Winter Well: Nourishing Mind, Body & Soul

Simple, realistic ways to look after yourself through the colder months

Looking After Ourselves in Winter

By the middle of January, I usually find that the novelty of winter has worn off a little.

Christmas is packed away, the normal routines have returned, and we’re back to dark mornings, muddy boots, endless washing and trying to remember when we last saw a proper stretch of blue sky.

There’s still plenty I enjoy about this time of year, but I also know that winter can take a little more out of us than we realise.

The mornings can be harder to get going. We might spend less time outdoors. The days seem shorter than the list of things we need to do, and sometimes our energy simply isn’t what it was during the brighter months.

I’ve been thinking about what it actually means to look after ourselves at this time of year.

Not in the grand, new-year-new-you sort of way.

I’m not interested in starting January with a complicated wellness routine, a long list of rules or another collection of things I’m apparently supposed to be doing better.

I mean looking after ourselves in the most ordinary sense.

Eating properly. Moving our bodies in ways we enjoy. Getting enough sleep. Making room for people we love. Paying attention when something doesn’t feel quite right.

And recognising that looking after our minds and spirits matters just as much as looking after our physical health.

For me, that’s what it means to winter well.

1. Nourishing the Body

Eat Food That Makes You Feel Good

I think winter is a wonderful season for proper, satisfying meals.

A big pot of homemade soup. Something bubbling away in the oven. Porridge on a cold morning. A Sunday roast with enough leftovers to make Monday a little easier.

I love the practical side of winter cooking. Meals that feed everyone well, use ordinary ingredients and don’t require an enormous amount of fuss.

Root vegetables, pulses, oats, potatoes, seasonal greens and fruit all have their place in our kitchen at this time of year.

But I don’t think we need to turn every meal into a nutritional calculation.

Sometimes a nourishing dinner is a beautifully balanced plate of food. Sometimes it’s beans on toast after a long day.

What matters is eating regularly, enjoying our food and making sure we’re properly fed.

One thing I find useful is keeping a few reliable meals in rotation during the colder months. When the day has been busy and everyone is hungry, there’s enormous comfort in knowing that dinner doesn’t require a great deal of thought.

And if there’s homemade soup in the fridge, so much the better.

Keep Moving, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

I know how tempting it can be to stay indoors when the weather is miserable.

But I nearly always feel better after getting outside.

Sometimes it’s a proper walk with Alfie. Sometimes it’s a shorter wander around the garden or a few minutes outdoors tending to the animals.

And sometimes I need something a little more structured.

I enjoy Pilates, and I like the feeling of having moved my body and done something good for myself.

What I’ve learned is that winter movement doesn’t need to be all or nothing.

A walk doesn’t have to be long to be worthwhile. Exercise doesn’t have to leave us exhausted to count. And there’s no reason to abandon activities we genuinely enjoy simply because it’s January.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with keeping up a more energetic routine if that’s what suits you. The important thing is finding movement that works for your body, your health and your circumstances.

I think the best winter exercise is often the kind we’re happy to do again tomorrow.

Pay Attention to Sleep

Sleep is one of those things that makes almost everything else feel easier when we’re getting enough of it.

And noticeably harder when we’re not.

I find that winter evenings can be a good opportunity to create a more settled bedtime routine, particularly once the busyness of Christmas is behind us.

Nothing elaborate.

Perhaps putting the phone away a little earlier, getting things ready for the following morning or making time to read before bed.

I’m also learning that rest and sleep aren’t quite the same thing.

We can spend an evening sitting on the sofa and still go to bed feeling mentally exhausted.

Sometimes what we really need is a break from noise, screens, decisions and constant information.

And sometimes we simply need an earlier night.

I don’t always get this right, but I’m certainly more aware of how much difference it makes.

Don’t Forget the Basics

During winter, it’s easy to overlook the everyday things that support our wellbeing.

Drinking enough fluids, even when we don’t feel particularly thirsty. Eating regular meals. Getting outdoors during daylight when we can. Keeping up with routine health appointments and any treatment or supplements recommended for our individual needs.

Here in Ireland, vitamin D is particularly relevant during the darker months, but the appropriate advice and dosage depend on age and personal circumstances. It’s worth checking current HSE guidance rather than assuming everyone needs the same supplement.

I think there’s a great deal to be said for getting the basics right before adding anything complicated.

2. Looking After the Mind

Give Yourself a Break from Constant Information

I sometimes wonder whether one of the most tiring things about modern life is how rarely our minds are allowed to be quiet.

There’s always something to read, watch, listen to or respond to.

News updates. Messages. Social media. Emails. Another interesting article. Another thing we really ought to know about.

And while I enjoy being connected to the world, I also know how easily it can become too much.

One of the simplest things I can do for myself is spend a little time without a screen.

Read a book. Make something. Go for a walk. Sit with a cup of coffee without feeling the need to check anything.

Not every quiet moment needs to be filled.

And not every piece of information needs our immediate attention.

Be Careful How You Speak to Yourself

January can be a particularly noisy month when it comes to self-improvement.

We’re encouraged to set goals, change habits, get organised, become healthier, work harder and somehow emerge from the first few weeks of the year as entirely improved versions of ourselves.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to make changes.

But I do think we need to be careful about the way we talk to ourselves when we’re trying.

If we’re tired, perhaps we need rest rather than criticism.

If a routine isn’t working, perhaps it needs adjusting rather than more determination.

And if we’re finding a particular season difficult, perhaps we need a little understanding rather than another demand to be positive.

I’m increasingly drawn to the idea that we can care about our lives and want good things for ourselves without constantly treating ourselves as projects that need fixing.

Make Space to Think

Some of my clearest thoughts arrive when I’m doing something completely ordinary.

Walking the dog. Tidying the kitchen. Folding washing. Driving somewhere familiar.

There’s something about those little gaps in the day that allows the mind to settle.

I enjoy writing things down, too, particularly when I have several ideas or worries going around in my head.

But journaling doesn’t need to become another daily obligation.

Sometimes a few sentences are enough.

What has been on my mind lately? Is there something I need to deal with? Is there something I’m worrying about that can wait?

I think a little space to think can be every bit as valuable as a beautifully organised planner.

3. Caring for the Soul

Keep Doing Things Simply Because You Enjoy Them

I think one of the nicest things we can do for ourselves is make room for activities that don’t need to achieve anything.

Reading a novel. Painting. Baking. Gardening. Listening to music. Working on a little creative project.

I love making things, and I particularly enjoy the freedom of doing something creative without worrying whether it will turn out perfectly.

Not every hobby needs to become a business.

Not every interest needs to be developed into a skill.

And not everything we make needs to be shared with the world.

Sometimes the pleasure of doing something is reason enough.

Stay Connected

Winter can be a lovely season for spending time at home, but I think it’s important not to let that become isolation.

A cup of coffee with a friend. A phone call. An invitation to come over for lunch. A chat with somebody while you’re out walking.

These small connections can make an enormous difference to an ordinary week.

And they don’t need to involve elaborate arrangements.

Some of my favourite conversations happen around the kitchen table, with nothing particularly special planned.

I think it’s worth remembering that caring for ourselves doesn’t always mean retreating from the world.

Sometimes it means reaching out to it.

Have Something to Look Forward To

I love having little things in the diary during winter.

Nothing enormous.

A visit somewhere local. A lunch out. A new book waiting to be read. An afternoon set aside for something I enjoy.

These little plans help give shape to the weeks.

And I think they remind us that winter is still a season to be lived, not simply endured until the weather improves.

There’s a lot to be said for having something nice to look forward to on an ordinary Thursday.

4. Making Winter Wellbeing Work in Real Life

Of course, it’s all very well talking about nourishing meals, regular walks, good sleep and meaningful connections.

Actually fitting those things into everyday life is another matter.

There are work commitments, family responsibilities, appointments, housework and all the unexpected things that seem to arrive just when we think we’ve got the week organised.

And for some people, winter brings additional difficulties: health concerns, caring responsibilities, financial pressure, loneliness or seasonal changes in mood.

I don’t think it’s helpful to pretend that everybody has the same time, energy or resources available.

So rather than trying to create an ideal winter routine, I think it’s more useful to ask a few simple questions.

What helps me feel better during the week?

What tends to leave me feeling drained?

Is there one small thing I could make easier?

Perhaps it’s preparing a few lunches in advance so you eat properly on busy days.

Perhaps it’s making a regular arrangement to walk with a friend.

Perhaps it’s protecting one evening each week from unnecessary commitments.

Or perhaps it’s recognising that you’re already doing quite enough and don’t need to add anything at all.

That’s a perfectly reasonable answer too.

5. Knowing When You Need More Support

I also think it’s important to acknowledge that not everything can be improved through small lifestyle changes.

Winter can affect our mood, and some people experience significant seasonal changes in their mental health.

Persistent low mood, exhaustion, changes in sleep or appetite, or a loss of interest in things we usually enjoy deserve attention.

Sometimes there are physical health reasons for how we’re feeling, too.

If something is worrying you or affecting your everyday life, speaking with your GP or another qualified healthcare professional is a sensible step.

We don’t need to manage everything ourselves.

And caring for our wellbeing includes recognising when a little extra support would help.

A Gentler Way to Winter Well

When I think about what I’d like from the winter months, it isn’t a perfectly balanced routine or a collection of impressive new habits.

I’d like to feel reasonably well.

To have enough energy for the things that matter.

To enjoy our home and the people in it.

To get outdoors, eat good food, sleep properly and have time for the little things that make life interesting.

Some weeks I’ll manage all of that beautifully.

Other weeks, not so much.

And I think that’s perfectly normal.

Winter wellbeing isn’t something we achieve once and then tick off a list.

It’s something we return to, in small and ordinary ways, as life changes around us.

Perhaps that’s what it really means to winter well.

Not to become a better version of ourselves by spring.

But to look after ourselves, and one another, through the season we’re already in.

Chat soon,

Ciara x

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