It can be hard to stay positive during winter but these tips will help you see the sunny side of things, even when the sun is nowhere to be found. Photo / Getty Images
It can be hard to stay positive during winter but these tips will help you see the sunny side of things, even when the sun is nowhere to be found. Photo / Getty Images
Winter can be cold, in more ways than one. The frosty nights and short days often see us curling up on the couch, rather than exercising or socialising. Not only do we perceive winter to be more miserable than other times of year, scientifically it is proven to be so. The lack of sunlight brings us down literally, impacting the balance of happy chemicals in our brains. With the cards stacked against us as the dark, cold nights roll on, how can we turn our frown upside down?
Boosting your mood and caring for your mental health isn't easy during winter, but it is worth the effort. These ideas are everything from the obvious self-care options to slightly more unexpected things you can try, that might just help you find your happy place.
Try something new
Pushing past your boundaries and trying something new gives a nice rush of excitement and will boost your confidence. Photo / Getty Images
The great Eleanor Roosevelt once said that you should "do one thing every day that scares you." She didn't mean jumping out of a plane - although that would definitely qualify - but rather she meant we should always be challenging ourselves and pushing against the confines of our own comfort zones. This could be anything from trying out a dance class or strapping on some ice skates to finally having a go at one of those e-scooters scattered around Auckland. Maybe you've never ridden a rollercoaster? Or jumped on a skateboard? There is bound to be something in the back of your mind that you have always wanted to do, but uncertainty has held you back. The time is now.
Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre is a stunning architecturally designed building featuring some of the best local and international modern art. Photo / Supplied
Whether it be an edgy play, a talk by someone you admire, perusing some art or wandering the collections at a museum, getting a culture hit can work wonders for you. A visit to an art gallery should be top of the list if you are even remotely into art. Art is about emotion, expression and stepping outside of your own thoughts. Really "seeing" art and letting all of that meaning wash over you can feel as cathartic as a good cry. If you are into modern art you can't go past the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth, it is up there with the best in the world and is well worth a special trip. Why not make a weekend out of it? For art experiences closer to Auckland, the wonderful Auckland Art Gallery has a Bill Culbert exhibition starting on July 3. For something a bit different, Art in the Park will see some of NZ's most iconic artworks on display in Eden Park from 23-25 July.
Start a gratitude journal
Stay more positive this winter by writing down what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. Photo / Getty Images
Our brains are hard-wired to focus on the negative - it's a survival instinct born from always scanning for danger. Which means we are programmed to spend more time thinking about the bad stuff, but we can do some rewiring and it is pretty simple.
What is a gratitude journal? It can be a notebook next to your bed or even a notes app on your phone. All you need to do at the end of the day is write down at least five things you are grateful for. It can be anything from witnessing a pretty sunset to something funny your kid said or the pleasure of lighting the fire and warming up when you get home. The process of writing these things down helps to "rewire" you and on days when you are feeling down, reading over your entries again can be just the positivity hit you need.
Float on
Float tanks are a wonderful way to unwind and they are toasty and warm. Photo / Getty Images
Over the years float tanks have been linked with a huge range of benefits. Clinical studies have used floatation therapy as treatment for conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders and chronic pain caused by conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
If you have never floated then make this winter your chance. You will step into a warm, calm, relaxing and heavily salted bath. As relaxing music plays you close the door, lie back and let the experience wash over you. In what feels like five minutes, an hour passes and you step out feeling brand new and barely able to wipe the smile off your face.
Cutting down your wardrobe items can provide much needed catharsis and make finding things you need much easier. Photo / Getty Images
Cleaning and decluttering is a powerful process. Emotionally you are getting rid of the past, of things you have outgrown. Physically, cleaning is equivalent to a moderate intensity workout, so it is good for your fitness. Then there is the long-lasting joy from having an organised wardrobe, kitchen pantry or garage. You will know exactly where everything is and no longer be wasting time and energy searching under unwanted junk.
If you are sitting there screaming "but I need all of my clothes" these expert tips on the basics you need for a capsule wardrobe might change your mind. It's time to crank up your favourite playlist or podcast and get your clean on.
Treat yourself
Why splurge on a spa day when you can pamper yourself at home. Photo / Getty Images
The cost and time involved in spending a day at a spa, getting pampered, puts it out of reach for most people. But that doesn't mean you can't indulge and treat yourself at home. Start with a long, relaxing bath. While you are there use a gentle scrub to exfoliate all over, apply a mud or clay face mask and lie back with your eyes closed while it does its thing. Once you have rinsed and dried off, moisturise your skin with something that feels and smells amazing.
To take your beauty session even further, how about ditching the pasty winter look entirely with some fake tan? Bondi Sands is a great product choice and their do-it-yourself tools mean you can self-apply all over with confidence, even your back. Looking like you have been sitting on a sun-drenched beach for a week will make you feel a bit less dreary on grey winter days.
Soak up the sun
Even if every fibre of your being is fighting it and just wants to stay inside where it is warm, try to get outside for some sun every day. Photo / Getty Images
Depending on where you are in New Zealand it can be hard to remember what the sun looks like during winter. Clouds or not, you still need to get outside and brave the cold for your vitamin D fix, which is vital for good health. The best time of the day to go vitamin D hunting during winter is around midday, and you only need about 10 minutes, so consider a short stroll or simply wait outside while your lunch gets made. Not only does a bit of sunlight give you physical benefits like strong bones, it also does some good things to your mind. Exposure to the sun during the day encourages the body's production of melatonin, the natural sleep hormone, which means the sun will assist your sleep. The sun also encourages serotonin production, one of the brain's happy chemicals.
Do something creative
Paint by numbers is a great way to get your art on, without having to have any actual talent. Photo / Getty Images
You don't have to be Van Gogh to find a creative outlet that works for you. Lately there has been a huge rise in the popularity of paint-by-numbers art kits. Popular in the 1980s, these kits kind of take the adult colouring craze of a few years ago to the next level. You get a canvas that is divided into numbered sections, each number correlates with a paint colour, so you just fill in the blanks with the paint provided. If you follow the rules you end up with a rather fetching piece at the end. If painting doesn't appeal consider something hands-on like a pottery class or a photography session/day out with your partner/kids/friends.
Plan a movie night with friends
Close friends + popcorn + fab movie = good times. Photo / Getty Images
Why head out in the cold when you can bring company to you? Organise a movie night with some close friends. Open a few bottles of something lovely, microwave some popcorn, add a few other nibbles and hunker down under a throw rug in front of the fire with some good company. On to the important question of which movies to watch? Most of the time when you get together with friends there will lots of chatter, so avoid something serious that you haven't seen before. Think retro romcoms like 10 Things I Hate About You and When Harry Met Sally or, if you are more into action/thrillers consider classics like The Running Man (you could do a Schwarzenegger theme and throw in Terminator 1 and Commando), Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2, or something light and fun like Legally Blonde or Miss Congeniality. Or, you could just put Grease on and sing your hearts out?
Buy (and read) a new book
Buy a new book and you get the thrill of the puchase, that fabulous new book smell and the pleasure of the book itself. Photo / Getty Images
Bookstores are a happy place. They are heady with that amazing new book smell and are certain to hold a wondrous, wandering tale that you won't be able to put down. Plus reading is good for you! A study by Yale University found that half an hour of reading a day could extend your lifespan by up to two years. So resist the Netflix autoplay, put the screens down and dive into a good book this winter. Some wonderful page-turners to consider are:
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
This is an engrossing page-turner of a novel, with one of the most unique premises. The main protagonist dies at the start of the novel, but finds themselves in a library of their own life where they are offered the chance to make different decisions in order to see how their life might have turned out. It is somehow deep and dark while also being hopeful and joyful at the same time.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
From the Nobel prize-winning author of Never Let Me Go and Remains of the Day, the new release from British-Japanese Ishiguro is, as you would expect, like nothing you have ever read before. Known for the sparseness of his language and his ability to craft strange dystopian worlds Ishiguro uses artificial intelligence to explore what it means to be human. Ishiguro's power is in making his bizarre worlds feel not just real, but familiar. This is a powerful story of humanity.
A dark journey into a woman struggling to make sense of her life. Dealing with divorce and mental illness you would be forgiven for thinking this sounds like a depressing novel to steer clear of, but it is in fact charming and very funny. It's a novel about mental illness, how families absorb and accommodate it, and yet it will make you laugh out loud. This is the kind of novel that leaves you with a feeling of loss at the end for having finished it.
Give a little
There are kai pantries all over Auckland where you can donate food for the less fortunate. Photo / NZH
Doing something for someone else can help to reset our brains to be more focused on other's needs. It can also remind us about how fortunate we really are, plus there is a lovely little dopamine hit that comes with doing good deeds. Try donating food to your local Pataka Kai Food Pantry, organise a group volunteer session at the Auckland City Mission or find something long term that will be fulfilling at Volunteering Auckland.
