Enjoying Winter

by Marie Vonow (follow)

Exercise (54)      Meditation (41)      Friends (40)      Tips (26)      Winter (17)      Yoga (11)      Socialising (1)     

As I write this it is early June and therefore officially winter. The last two nights I have had the air conditioner on for a while and it's been on the 'heat' setting. My cat is sleeping on a cupboard not far from the air con. He's not silly, he knows hot air rises even though he never studied science at school.


I like winter. The temperature doesn't drop too low where I live and I am not overly sensitive to the cold. I am able to walk and have good circulation. My house is well insulated and snug.I have enough warm clothes and recently bought a thick weatherproof jacket from an op shop.


Some people find winter weather miserable and really feel the cold. What can they do to make winter more enjoyable?

Rugging up warm with layers to trap body heat is pretty obvious. Likewise, wear warm pyjamas and bed socks to bed. Make sure you have enough bed covers to keep your bed warm. Individuals have their own preference for bedding. Some people love flannelette sheets and a feather down or other type of doona. Other swear by woollen blankets.

There are people who love their electric blanket and others who use a hot water bottle. When I was a child my grandmother filled a thick pillow slip with bran. Before bed she would heat this in the oven of the wood stove. It was a blissful way to warm the bed. Not only was it safe but there was no cold rubbery feeling in the morning as one experiences with a hot water bottle that has gone cold.

Lots of hot stews and thick soup, perhaps with some home made bread warm the body and the soul on a cold day. Ginger, curry, chilli, garlic, pepper and horseradish increase blood circulation and help you feel warmer. A mug of hot chocolate is a treat.

We have all heard of the benefits of rugging up and going for a brisk walk on a cold day. This isn't an option for people whose health won't permit it. I am fortunate I am able to enjoy a walk on a cold day and then I appreciate the warmth of my home all the more upon my return.

It can be tempting to stay home all winter if you suffer in the cold. I was surprised to read research from the University of Toronto which says not only do you feel lonely if you don't socialise but you feel physically colder as well. Therefore it is good to keep in contact with friends, whether that be by meeting up away from home or inviting them over to your place.

Attending classes and learning something new or dropping in at your community/neighbourhood house are other ways to remain social during winter. Joining an exercise class would allow you to be social (especially if you go along with a friend) as well as warming up from the exercise.


I was surprised to read meditation can help you keep warm. A form of meditation called g-Tummo is said to warm you just by using the mind. Some people feel this would not be a good type of meditation for beginners but it was interesting to read about.

I have also read that Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga 'warms you up from the inside'. It seems to be a more active form of yoga and one of the outcomes is to make the body feel warmer.

Everyone has their own preferred methods of keeping warm on cold winter days and nights. The important thing is to find what works for you and stay comfortable and happy.


# Exercise
# Friends
# Meditation
# Socialising
# Tips
# Winter
# Yoga

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