Winter Wellness Blueprint: Practical Tips for a Healthier Season
The New Year is traditionally a time of ambitious goals that can feel counterintuitive to the long winter months. Increasing your steps, exercise intensity, raw salads, and even your time awake may soon start to feel as if you’re working against the shorter daylight hours and cold, inclement weather.
Could slowing down and honoring winter’s attributes be the key to optimal health and attaining your goals in the long run? Some Scandinavian countries think so.
Embracing Winter Via Hygge
Following a practice called hygge (pronounced “hoo-guh”), Danish and Norwegian cultures embrace the winter months by opting for rest, gentle movement, and connection instead of early-morning gym sessions.
The idea is to work with winter, rather than against it. For these cultures, the season marks a time for curling up, eating warm, nourishing foods, spending quality time with loved ones, and practicing gratitude.
“Reduced daylight impacts certain hormones (like melatonin, cortisol, and leptin) that lead to lower energy and extra sleepiness," says Clinical Nurse Practitioner Lois Neering, of Munson Sleep Disorders Center. “Living in tandem with the darker days and colder temperatures can be more beneficial for our minds and bodies than not.”
If revving up in the New Year tends to feel draining, and you’re ready to try something different, try these Hygge-inspired tips.
Get More Rest & Sleep
Biologically, winter is a time for increased rest, which encourages the body to repair and restore.
Consistent bedtimes and longer sleeping windows align with what winter naturally invites, says Neering.
“Adequate sleep in the winter offers significant benefits for both the body and the brain, primarily by strengthening the immune system, regulating mood, enhancing cognitive function, and supporting metabolism,” Neering shares. “The naturally cooler, darker environment in winter can facilitate deeper, more restorative sleep if managed properly.”
To maximize winter sleep benefits, Neering says, focus on a good sleep schedule that helps regulate your body's internal clock by balancing melatonin and serotonin production. This includes:
- Maximizing your natural daylight exposure as much as possible.
- Considering a "happy light" with 10,000 Lumens, used for 15 to 20 minutes upon waking (from October until March).
- Keeping your bedroom cool (ideally at 60 to 67 degrees) for faster and deeper sleep.
- Avoiding computer screens and heavy meals before bedtime, opting instead for relaxing activities like reading or meditation.
“If wintertime low mood or sleep issues become severe, reach out to your primary care provider, who can help you connect you to treatments like light therapy or medication,” Neering emphasizes.
Exercise with the Season
Our bodies need movement—but forcing new or more ambitious fitness regimens may not fit the bill biologically. Here’s what to consider instead:
- Pilates, yoga, or stretching
- Strength training at home with bodyweight (like pushups), resistance bands, and hand-held weights
- Lighter cardio, such as indoor walking, bouncing gently on a rebounder, or dancing
- Snow-based activities like snowshoeing or cross-country skiing
- Indoor swimming, water aerobics, or pool walking
Katie Larsen, a physical therapist with Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare—Elk Rapids (one of several of our outpatient physical therapy locations throughout the region) suggests finding community-based exercise programs, which can also be found at local churches and senior centers.
“YouTube offers a wide variety of free exercise programs as well, which allow you to stay cozy and warm inside your home while staying active. Or invest in some exercise equipment like a stationary bike, bike peddler, or treadmill,” she adds.
Larsen encourages everyone, whether beginning or seasoned, to beware of limitations and not try to push too hard initially, which could set you back if you injure yourself. The majority of winter visits to the ER include slips and falls as well as cardiac events, so being gentler on yourself can also significantly reduce your risk of needing emergency or critical care.
“Start small and slow. ‘Easy’ exercise is better than doing nothing,” Larsen explains. “You will progress more quickly if you don’t injure yourself along the way. Even seasoned athletes looking to challenge themselves should be realistic about the demands they place on their bodies. ‘No pain, no gain’ does not apply to every body.”
Eat with the Season
Strict calorie-counting and focusing on foods that aren’t in season—like melons, berries, asparagus, and raw salads filled with out-of-season produce—might feel unsatisfying for a reason.
If you’re craving warm comfort foods like soups and stews, casseroles, and roasts with root vegetables, these cravings aren’t empty. They’re your body communicating. Eating with the season may be tastier, feel gentler on your digestive system, and is often more budget-friendly. Tweak your meal-planning by focusing on in-season foods, including:
Protein. Turkey, lamb, salmon, venison, leaner beef, legumes, tofu, and tempeh are all good sources. Focus on what your taste buds crave and build each meal centered around your protein source.
Root Vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and beets.
Fruit. Winter squashes, oranges, winter apple (Fuji, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp), and pear (like Anjou) varieties.
Vegetables. Cruciferous veggies and leafy greens like arugula, onions, garlic, and leeks. Consider cooked veggies over raw (or add to soups, stews, and one-pot meals).
Healthy Fats. Nuts and seeds, misting olive oil on your veggies, dark chocolate, and grass-fed butter. Think of these healthy fats, which contain Omega-3s and fat-soluble vitamins, as more of a flavor enhancer than a side dish when portioning.
Boost Your Winter Mindset
Lowered serotonin from reduced daylight can also contribute to feelings of sadness or angst. Thankfully, there are ways to soothe them that don’t involve excess alcohol, caffeine, snacking, screen time, or impulse spending. Dr. Michael Lucido, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Munson's Charlevoix Behavioral Health shares some healthy alternatives.
Focus on Togetherness. Connection with family and friends is a significant part of the hygge tradition. Think of these opportunities as warm, fuzzy mittens for the mind and soul. This can mean anything from enjoying a hearty meal or board game together to having meaningful conversations about life or even a movie night if you're not feeling talkative. Don't forget the soft lighting and hot chocolate—two hygge staples.
Don’t Discount Personal Time. Even the most extraverted of extraverts can benefit from alone time. Give yourself permission to focus on yourself through journaling, reading, embracing a home-based hobby such as cooking, or listening to a positive podcast.
Assess Your Physical Health
While you’re practicing rest and restoration this winter, the slowdown can also be a perfect time to assess what preventive care, screenings, and other medical-related appointments you need.
Consider any health challenges you may be facing, like ongoing pain, numbness or tingling, bladder control, menopause symptoms, menstrual-related pain, depression, anxiety, or anything that doesn’t feel right. Note your symptoms and schedule any specialist visits you need. If a referral is needed, your primary care provider can help.
Winter Health Checklist
- Annual wellness check-up with blood panel
- Cancer screenings, such as mammography and colonoscopy
- Skin, bone density, and other screenings
- Chronic condition checks (especially if you have diabetes, arthritis, asthma, heart disease, etc.)
Remember: Winter is for thriving, not surviving! Embrace the positive aspects of this slower season and use them to give your body and mind a steady dose of nourishment.