The cold weather and fall and winter months bring a bit of blues occasionally. There’s something about the cold temperature and shorter days that make the upcoming winter season one to dread. As a family with a busy schedule, we need to be feeling our best all year round. It’s always a great time to get ahead of the winter blues and create a routine that keeps our spirits up. To keep up the best way we can, we have a list of 5 things each family member likes to do to feel our very best with both physical activity and for mental health this time of year.
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Vitamin D
First and foremost, this is incredibly important. Forget the heat loss and low temperatures, the sun setting so early will throw you off more than anything. Weather conditions often keep us inside as is, but with no sun, we are simply not getting any of the vitamin D we need. I highly recommend speaking to your doctor to see what the best option and dosage is for you! I am not in a position to recommend any brands or types but I am certain we all lack this vitamin for fall and winter. Not only is this for bone health, but also immunity and a leading cause for mental health decline. Keep up with your vitamins and supplements to get the necessary vitamins you need. These are frigid temperatures where we don’t get direct sunlight.
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Self Care
Secondly, I happen to love this category. And not just because I feel like I can use a spa day and pampering but because this is also important for both mental and physical health. When we feel our best, we look our best! This is much more than skin care, it’s also body care. With a colder climate comes dry skin and eczema flare ups. Make sure to take time to treat yourself and take care of your body! For instance, take a bath in warm water, enjoy fruits and vegetables necessary for vital organs function and indulge yourself in thicker lotions. I have a list of my favorite skincare face masks below to stock up on or save for a rainy day!
Dr Jart Set, Fresh Calming Mask, Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, Caudalie Vitamin C Mask, Dr Dennis Gross Clarifying Mask, Drunk Elephant Babyfacial, SkinFix Recovery Mask, Alpyn Beauty Recovery Peel
Get Ahead on Outerwear
This might sound simple, and it totally is but I never remember to do this! Winter conditions quickly follow fall and even the wind chill coming weeks after warm weather requires a coat. Take the time now to pull out all of your gear and see what you have. Do a check in on what fits, what’s in good condition and what is needed! We don’t get a lot of snow here, but we do start to get some occasionally in November right before the holidays. It’ll be here before we know it. It’s the perfect time to get those coats, scarves and hats you need!
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Keep a System for Organization
Here we have what is up there in importance for things that need to get done. We are constantly running around from meetings to after school activities and appointments. This makes it incredibly easy for things to get disorganized. And I mean this in every way whether it be a schedule or your pantry.
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Moreover, if you have young children, you understand how important organization in your space is or else it feels like your home is swallowing you up. Set up bins for organized school supplies, download an organizational app to help you with a morning routine or create a chart for daily tasks to be checked off. These are all things that can make your day go that much smoother, especially as it begins to cool down outside and we start to get stuck inside.
Routine
Finally, routines are everything! I know things can get thrown off and that is okay! It’s all about how we get back on track. Henceforth, a good night’s sleep is of utmost importance. Set a time where everyone is in bed by, therefore, all tasks like homework and work will be done beforehand. My kids like to have time to read before bed! For this, we set an 8PM time for them to get into bed and have 45 minutes or so to read before shutting off the lights. Moreover, pick a time for lunches to be made so you know that is complete. The night before is always easier so you have more time in the morning!
Personally, I like to have a workout routine so I can get my endorphins in daily! If I go to in person classes, I tend to hold myself accountable more. Although, if you have determination, you can get the at home routines down!
*This post was originally published October 27th, 2023*
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