As I type this post, it is currently 24, with a real feel of 12. This winter in Ohio has already felt endless- we had a cold snap right after Thanksgiving, and we have already had two snow days in December! So far, January had a warm-ish week, but true to Ohio form, it has been dreary and gray.
When I first moved to Ohio, I really struggled in the winter. I couldn’t figure out how to be warm and the lack of sunshine really triggered some seasonal depression. Over the years, I have learned ways to keep myself warm, but I still struggle with the lack of sunshine in these winter months!
Here are some of the ways that I keep myself warm:
Dressing in warm, cozy sweaters
Yesterday I was swearing a sweater dress to church, and I thought “I feel like I’m wearing a blanket to church”. Haha, it was wonderful! I love that feeling and have learned to add this type of item to my wardrobe- warm and cozy!
Bonus- cozy socks, slippers and having very warm outer layers for when I’m going out help so much, too!
Use an electric Heating Pad
I have an electric heating pad that I keep in my bed. I turn it on as I’m getting into bed and then read for 45 minutes or so with that electric heating pad on my stomach. By the time I’m ready to turn off the light, I also turn off the heating pad and manage to stay warm under the blankets!
Cozy Days/Nights by the Fire
In the winter months, our family tends to spend a lot of time in the living room, where we keep our wood burning stove going almost 24/7. We do a lot more reading by the fire, playing games, sewing and watching lots of movies.
Bonus: using a wood-burning stove means that we are also getting warm when we chop the wood, and when we carry the wood inside! Last year, I wrote a whole post about heating with wood.
Get Outside
It seems really counterintuitive to go outside in the bitter cold in order to stay warm, but I truly believe that it gets my circulation going and helps so much with my mental health. Plus, it always feels SO WARM when I get back inside! Admittedly, this is something that I haven’t done much of this winter, and writing this out reminds me that I need to really work on that.
Cook/Bake more often
While cooking and baking can sometimes feel like a chore, in the winter I love turning on the oven and adding one more heat source to my house. Bonus: washing the dishes in warm, soapy water also warms me right up!
Bonus: How to Winter
If you haven’t ever read this book, I HIGHLY recommend it. I read it last winter and just adored it, from cover to cover. It helped me change my mindset about winter and last winter was one of my best winters mental-health wise. I am planning to re-read this book this month!
Even though my toes are cold as I type this, I have learned to appreciate the warm, cozy days of winter. At least I have learned some great ways to keep myself warm. Now, if someone could solve the sunshine problem, I think winter would be tolerable 😉
Meanwhile, here is where my heart REALLY is:
(I posted both of these on my IG last night haha)
We’ve all been talking about how “winter” hit so early this year with such cold temps in November and so much snow in December.. they’re more like the fall and winters I remember growing up (when we often had piles of snow to deal with while trick or treating). I don’t mind those cold wintery days where the sun shines nearly as much as those dark dreary ones.