10 tips for an energizing January

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Winter is cold, dark, wet, and windy - and at times it feels endlessly long.

Especially here in January, it can be a little hard to get through for most people, when December and the magic of Christmas is over. But we also know that year after year we get through the dark months, and we are happy to live in the Nordics, where we can enjoy the different seasons of the year. Seasons, each of which has its own charm filled with sensory impressions, beautiful shades, and raw nature.

We have, as something completely unique here in Scandinavia, the long bright and warm summer nights to look forward to.

During the dark months, it is important to be good to yourself and focus on filling the calendar with nice, empowering, and self-loving things. And before we know it, the light has returned, the birds are chirping, nature is sprouting, and the temperatures have risen.

At CARE BY ME, we like to live by the motto of enjoying every single day, being positive and smiling.
We hope that you can benefit from the following 10 energizing tips to get through the rest of the winter.

Enjoy!

Daylight and fresh air

The days of winter are dark and short, and therefore it is important to soak up the daylight that is now available to you, as daylight has a miraculous effect on the mood.

Through daylight, we get the special blue light, which stimulates the production of the signaling substance serotonin, which affects mood positively - or negatively if we get too little light.

Take the chance to get out while it's light as soon as it's there and soak up both fresh air and daylight and pamper your body and mind. Walk for example 10-15 minutes in your lunch break with a sandwich, choose the bike and prioritize going for a longer walk at the weekend - perhaps with someone you care about.
Make sure you breathe all the way down into your stomach, so that the cells get plenty of oxygen.

Water water water

Are you getting enough water?

It can be difficult to drink plenty of fluids - especially in the cold months. But water is SO important for your energy and well-being.

If you find it difficult to drink water straight from the tap, you can add flavorings, which both taste fresh and are also visually appealing. Mint leaves, cucumber slices or berries.

A good tip is to add squeezed fresh lemon to your water. It tastes deliciously fresh, and in fact half a deciliter of lemon is enough to cover our daily need for vitamin C, which strengthens the body's immune system.

Movement

"From the first of January, I must start running/training..."

 Don't we all know that phrase? Instead of setting too high (and often unrealistic) goals of going to the gym three times a week, running every other day, practicing yoga at home in the living room or pushing yourself hard on the exercise bike, start small. Because, yes, movement IS healthy.

We humans are designed to move, and when we do, we enrich our cells with life-giving, blood-circulating and energy-producing oxygen – at the same time as we get in better shape and increase health.

Physical activity is also a great mood enhancer, and even though exercise is probably the last thing you want to do at this time of year, the benefits are obvious and hard to miss once you get started, and that has become part of your daily life. Because all movement is healthy.

Start by setting a goal of going for a daily walk - perhaps you will also fulfill tip number one at the same time. Put on your favorite music, podcast or audiobook and dress warm and soft. Then you can always increase the pace so that it becomes a power walk which can eventually end up in a run - when you are ready for it.

The more you move, the more alive you will feel, and the feeling of doing something good for yourself is incredibly energizing!

Do something good for yourself

January's slightly gloomy weather and lack of surplus and energy can make it extra tempting to just stay at home and snuggle under a warm blanket on the sofa with a good book or your favorite series for a whole day at the weekend. And that's perfectly fine! Allow yourself to do whatever you want.

Is it a home spa in the bathroom with a bath in the tub (if you're that lucky), soft music and candles - make e.g. Camilla's easy and delicious body scrub that your dry winter skin will love, is it a movie and popcorn on the couch, a long walk in the woods alone, baking a cake and enjoying a piece with a cup of tea, taking a long afternoon nap or something entirely else?

Pay attention. Pamper yourself. Charge the batteries.

Vitamins, juices & smoothies

Do you remember your daily vitamins?
If you are not sure that you are getting enough vitamins through your diet, then it is a good idea to supplement with vitamins, so that the body is well equipped to keep winter colds and flus at bay.

A good idea is to turn seasonal vegetables and fruits into a smoothie packed with good vitamins and nutrients, which strengthen your immune system and keep winter colds away.

Get enough sleep

A good night's sleep is very important for both body and mind.

Sleep is essential for our well-being, regeneration, and healing, and in fact good (preferably continuous) sleep is just as essential for us to thrive and feel good as healthy diet and exercise. Not getting enough sleep has a big effect on your mood and the negative energy nobody needs in the gray winter months.

Read or re-read this blogpost about why sleep is so important and get some good tips for a good night's sleep.

Spend time with other people

Although it's nice to spend a lot of me-time at home, it's also nice and life-affirming to be with others during the dark months, and to be fueled by smiles, chats, and socializing.

Make a delicious dinner for good friends, invite the family for hot cocoa and board games, watch a movie at the cinema, go to a café and have a nice cup of coffee with someone you love, invite your best friend to the spa spending all day in the sauna and steam room, go to a museum with your mum/dad or invite your better half for a romantic dinner in town.

Being with people you care about and is important to you, is worth its weight in gold and an energy boost like no other, which you can live high for quite some time.

Wrap yourself up soft & warm

"SOFT AND NATURAL MATERIALS ON THE SKIN ARE AS MUCH A PART OF MY HEALTH ROUTINE AS NATURAL AND NUTRITIOUS DIET, GOOD SLEEP, YOGA AND MEDITATION."

The quote originates from Vicky Olivia, Yoga Teacher & Complementary Hormone Therapist, and who is part of our own team.

Having soft clothes on the body is important for both body and soul. In fact, the skin is the body’s largest organ. And like the body’s other organs, the skin plays a vital role in our health. In addition to providing information and providing protection, the skin is also a sensory organ with direct access to both the nervous system and the hormonal system.

Especially during the winter, it is obvious to let the warm and soft materials embrace you and take good care of you. Choose styles in natural, quality materials such as cashmere, wool, and organic cotton. We ourselves love this outfit, which we have been living in throughout the Christmas holidays.

The feeling of soft blankets and clothes stimulates the nervous system and increases the formation of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is also known as the pleasure hormone and the genius of this hormone is that it normalizes our stress levels.

Read much more in this blogpost.

A small pocket of happiness

Looking forward to something gives a feeling of happiness.

That feeling is important to remember. Keep it inside yourself as a little pocket of happiness. A pocket you can take with you through everyday life and give you a smile on your face and a small energy boost when the pocket is opened.

It can be an event you look forward to - big or small. A summer wedding, weekend getaway or birthday celebration. An upcoming skiing trip, summer holiday planning, hairdressing appointment, café trip, pottery course or a concert.

The first coffee outside, the first anemones in the forest or the first fresh laundry that has been hung out to dry under the open sky.

Perhaps you are facing a makeover, a new picture wall, freshen up the kitchen or maybe even move? If you have a garden, plan which summer flowers you will soon sprout, so that you can start visualizing and dream of all the bouquets you must pick and décor your home with – or give to someone you love.

How about giving your wardrobe a refresh?
Clear out, sort and structure. Sell what you no longer use and look forward to being able to save the money for something you have wished for - or donate the clothes to a good cause and feel the joy of making others happy.

Get an early start on spring

While we wait for spring, light and life, treat yourself to spring flowers in pots indoors.

Plant Snowdrops, Crocus, Snakes head tritillary, Hyacinths, Tulips, etc. and place in groups around your home. Beautiful and life-affirming to see it sprout and a clear sign that spring is approaching, and winter will soon be over.

If you have a garden, look for early signs of spring in the beds.
There is (almost) nothing that beats the feeling when you spot the first snowdrop breaking through the hard ground.