How to Beat the Winter Blues

It’s that time of year once again for many families living far enough up north. Winter has officially been declared as of December 22 due to the winter solstice. Although the tradition calls for the days to start getting longer, it’s hard to enjoy that fact if your freezing your eyes shut. With the seasons official change, many of us will now have to watch out for that dangerous mental illness which is seasonal depression.  Winter can be a hard season for many as it is associated with lowered activity levels and an incoming blizzard of ill health which can take a fatal hold on many individuals young and old. However, as someone who has braced many long, cold and lonely winters myself I have compiled a list of many ways in how to beat the winter blues to keep you smiling all season long.

Board game night

Even though it has the word board in it, trust me. A family board game night is nothing but boring! The beauty of board games is that there’s something for everyone! If you know your family is into strategy then maybe you should try mousetrap or battleship. If your family is competitive then you can try uno or scene it. Want something to test your knowledge? If so, I recommend trivial pursuit. Do you like edge of your seat fun? Then, if it suits you, try a game if Jenga. If you have a lot of time on your hands, offer up a round or two of monopoly. Or, on the other hand, if night time is short in your home, maybe a quick card game sounds fun. The possibilities are endless and board games can literally be purchased anywhere at decent prices.

Hit the gym

Just because it’s cold outside it’s no excuse to turn into a couch potato! Exercise has had its more than subtle mention on media platforms as being a great mood booster as it has been scientifically proven enhance happiness due to giving people a rush of endorphins. So whether you're hitting your own equipment or going for a trip over to your local gym, it’s time to get physical! It’s easy to go into a hibernation mood when it gets cold outside so by working out, you will be able to keep yourself awake easier. Whether you prefer to build up your muscles by putting the pedal to the metal or working up a sweat by doing cardio on a machine, moving your body is a great way to have fun during a cold winter day.

Movie night.

Do you love to laugh at comedies? Or cry at tragedies?  Maybe you love to get a good scare from a horror flick. Perhaps you like the full risk in an action movie. No matter what your preference is, there’s a movie lover in all of us. So why not get the popcorn popping and have a movie night on a chilly night? Gather the kids and pop in the latest family friendly blockbuster or grab your partners hand and swing over to your local cinema for a romantic date night.

Craft day

Winter is a great time to pick up a new hobby. A good thing about crafts is that the possibilities of what you can make are endless. You can use anything that you have in your house such as string, glass, plastic, paper, pens, and more. You can get the kids involved with you or give them their own supplies to keep them occupied when the weather is less than ideal. Art is a terrific therapy tool and allows people to relax and express themselves at the same time.  Also, if you want to get social or learn a new craft but aren’t sure how, there are always groups, classes and workshops that are often offered at institutions such as libraries, schools and community centres at reasonable prices or even for free! Maybe you might just find that you’ve had a hidden inner artist inside of you for all these years! Get those fingers moving and create a masterpiece today!