Well, it looks like that glorious summer replete with record-breaking temperatures, sky-high ice cream sales and halcyon days spent lounging on the sands is finally over. Winter is once again on its way, and as the first specs of rain in months start to form on our horizons, it seems we now have to plan for days of wet feet, blustery winds, snow-induced delays and days on end where the light levels barely rise above a depressing murk.
So how do you fend off the winter blues? How do you ensure you keep your head while those around you are filled with colds and sinus trouble? How do you survive, proud and strong at the coming of spring, with the winter well and truly tamed? Check out the five survival tips below to find out.
Get A Really Good Duvet
Yes, yes, the economy’s in trouble, and yes we should all be working 50 hour days to get the country out of the mess created by people with six figure salaries and single digit IQs, but sometimes it’s nice to just sack it all off and stay in bed. When you’re feeling really under the weather, your head is pounding, there’s weird stuff coming out of your nose and the prospect of work just seems to grizzly to face, you’ll be glad you went the extra tog and purchased a duvet that hugs back.
Get Into Soup
Soup is amazing. Not only will it warm you all the way to your very core on those days where your breath forms into ice particles in front of your face, it’s also essential for those horrible ill days mentioned above, as it’s often the only thing your throat can handle. All soup is excellent in these circumstances, but if you really want something hearty and nutritious, why not start making your own? Chicken Thyme and Lavender, Carrot and Cilantro, Broccoli and Stilton, Pilchard and Nettle, whatever floats your boat can be mushed, ground, heated and made into a delicious soothing broth.
Get Some Decent Footwear
If films about penguins can teach us anything (and they definitely can), it’s that if your feet are not happy, you will not be happy. Invest in one really good pair of boots for the winter months that will keep your feet warm, dry and cosy and you will feel approximately 17.8% better during that long, cold trudge to the office on Monday mornings. This may only put your overall feel-good factor at around 18.2%, but hey, it’s a start! Avoid any pairs without a decent sole, and look to get them waterproofed at the earliest opportunity, and remember, if you only spend money on one quality item of clothing this winter, make it your shoes.
Get Away From It All
If the prospect of more wind, rain and cold combined with people moaning on about the wind, rain and cold become simply too much to deal with, how about simply fleeing abroad? It’s always seemed a little strange that people choose the summer months to go abroad on holiday, so why not delay your yearly trip away till the winter this year and get away from it all when the weather’s guaranteed to be miserable in the UK? Whether you’re after something cultural in India, activity holidays in Australia or just want to soak up some sun in Tenerife, some winter sun will make you feel a different, bronzed person when you return to all your sickly, depressed friends and colleagues.
Stay Healthy
This is obviously pretty sound advice at all times of year, but it’s absolutely crucial during the winter. You may not feel like taking a long, hard run outside when it’s -9 degrees, or even like getting down to the gym, but exercise is a great way to raise your body heat, sweating out any lurking viruses and releasing some of those lovely endorphins that improve your mood. Making sure you’re eating well is also essential to give you the nutrients needed to fight infections and the energy to keep you going through the elements. Lastly, getting plenty of sleep will make all the difference to your mood during the winter months. The body naturally seeks more sleep during the winter, and while hibernation is sadly not an option for most people, an early night every now and again should have you raring to meet the icy challenges of the day ahead.
Lal is currently researching activity holidays abroad in a desperate attempt to catch some rays during the winter
