Nourishment During the Winter Season

By Abby Fosco

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The winter season is upon us, and that calls for evaluating our strategies for nourishment and self-care during the colder months. For many of us, winter time may lead to the winter blues, which can definitely feel amplified with COVID-19 spikes and social distancing restrictions. With less time outside and more time indoors, it's important to find hobbies and coping skills that accommodate the change in season and the COVID-19 restrictions. 

​I interviewed our clinicians at MMC about their tips and strategies for finding nourishment throughout the winter season:

Marissa Mangual, MS, LPC

• Practicing gratitude, especially at times of hopelessness, discontent, anxiety, and frustration due to COVID-19. Practicing gratitude daily can remind us of what we still have, and to appreciate what is. Gratitude has been shown to elicit positive emotions and bring a sense of ease during unpredictability and change.

• Increasing mindfulness and pleasant experiences in the smaller things that bring a sense of relief, joy, or contentment. For example, settling into a cup of tea, starting a puzzle, and/or stepping outside in the sun. Can we use this time to develop a stronger sense of appreciation for the things we tend to skip by during our busy lives? 

• Watching Christmas and holiday movies, and listening to holiday songs to instill cheer and holiday spirit (if you enjoy that). 

• Thinking of new memories to make. Plan for changes in traditional holiday plans due to COVID-19 restrictions, and learn ways to cope with emotions that may come up because of those changes.

• Plan/incorporate activities that increase positive emotions. It is okay not to feel as enthused or spirited; perhaps show compassion to those emotions and remind yourself “this will pass”.
  

• ​Questions to ask yourself:  what are things that bring you hope? What are things to look forward to?

Kristine Aguilar, MSW, LCSW

• Watching YouTube videos of tropical scenes (if you miss summer). 

• Schedule Zoom dinners with friends and family. 

• Due to the decrease in sunlight during the winter months, buying a sun lamp as a form of light therapy is something to consider.

• I’ve started buying flowers for myself when I go to the grocery store; it’s something pretty and bright for me to have at home. 

• Perhaps move furniture around to create some novelty. Also, a fun indoor hobby could be purchasing a seed growing kit and starting seeds in January/February, then planting the seeds in the spring. 

Nathalie Edmond, PsyD, RYT-500 | Founder and Director of MMC

• Invest in a light box if you struggle with seasonal affective disorder. Perhaps meditate or use guided imagery when using the light box.

• Try a new hobby or learn a new language this winter.

• Follow a 21 day gratitude practice.

• Discover something you love or appreciate about winter. ​

• Let yourself slow down, rest more, nap more, and/or binge watch shows if that is what your nervous system wants. Our nervous systems originally had a rhythm of hibernating in the winter.

• Think about winter as a time to plant seeds and regroup for the next season to come.​

• Discover new recipes that feature your favorite foods of winter.​

• Start your morning routine with a couple of rounds of breath of joy (energizing breath routine).​

• Spending quality time with loved ones via Zoom or in a responsible, socially distanced way. Reconnect with someone you may have lost touch with. 

• Come to our Winter Solstice Meditation Workshop on 12/21 via Zoom, or our  Mindfulness in Action Group that will start in January via Zoom (here is the link to register for these events).

Shashi Khanna, LCSW

• Mindfulness, gratitude, exercise, and getting out in the sun as much as you can. 

• Using positive affirmations can been helpful.

As we continue to live through these unprecedented times and each season looking a bit different than it ever has before, nourishment and self-care is more important than ever. If you want additional support throughout this winter season, Mindful and Multicultural Counseling in Ewing, NJ is here for you. Here is a link to our website's main page, and you can reach us by phone at (609) 403-6359 and by email at [email protected].