Winter is fun. Well, at least it is for a few weeks in November… The first snowfall, pulling your cozy winter clothes and blankets out of storage and preparing for the holiday season. However by February, around the time the groundhog predicts no end in sight to the bone chilling cold and other joys of winter, the whole winter thing quickly gets old. Here are some of the “best” worst things about winter along with some remedies to get you through to the spring.
1. More darkness: When the day has more hours of darkness than light, it’s easy for depression to set in, especially for those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. Aside from scheduling your winters in a sunny destination, you can fight the effects of darkness by waking up early enough to enjoy the most sunlit hours, exercising more and replacing some of those dim bulbs with brighter indoor lighting.
2. Cold weather spreads germs: Colder, dryer air is more conducive for passing cold and flu germs from person to person. It’s also the reason that people spend more time indoors, increasing the likelihood of germ transmission. Remedies include flu and pneumonia vaccines and taking extra care in sanitizing frequently used objects like phones, television remotes, microwave controls and doorknobs.
3. Less sunlight and fresh air: Aside from seasonal depression, spending more time indoors away from the Vitamin D, fresh air and the soft green grass of the great outdoors can be a downer. Instead of spending the winter staring forlornly out your window at the ice and snow, find new hobbies and interests indoors. Light some candles, get the fireplace going, curl up with some good books, discover warm drinks and find your own reasons to look forward to the bad weather rather than dreading it.
4. Dead plant life: As the song goes, “With every season, turn, turn, turn.” Part of this yearly cycle of life is the death and rebirth of plants and trees. If this outdoor botanical display of death brings you down, find some bright colored plants and greenery to decorate your indoors.
5. Drab colored clothing: Other than Mr. Blackwell’s laws of fashion, there technically isn’t any law against putting away the brightly colored summer colors all winter long.
6. Health hazards: Emergency rooms stay busy all winter long from the adverse effects of shoveling, de-icing and snow blowing. Don’t let anyone fool you – all of these activities are physical labor and place your back, knees, arms, fingers and toes at risk. Treat your de-snowing and de-icing activities like any other type of workout: warm up, take it slow and don’t take on more than your body is fit for.
7. More effort to leave the house: Speaking of de-snowing and de-icing… one of the joys of winter is adding an extra hour to the time it takes you to get out of the house and on your way to wherever it is you go every day. The only miracle remedy for this winter woe is waking up earlier. On the bright side, this will allow you to enjoy every sunlit hour of the day.
8. Waking up before the sun does: On the less bright side, continuing with number 7, between winter prep time and daylight savings time, most people’s alarms are set to go off before the sun does. See miracle remedy number 7.
9. Dry, cracked skin: This can be a bloody health hazard, especially in very dry climates. Cracks in the skin increase the risk of bacterial invading your body. Invest in lots of moisturizer (Vaseline is very effective) and of course band-aids and anti-bacterial ointment for when winter wins the battle.
10. Fewer outdoor activities: For all the swimming, sun tanning, beach going, tennis playing, softball loving, park sitters who are unlucky enough to live in colder climates, winter may seem to last forever. Once again, use this as an opportunity to discover new passions in life. Invest in thermal underwear, bundle up and explore new pasttimes like ice skating (a fun way to burn up to 350 calories per hour!), skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding.
11. Dry hair, brittle nails: Cold, dry climates damage more than skin. Hair and nails also require extra help in the winter battle. Extra moisturizers as well as increasing the Vitamin E (topically, in supplement capsule form or through food sources such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, eggs and milk). Soaking your nails in vegetable oil is another great home remedy for brittle nails.
12. Holiday depression: Separate from seasonal depression triggered specifically by winter, holiday depression is caused more by feelings of loneliness, loss or the perception that “everyone else” is immersed in nothing but joy and merriment from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. This is very rarely the case, but to individuals suffering from holiday season depression it can seem that way. As with any type of depression, if it disrupts your personal relationships, work or other aspects of regular life, the best remedy is to seek professional help. Your doctor or primary care provider can point you in the right direction.
13. Need more sleep: We may not technically be bears, but during the winter a hibernation instinct kicks in that makes us want to sleep and eat more and burrow under the covers. More exercise, increased social interaction and a regular schedule can combat these natural urges.
14. Less physical exercise: Exercise may be the remedy for more than a few of winter’s woes. Unfortunately, the last thing that we sometimes feel like doing in the winter is stripping down to our workout clothes and getting physical. Vitamin B, an excellent natural mood and energy enhancer, can help.
15. Flu season: Specialty flus like avian and swine (H1N1) flu may pop up at any time during the year, but the old-fashioned strain of the flu is still most prone to sneaking up on us in the winter. Cold weather, more time spent indoors with one another, and lowered immune defenses can make any human body an easy target for the flu virus to latch onto. However, the very young, very old and those with already compromised immune systems should especially take care to get a flu vaccine at the start of each winter flu season.
16. More fat: Just when fall arrives and you finally start making progress with the battle of the bulge – it is suddenly winter and your body starts fighting back with its natural urge to increase its fat stores for the colder months. The remedies: Awareness (so you can adjust your workout schedule accordingly) along with an understanding of where those “high carb, high fat” cravings are coming from,.
17. Holiday indigestion: Thanksgiving, Holiday parties and the Super Bowl are free passes to toss dietary caution to the wind and pig out right? I’ll let you decide this for yourself.
18. Bad weather = Risky driving: And cranky drivers. As if dangerous weather conditions and treacherous roads aren’t enough, there is also the impatient attitudes of drivers who drive too fast (or slow) for conditions to contend with. Give yourself plenty of time to get from point A to point B, don’t follow too closely, never assume that cars approaching a red light will slide to a stop in time and be as defensive a driver as humanly possible without crossing over into outright paranoia.
19. Less sex drive: Combine the hibernation instinct, clothes that cover more skin, cold winter nights and the desire for more sleep….and suddenly the sexy summer boudoir becomes the house of snores and humming humidifiers. Wintertime is the time to light some candles, crank up the sultry tunes and do whatever it takes (he-hem) to get you and your partner in the mood. Sexual activity also has many welcome winter benefits such as mood enhancement and cardiovascular exercise.
20. Higher heating bills: This is a financially lousy reality of winter. Save on the energy bills by keeping the central heat down and using small, electric, safe space heaters in the room where you are rather than heating all the rooms that you’re not in. Extra layers of clothes are also more financially frugal than cranking up the heat.
21. Frostbite: Extended exposure to bitter cold, puts unprotected body parts, especially fingers and toes, at risk for frostbite.(tissue destruction and often worse). To prevent this winter weather hazard, wear adequate warm dry clothes and keep your body moving to keep your blood flowing.
22. Holiday heartbeat: This is a phrase coined by ER doctors and nurses that refers to the mild to moderate heart palpitations and irregular rhythms that result from overindulging in the holiday drinking. The majority of cases are not serious and resolve themselves, but if symptoms persist for more than a few minutes and/or are accompanied by other cardiac symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, seek immediate medical help.
23. Weekend warrior injuries: Winter sports can be a fun way to spend a weekend, but unfortunately many “weekend warriors” forget that sports such as skiing, snowboarding and ice skating are physically demanding and therefore require a significant amount of physical fitness. Don’t forget to warm up first and always stretch afterwards to avoid pulled muscles and torn ligaments.
24. Snow reflected sunburns: The beach isn’t the only place where the sun can burn and put you at risk for skin cancer. When the sun’s rays reflect off that glistening, snowy white ski slope the burns can be at least as bad if not worse than a day on the sand. Be sure and protect exposed areas (i.e. your face) with SPF 30 or higher.
25. Chilled to the bone: Finally, comes the all encompassing way that winter can make you feel lousy for which there is only one surefire cure – spring!
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