The winter blahs have set in and you are bored and cannot think of anything to do to get motivated and stay busy. How does this happen? What can you do to keep your mental health positive when the outdoors is nothing but gloomy. It stays darker longer and it is cold and bitter. However, you can stay happy and stimulated if you just take a few tips on how to cope with the winter blahs.

4 Quick Tips to Keep Yourself Mentally Savvy During the Cold Months

• • Feed your Cravings Carefully. When it is cold it is easy to get settled in front of the TV and eat snacks, and typically not healthy snacks. Stock up on yogurt, nuts, fruit and crackers. These snacks will satisfy your cravings and keep you healthy to boot! Brain health has a lot to do with what we put in our bodies. We can avoid brain fog, fatigue and the afternoon slump with proper healthy snacks.
  • Stay ACTIVE and MOVE.  The weather is terrible and it would feel great to cuddle up and watch a movie. Great idea to stimulate the mind, but you need to get up and move and stay active too. What can you do? Set a timer and move every hour for 15 minutes. How about take a class with a friend and meet at the local YMCA or yoga studio that will keep you active and help you socialize when you are stuck inside most days and you are bored. When the weather is fit, get out and move a bit. Sunshine and fresh air are great for mental health.
  • Find a Mental Stimulus. When the weather is not cooperating to go out and meet friends or family, connect with friends and family over the phone or through the internet. Start a book club or play words with friends on your iPad or phone to keep your mind engaged. Want to learn a new hobby? The winter time is a good time to learn something new. If you can’t get out and about, look on YouTube for instructions on a new hobby like knitting, woodworking or pottery. If you get a chance to go out occasionally, find a partner to participate with you in your new adventure. You can socialize and keep your mind active at the same time.
  • Get Required Sleep but not too Much. As much as you need to keep the mind active, it is important to get proper rest too. In the winter our bodies tend to demand more rest. Listen to your body. However, don’t get to caught up in rest that you become to rested and not active enough to keep your muscles active and your brain engaged. Find a balance that works for you. Most people only require thirty minutes to an hour more of sleep in the winter months.

Try these tips to help boost your mood and keep your mind active and healthy. Keeping up with your mental health is good for physical and social health too. Remember when you in the winter months, you can visualize and plan what you want to do in the Spring. Do you want more tips on aging care for you or your loved ones? Contact Ann at Senior Living Options today. She will help you with your aging needs.

Author: Ann Jamison

Ann Jamison is an experienced senior advisor who has successfully worked with hundreds of families to help them find the best care and home-like environment for themselves or their loved ones. Prior to launching Senior Living Options, Ann was an eldercare advisor for a national placement agency and served as sales director at a senior living community. Thanks to her 25-year career in advertising sales and marketing, Ann is able to discern between hype and reality for her clients. Ann recognizes that there are objective factors that need to be weighed when making a life-changing decision, but she can also assess the important softer attributes by getting to know her clients and by using the gut instincts that can only come through extended experience.