Being on top of self-care throughout the winter months can appear to be an uphill climb: eat your greens, get some sunlight, move around, be certain that you do not spend all day hibernating in bed with Netflix and hot chocolate (though a little bit of that’s great). But there are also some less conventional methods for reinforcing your mental health within the colder seasons of the yr — and you might never have contemplated a few of them.

“Our country’s mental health is at an all-time low,” Robin Hornstein Ph.D., a psychologist and counselor, tells Bustle. “With one in five adults reporting that their mental health is seriously compromised in comparison with the previous yr or two, this winter requires us all to shore up our energy and our creativity.” She recommends exploring every part that may help, from favorite movies and long walks outside to creating sure your own home feels cozy and protected. If the old methods aren’t working this yr, though, you may must branch out — into mindful walking, dark showers, ice-cold face baths, or doing all your skin routine in bed with a foster puppy.

Listed here are nine unusual ways persons are helping their mental health this winter.

Take A Very Cold Shower

“Essentially the most unusual (and really effective) mental health tip I’ve used is cold therapy. This includes things comparable to ice baths, cold showers, and easily being outdoors within the cold for long periods of time. It sounds crazy, however the science supports that cold therapy not only boosts physical immunity, but additionally elevates emotional wellness.” — Jordan, 24

Lean In To What You are Capable Of

“It may appear unusual to provide in to your mental health issues relatively than go against them, but winter — especially in a pandemic — shouldn’t be the time to push yourself and make yourself more drained. Besides, you are not giving in to it completely because you make small manageable moves. As an example, I find that water is harder to get myself to drink within the winter, but I accept that drinking tea or coffee is just pretty much as good if it means I’ll stay hydrated! One other example is with skincare – when you cannot bring yourself to clean your face on the sink with water, then put micellar water and cotton pads by your bed and do all of it from there!” — Rhiannon, 22

Do Some Breathwork

“I offer free monthly breathwork sessions to my community. It helps alleviate stress and anxiety and exercises your respiratory muscles.” — Vanni, 30s

Use A Sun Lamp

“I even have to be especially diligent about managing my symptoms within the winter due to lack of sunlight. I exploit a sun lamp throughout the winter months to immediately boost my mood if I’m feeling down. Just just a few minutes a day on gray days and it does wonders. The trick is to have it within the periphery (just like the sun, don’t look directly at the sunshine!).” — Nicole, 30

Immerse Your Head In Water

“Feeling anxious? Bend over, hold your breath, and immerse put your face in a bowl of cold water for as much as 60 seconds. This is often sufficient to induce the ‘dive reflex.’ The colder the water and the longer the immersion, the higher it really works. The dive reflex is when our hearts are inclined to decelerate below resting heart rate when submersed in cold water without oxygen. That is resulting from increased activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which decreases arousal.” — Sabrina, 30s

Visit A Kitten Café

“Kitten café! People may not at all times desire a pet or be allowed to have pets, so visiting cat cafés is a terrific strategy to reap the advantages. Those that have pets or interact with animals are less prone to suffer from depression, have elevated levels of serotonin and dopamine which help loosen up and calm a person, have fewer visits to doctors, and have higher overall physical and mental health.” — Ashleigh, 38

Call A Therapist Hotline

“There is a service called Listeners on Call that I even have been using to assist with managing stress. It’s a phone service that you would be able to dial where you possibly can speak with therapists, or you possibly can get pre-screened to then speak with one other normal one that has undergone what you’re going through now. It’s pretty neat.” — Alex, 25

Do A Half-Marathon

“The last two years I’ve signed up for a half marathon race in January or February. I discovered running just a few years ago, and ever since it has been one of the essential contributions to my mental health, especially within the winter months. I even have really bad seasonal affective disorder, and I live in an area where the winters are really gloomy and rainy. By signing up for a marathon or half marathon, I even have a goal that I can work toward within the winter that keeps me focused and healthy. I personally run five days every week as a part of my training, which supplies me consistency and forces me to get outside each day.” — Grace, 26

Shower In The Dark

“Shower at midnight! It really helps when you’re feeling overwhelmed/overstimulated, because with the lights off you’re just in just a little sensory cocoon with hot water and water sounds.” — Sarah, 33

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