regularly
- Try to get 15-30 minutes of exercise daily – this doesn’t have to be a HIIT class, actually going for a walk around the block is best – you’re outdoors, so getting some Vitamin D and fresh air to clear the mind
- Try not to overindulge in stimulants and sugar – this one can be difficult, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t quite kick these habits
You might be asking yourself “why not just do this all from the start?” Because we naturally seek excuses to put off the work which forms habits and routines. Starting small allows you to succeed and build up over time rather than waking up late one morning and ending the day surrounded in chocolate wrappers…
Once your basics become habitual, you can add other, perhaps more self-indulgent, items to the mix. Things like: taking vitamins/supplements, practicing a hobby, practicing more mindfulness, calling a friend you may have lost touch with, taking a bath, or getting a massage.
The trick here is to not set your expectations too high, as you run the risk of giving up on this entirely. Be gentle and kind to yourself, always.
About the blogger:
Miranda is Kundalini House’s resident Osteopath, as well as a Yoga facilitator. Miranda is passionate about holistic health care with an interest in the areas of women’s and children’s health, overcoming chronic pain, sporting injuries and general stress associated musculoskeletal complaints. In her spare time, she enjoys practising and teaching yoga and mindfulness meditation, travelling, cycling and hiking with friends.
Bookings with Miranda available Tuesday’s, Thursday’s & Saturday’s at Kundalini house
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