Wellbeing Over Winter

Most commonly, we are told that in order to keep on top of our wellbeing we should do the following things:

• Get the right amount of sleep
• Exercise. This could be as simple as a 20-30-minute walk per day which will help your brain release those happy little endorphins.
• Eat nutritionally balanced meals

These are absolutely crucial to physical and mental wellbeing, but what else can be done to help us during a Winter in lockdown? We have compiled a list of suggestions to help you feel less stressed and a bit happier over the cold months.

Fill your time with things that make you smile or laugh.

Did you know that smiling and laughing is contagious? Simply watching someone smile could mean that this infectious gesture makes your day and anyone you pass the smile onto a whole lot brighter.

  • Dig out your favourite comedy films
  • Watch silly videos of animals or people.
  • Listen to a podcast/watch your favourite comedian.
  • Read a funny book or comic strip.
  • Set up a joke jar in the house and dip into it when you need a perk.

Make your house a sanctuary, a place of restoration.

An organised home with less clutter can make all the difference to how you feel inside and is proven to make you less stressed and more productive.

  • Get your storage sorted
  • Declutter and clear out what you don’t use anymore
  • Have a deep clean
  • Rearrange the furniture for that new room feeling without any extra cost
  • Give the walls a fresh lick of paint
  • Keep on top of household tasks such as doing the dishes straight away, folding and putting laundry away when it’s dry and making your bed as soon as you get out of it
  • Build cleaning habits and routines

Ever heard of the Danish term Hygge (hue-gah)?

There’s no English translation but the concept is all about getting cosy, giving yourself a big hug, feeling calm and generally relaxing and de-stressing. There are many ways you can achieve this and it doesn’t have to cost a penny.

  • Wear your comfiest clothes such as those decade old trousers you can’t let go of and your biggest warmest socks.
  • Wrap yourself up in a blanket
  • Light some candles
  • Have some sumptuous smells fill your house by cooking a tasty stew, baking a cake, lighting an incense or burning some essential oils
  • Read a book in a cosy corner of your house and if you don’t have one make one.
  • Have a warm drink
  • Play some relaxing music.
  • Watch your favourite movie.
  • Have a warm bath with candlelight and your favourite bath additive

Get creative and calm your mind.

Creative activities can be compared with meditation in their calming effects on the brain and body.

  • Do some doodling. You don’t need to be ‘good at art’ to doodle. Listen to your favourite song and lose yourself in a piece of paper
  • Get crafting. Make some Christmas gifts, knit yourself a pair of gloves…
  • Learn a new skill
  • Do some journaling
  • Play an instrument

If you have a smart phone or computer, then accessing the following could be beneficial to you.

  • Podcasts. There’s so many to choose from stories, wellbeing and comedy to sports.
  • Wellbeing apps are a great way of checking in on yourself and can be helpful reminders to getting calmer
  • BBC Sounds has some great musical mixes including chill out and focus. They also have a listening section where you can find audiobooks, food & drink and health and wellbeing.

Remember to breathe deeply and in doing so, your body will send a message to your brain telling your nervous system to calm down.

  • Get into mindfulness. Even if it’s just for those 10 minutes in the shower on a morning. Ask yourself are you in the shower feeling the warm water falling onto your back or are you at work/making your breakfast/writing the shopping list. Try being in the shower in mind and body. You’ll soon notice your breath slowing and deepening
  • Meditation. Theres plenty of guided meditations available on Inkwells social media and website pages
  • Yoga teaches us to breathe deeply while building strength and flexibility.

Being kind to ourselves and those around us is the key in creating happiness and confidence.

  • Here are ways you can achieve this:
    • Forgive yourself
    • Make a gratitude diary
    • Write a list of all the things you have achieved
    • Rid the negative. Sometimes this could just be not watching the news for a while or unfollowing that negative person on social media.
    • Get out into nature. You could bring nature to you and help it by feeding birds and hedgehogs, etc.