I always find February quite a tough month as we get fed up of the dark and want to get more light and longer days. I feel my body is quite tired at this time as we transition from winter to spring.
Here are some ways you can stay healthy during this transition of winter to spring?
Stay Warm.
It's simple yes, but important. Resist the urge to leave the house without your trusty scarf and hat. Dress in layers. Even on the "warm" days!
Get enough rest.
Simply put, the more rest you get, the better your immune system works.
Stick with routines.
It's easy to get out of routines when seasons shift, but sticking to them is of the utmost importance! Keep-up with your winter routines. Don't let Daylight Savings mess-up your sleep routines- still get to bed early. Avoid shifting to new spring routines until spring is *really* here and the flowers are blooming and the bugs and birds have returned!
Emerge from the winter sloooooowly.
It's easy to jump right into things, but resist the urge.
Move your body.
It's easy to get frustrated this time of year, as we transition from the quiet and stillness of winter to the upward, outward, and expansive energy of spring. Movement helps you integrate this shift in energy and "go with the flow" with more ease
Food.
I feel the need to transition my diet away from comfort, warmth and soft towards, fresh, cool and crunch. There are some wonderful winter salads around that do this really well. Using spices and fresh herbs wherever possible freshens and excites a sluggish palette. Chuck fresh herbs in your salads and break out the spice wherever possible.
Nature.
Natural spaces can help us to feel psychologically restored. There is a large body of evidence suggesting that time spent in green spaces supports our physical and emotional health, with increased creativity, empathy, improvements in blood pressure and reductions in stress named as but a few of the benefits. Green spaces don’t have to be expansive field or hill for us to experience the benefits, a park, garden or will do for just 15 minutes every day.
Mind.
I like to fill the the house with flowering bulbs like hyacinths. I am also an independent consultant for Neils Yard Remedies and I love to use their aromatherapy diffusers to set the mood – I love their Woman’s Balance Aromatherapy oil to create energy and balance at the moment. All members will receive 10% off any Neils Yard Remedy orders.
Use daily rituals like affirmations, meditation or whatever it is that works for you to keep you afloat, here is one of my favourites for this transitional time:
Each day I am renewed, restored and changed. I start again with refreshed purpose and vision.
If you create a daily ritual around these things it will really help you to maintain some balance at this time of year.
