4 Easy Ways to Look After Yourself this Winter

4 Easy ways to look after yourself this winter

Taking care of yourself is so important! And even more so in winter.

With the cold weather, it’s easy to get sick or feel down.

The dark nights come in early and the weather can really suck, and for a lot of people, they go to work in the dark and come home in the dark.

So, it can feel quite lonely and impact our mood.

Luckily, there are lots of simple things you can do to keep your mood up and your health on track.

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4 Easy ways you can look after yourself this winter

1. Say yes to face masks!

Face masks are a great way to relax, pamper yourself and soothe your skin.

They can help with acne, redness, dry patches and wrinkles making them a great all rounder for some extra skin TLC.

Face masks are also a quick win for relaxation at the end of a busy day.

If you’re feeling stressed or exhausted after work or school then lavishing some time on yourself by treating your face to a mask will help recharge your batteries!

There are lots of different kinds of face masks out there perfect for a pamper session.

Here are my top face mask picks:

Clay-based ones which draw out impurities from the skin

Here are some of my favourites:

• L’ORGANIQ Clear Skin Clay Mask – Use code: OFAG15 for 15% off at lorganiq.com
• L’ORGANIQ Green Tea Clay Mask
• TEMPLESPA PURIFICATION Clay Mask
• The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
• Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask
• The INKEY List Kaolin Clay Mask
• Face Facts Brightening Pink Clay Mask
• BeBarefaced Vegan Mud Mask

Honey based masks that aim to restore moisture back into tired and dull looking skin

Here are some of my favourites:

• Garnier Skin Active Honey Face Mask
• Face Facts Smoothing Honey Peel Off Mask
• Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Facial Mask

Lavender Based Face Masks for helping to soothe your skin and help to reduce inflammation

Here are a couple of my favourites:

• ELEMIS Herbal Lavender Repair Mask
• Garnier Moisture Bomb Lavender Sheet Mask

Masks specifically targeted towards hydrating dry skin are also a firm favourite of mine in winter!

Here are some of my favourites:

• Farmacy 10% Niacinamide Facial Mask
• Garnier Moisture Bomb Pomegranate and Hyaluronic Acid Sheet Mask
• e.l.f. Holy Hydration!
• Sand & Sky Tasmanian Spring Water Intense Hydrating Mask
• O Naturals Ultra Hydrating Watermelon Gel Face Mask

2. Maintain a routine

When you’re feeling down, it can be easy to let your routine slip.

It’s also easy to feel a little sadder than normal as the daylight gets shorter in the winter months. Our mornings are dark and it gets darker quicker at night, so we see less daylight than we normally get.

But, sticking to a regular schedule can help ease your mood by reminding you of what’s normal and expected.

*Please note that I’m not referencing the likes of SAD (Seasonal affective disorder) when I talk about feeling a little down or change in mood. This can seriously affect people’s mental health that may require treatment, please see your GP.

Anyway, back to maintaining a routine to help care for yourself this winter.

Try these ideas that don’t require a lot of extra effort.

Exercise for 20 minutes everyday or every second day

Set aside time each day for exercise.

Just 20 minutes a day can make all the difference in how you feel, and that’s all you need!

Find something you enjoy, like dancing or taking up yoga.

If you’re looking for more home based activity ideas, then try these:

Weighted Hula Hoop

Why not look into a weighted hula hoop!

I’ve been using mine consistently since September and my waist looks *chefs kiss*. It helps me stay active and I can watch some Netflix while doing so.

It’s a win win.

This is the Hula Hoop I have – K-MART Smart Weighted Hula – But you can get lots of different kinds and at different prices on Amazon – Weighted Hula Hoops

Treadmill

Now this wont be for everyone, but for someone like myself who loves to do walking, it’s an amazing investment.

I got myself a treadmill in the summer and there hasn’t been a week gone by where I haven’t used it at least once. Normally I’m on it 5 days out of 7 but sometimes life gets in the way.

I have found that I am a lot more active now that I have one in the house because I can walk whenever I like without worrying about the weather, the cold, being too busy and so on.

This is a good investment for anyone who has the passion for it, needs something to help at home or just wants to make the most of being active in the colder months.

You can get folding ones for saving space, or if you can, there are bigger treadmills perfect for serious workouts.

Home Workouts with YouTube Videos

One of my favourite ways to do a workout at home is to use YouTube videos as an aid.

I love sticking one on and getting my heart pumping as I follow along.

Here are some of my favourite workout videos I watch:

• Growwithjo 20 Min INTENSE Standing Lower Belly Fat Workout | Low Impact 
• Sharona’s Hill STRANGER THINGS DANCE WORKOUT || 80s songs
• MadFit 15 MIN FULL BODY – Slow & On The Floor (Low Impact)
• Emi Wong 30 min Full Body Fat Burn HIIT (NO JUMPING)

Make sure you’re doing activities that you enjoy!

It’s important to make sure that whatever kind of activity you do to get yourself moving, that you enjoy it.

When you enjoy what you are doing, it makes all the difference and makes it more likely you will keep it up.

The endorphins released during exercise will boost your mood as well as keep your body healthy.

So, this is one habit worth keeping up all winter long!

Try putting on some upbeat music while doing workouts if possible, find songs that empower you and give you that feel good feeling. If you’re looking for a workout playlist, check out my post – Let’s Do This | Playlist for When You Need Motivation

Make time for cosy time

Get cosy with some good books or watch a funny movie now and then.

Making sure you have some down time in your routine is important for staying rested and having that all important “me time”.

This will help you stay rested and what’s better than getting cosy in the cold, dark months.

Try setting up a schedule that incorporates a variety of different cosy tasks.

By doing this you maintain balance within your life with different activities that help reduce stress and target different needs such as Social or Alone time, Mental health, Physical Health, Nourishment and more. 

Cosy Self-Care activities to try

• Get snuggled up in bed with a good book – I have a few book reviews if you would like inspiration!
• Have a movie night complete with your favourite sweets or snacks all cosy in bed
• Take a nice bubble bath in candle light with some bath bombs and a face mask
• Get creative in the kitchen and bake your favourite baked goods! You could make cookies, cupcakes, shortbread, the list is endless!

3. Catch some ZZZs

You’ve got to get enough sleep before you can take care of yourself.

Sleep is the body’s way of healing and repairing itself, so it’s super important that we get enough sleep every night.

If you don’t get enough sleep, your immune system will be weak, which means it’ll be harder for your body to fight off illness or injury.

You might also feel irritable and moody because poor sleep affects chemicals in the brain that make us happy or sad.

And did I mention that if you’re not getting enough restful sleep at night, then your performance at school or work will suffer?

This can lead to a loss in productivity.

So, how do you know if you’re getting enough restful shut eye?

Well, first off there are some tell-tale signs:

• Feeling tired during the day even when taking a nap

• Being unable to focus on anything longer than 10 minutes at a time

• Having trouble falling asleep at night – this could be compounded by snoring!

• It may also mean waking up frequently throughout the night (if this happens consistently then talk with someone about possible solutions)

Other signs of not getting enough sleep are irritation, finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, experiencing mood changes and more.

How to change up your sleep routine for a better quality of sleep

If you are struggling with getting enough good quality sleep, then here are some ways in which you can work on it and get into a better place with your sleep routine.

Go to bed at the same time every night

Start off by giving yourself a bed time.

Make sure it’s one that you can consistently stick to for a few weeks to get yourself in a routine.

Create a before bed routine

Once you have a bed time picked out, it’s time to create a before bed routine.

This is a routine that you will do every night before be. Having this will help get your body ready for bed as you’re already anticipating sleep and your body is getting used to the cues that mean bed time is coming up.

When creating this routine, make sure not to include any upbeat activities, screen time or anything that requires a lot of concentration.

Set the mood and tone

Another thing you can do to help improve your sleep is creating a relaxing and cosy atmosphere.

Make sure the room isn’t too warm or cold, if you need some light to sleep find a night light that isn’t distracting.

Also consider getting yourself a pillow spray or room spray with lavender or other essential oils that promote relaxation.

I personally love and recommend the Feather & Down Pillow Spray.

4. Take care of your hair

Another simple way to look after yourself this winter is to take good care of your hair.

I don’t know about you, but my hair means a lot to me. It’s my own personal crown that I love to keep in tip top condition.

Taking care of our hair is a big thing for a lot of us, so it’s important that we carry that care over into winter.

It’s a harsh season with some horrible weather and taking care of our locks can really make a difference and stop it looking brittle, dry and frizzy.

Here are some of my top tips on caring for your locks

Don’t wash your hair every day

This is a big one!

If you’re anything like me, you might be tempted to shampoo your locks every time you step out of the shower—but that’s actually not necessary.

For most people it’s best to only wash your hair every 2 to 3 days, even in winter.

Use less conditioner than shampoo

I know I’m not the only one who feels they need half a bottle of conditioner each time they wash their hair, but the recommended amount is about one or two quarter-sized dollops.

If you like to use a lot, try using a bit less and only applying to lengths and ends.

(I recommend at least half a bottle), but don’t go overboard with it; too much will weigh down your tresses and dry them out more than they already are from all that cold air chilling them off.*

Use a silk pillow case

Using a silk pillowcase is one hair care tip I swear by!

As silk pillow covers are smoother than other fabrics, it allows your hair to move and glide over it a lot easier than it would with other fabrics.

You may not realise it, but we move A LOT in our sleep, so using a silk pillow case with make that movement a little less harsh on our hair.

For more hair care tips, check out my post – 10 Tips for Healthy Hair | How To Get Healthy, Long Hair

Posts you may like

• Why Self-Care is Important for Your Mental Health
• 10 Self-Care Activities You Can Do Under 10 Minutes

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