5 Tips to Stay Balanced during Winter

Winter offers you an invitation to slow down, turn inward, reflect and hibernate. It allows you to gather strength and reconnect with your willpower to move forward in life with a renewed sense of energy. Can you feel the internal heat, the quieting of the mind and the natural urge to relish in stillness?

“In Ayurveda (the ancient science of life and living in harmony with nature), winter is divided into two parts. The first half of winter carries over the rough, dry, light and cold qualities of fall, whereas the second half of the season tends to be more damp, heavy, slow and stable (closer to spring time).”

In order to stay healthy, happy and thriving during winter, we balance out the above mentioned qualities with a mindful routine, proper foods and small lifestyle changes. Think nourishment and warmth, grounding yet invigorating practices and lots of inspiration.

Choose some or all of the tips below, depending on what resonates with you and works with your schedule. See if you can commit to staying with the practices and your body and mind will respond with glowing health and boosting immunity. Your routine will become your daily anchor so you can enjoy this season and say goodbye to winter blues.

1. Winter daily routine

Start waking up just before sunrise, around 7am. I know that your body may resist getting out of the warm bed on cold winter mornings but while you want to get enough rest you also want to avoid oversleeping. This is the reason why it’s nice to set up a morning routine so you encourage flow and prevent heaviness and lethargy.

After getting up start your day by scraping your tongue, brushing your teeth and oil pulling using about 1 tbsp sesame oil. Then have a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon and optional grated ginger to assist digestion and elimination.

Adding dry brushing to your morning winter routine can do wonders for dry and dull skin. Follow dry brushing with a warm shower and a whole body massage with your favourite body oil or lotion to wake up all your senses.

If you like moving in the morning, make time for a brisk walk or a work out to shift the stagnant energy.

2. Winter foods

Your digestion is actually stronger in the chilly season as your body naturally tries to create more heat and energy. Give yourself plenty of nutrients with hot soups, stews, mineral broths, cooked whole grains, sea vegetables, roasted sweet veggies, hearty steamed greens, protein rich beans and enough healthy fats. The focus is on warm, nourishing and energizing foods.

To avoid heaviness and congestion, try to eliminate processed foods, rich candies, ice-cold foods as well as heavy dairy products.

Herbs and spices: cumin, thyme, anise, cardamom, fennel, nutmeg, rosemary, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, basil, ginger, oregano, sage and black pepper
Legumes: black, mung, navy, soy and white beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas
Grains: barley, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, spelt, oats, whole wheat
Fruits: apples, limes, lemons, dates, pears, figs and persimmons
Veggies: brussel sprouts, celery, parsnip, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, green beans, cabbage, leeks, carrots, peppers
Nuts and seeds: almonds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans
Oils: almond, olive, sesame, flax, sunflower

3. Winter movement

A more energized movement in winter helps to shift stagnation and congestion and warms up the body for the day. Enjoy more vigorous yoga styles, dance, brisk walks, HIIT or hikes. Use your movement practices to inspire, rejuvenate and re-balance your body and mind. The ideal time for your winter workout routine is in the morning, between sunrise and 10 am to get you going and to avoid feelings of lethargy (but remember, anytime is better than not at all).

“It’s easy to get negative or uninspired during shorter and darker days but with a regular movement routine you can feel lighter and brighter and even spread a little joy around.”

After finishing your practice, take a moment to notice how you feel and observe the shift in your energy. Allow the uplifted feelings to move through you as you go on with your day.

4. Winter self-care

Winter is a beautiful opportunity for self-care and the ideal season for extra pampering. Take time each day to nurture yourself and spend some moments in quietude to allow your body to gather strength and vitality. Winter self-care practices focus on warmth, sweetness, comfort, being and allowing.

There is nothing more nurturing for body, mind and soul than an aromatic evening bath or morning shower with salt scrubs and essential oils. Winter is also the perfect time time to enjoy steam saunas. If you’re not a bath or sauna fan, you might fancy an afternoon uplifting ‘tonic’ with ginger, lemon, turmeric and honey to keep the body warm and the spirit bright. (Recipe: 1/2 inch sliced ginger, 1 sliced lemon and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Boil 2 cups of water and add the ingredients. Turn down to simmer for 15 minutes. Add honey in the end and enjoy!)

When choosing your winter essential oils, reach for ginger, cardamom, eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, cinnamon, frankincense, cedar, pine, lemon, geranium, grapefruit or lavender. These will help you energize the mind, enliven the emotions and elevate your spirits.

5. Winter mindfulness

Days or even weeks might go by without sunlight, the sky gets lower and all you can see is dark clouds. Finding ways to look on the bright side becomes more important than ever. Remember, the light lives within you all year long, you just need to try a little harder to connect with it during winter.

One way to do that is by practicing a healing light visualization. Sit with your eyes closed and let your breath become natural and easy. Bring your awareness to your heart centre and visualize a tiny light or candle flame residing there. As you inhale, see the flame growing larger and brighter filling up more space in your body. As you exhale, relax. Continue to expand the light with every inhale until your entire body is surrounded by warm golden energy. Repeat for at least 10 rounds of breath and notice the shift in your mental and emotional state.

If you like, you can create your winter sacred space (altar) with objects such as twinkle lights, stars, dry branches, dead leaves, candles etc. Your altar will be your special place where you can light a candle, meditate, journal, spark new ideas, find joy or simply pause.

“Allow yourself to slow down and notice the natural cycle of death and rebirth that is so present in the winter in bare trees, the stark landscapes and the silence around. Surrender to your inner shadow in order to move freely into the light when the time comes. Trust the process!”

Source: Your Irresistible Life by Glynnis Osher and Madhuri Phillips.