Winter Wellbeing

Dearest Homekeeper,

The winter solstice, on December 21st, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. While winter itself won’t be over for a while, daylight begins its slow return from here on out. An in-law, a gardener, always smiles on the 22nd, saying, “One day closer to spring!” That’s really the heart of the solstice, the assurance that even on our shortest days, the light is already returning.

Currently, holiday lights help us overlook the long, dark nights. Once they’re taken down, you may feel the darkness differently, more sharply, or get post-holiday melancholy. Our internal clocks drift in the low light, making sleep more restless, leaving us tired, irritable, or out of sorts. This is normal. It’s simply your body searching for rhythm again.

A diagnosable form of depression following a seasonal pattern is identified as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), commonly known as winter blues. Symptoms include persistent low mood, lack of motivation, tendency to withdraw socially, oversleeping, irritability, and changes in appetite. Treatment suggested is light therapy, counseling, Vitamin D, and lifestyle adjustments.

Our shorter days (even though the same cycle of daily hours) pale in comparison to the extended darkness or polar nights of northern Europe, Canada, Alaska, and the Arctic Circle. In those regions, the sun can remain below the horizon from October through April because of the Earth’s tilt.

These northernmost people channel Hygge, the word for the Danish obsession of getting your cozy on. Consider building small comforts that soften the edges during this upcoming time after all the Fa-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La. This upcoming time is sometimes categorized as ordinary time when our routine returns. A quiet house lets you hear your own thoughts. You can reset yourself. A calmer schedule enables the body to rest. The lull makes space for the soul to catch its breath.

Homekeepers can begin planning small things for winter well-being now, once the holidays are over. Warm gloves, soft scarves, cozy socks, or any tactile comforts you enjoy indoors can make a surprising difference. Here are some suggestions from a hygge list to consider:

Adjust lighting, consider using special full-spectrum lamps, use your fireplace more, or light candles;

Spend time outdoors daily, bundling up and walking around the block; and

Rely on community gatherings for warmth and connection, like hosting a casual, cozy potluck dinner.

Some people do invigorating cold water plunges in the winter. Not me! The first time I slipped into a hot tub was in the middle of winter, snow falling, starry night above. I was hooked. With no hot tub of my own, I take long baths (read hydrotherapy) cracking a window for cooler air to contrast with the hot water. It’s subtly refreshing that meeting of temperatures, the warmth relaxing me while the coolness wakes my senses. It’s the opposite of sensations that can coexist and make each other more noticeable, more alive, bringing out the best in each other.

It isn’t just water temperatures; you can experience this in cooking by experimenting with different spices in your recipes.

E.B. White wrote that on days when warmth is the most important thing to the human heart, the kitchen is the place to find it. Pots of simmering soups, stews, and beans, and the making of bread (sweet or rosemary-spiced) bring contentment. Home-cooked comfort food is always welcome, but it seems especially essential in winter.

This is a time to explore the books you’ve been putting off, engage in a new habit like learning how to knit or crochet, pick up an instrument like a guitar or ukulele or piano to learn (I’m tuning my piano and again will try to learn to play), draw out and plan your future spring garden, or set up an area to build a LEGO Modular Set. It’s time to get your tactile mojo on.

With you in the keeping, Cathenry.ch@gmail.com

P.S. Even after the longest night, the light is already returning.