10 tips to survive winter darkness

This post was thought up by my boyfriend, so here’s a shout out to him.
Love you, babe ❤
If you wanna see some of his cool pictures, you can find him over on Instagram.

November means darkness and cold weather. Here in Denmark November brings an average of 54 hours of sun (that’s less than 2 hours per day). So while the sun technically is up some some 8 hours a day, we don’t get much from it. Even for a winter lover as me, the darkness can get a bit long some days, so here’s my top ten survival tips to get through the darkness.

Get out.

We have a tendency, when the weather gets cold and wet, to stay indoor. But going out is good for both body and mind. So go for a walk in the forest or park. Go look at store windows and take pictures of the stuff you want for Christmas. Or just spend five minutes in your lunch break soaking up some sun. It all helps.

Eat the good food.

November (and december) is filled with good food. But, often all that food is also very heavy, and fat filled. So try changing it up a bit and add some healthy but still very much comfort food to the menu. Pumpkin soups, roasted root vegetables, and stews can all be super healthy and still give that comfy feeling when eating.

Be around people.

When darkness comes around some people turn into hermits, and that’s so bad. We are social animals, even the introverted of us. So go out, meet people or just be in places where other people go. Take your friend for a cup of coffee, go to a Christmas concert, an art show or some of the other cool things happening this time of the year in your area.

Photo by Hannah S on Unsplash

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Candles and cocoa.

So, going out, meeting people and eating healthy is all good. But dark days is also perfect for candles and warm cocoa. Light candles in your windows and on your tables, and enjoy a cup of cocoa while reading a good book or listening to music.

Be creative.

Being creative is the perfect cure for surviving winter. If you’re doing something you love it’s hard to be negative. I recommend doing paper crafts, since Christmas is just around the corner and it’s never too early to start practicing those folding techniques.

Hygge.

Ever heard of the danish word hygge? Hygge is a state of mind, where you feel cozy, comfy and at easy. It can be felt anywhere be it home, at work or out with friends. People often believe that hygge is a way of decorating your home, but while that can be part of it, hygge can be achieved everywhere you go. But when it comes to creating hygge, we often bring in stuff like candles, nature, blankets and other things that makes us feel good.

Photo by Francesca Tosolini on Unsplash

Wear the right clothes.

Ever worn that fancy jacket and frozen your butt off? Or been shivering at the office because that new blouse just isn’t warm enough for the time of the year? Getting through winter is all about the right clothes, and not just for fashion. If you’re cold, your body use extra energy on trying to heat you up. You get more tired and you suddenly feel like the darkness is sucking all your energy from you, and you end up in this endless circle. So put on that ugly sweater Aunt Gertrude gave you. It won’t be pretty but it’ll keep you warm.

Blankets and movies.

Winter is the perfect time to get cozy, snuggle under a blanket and watch a movie. So put on your warm socks, get your warm beverage of choice and get comfy.

Bring light inside.

When winter darkness comes knocking we can battle it by a bit of modern help. Make sure that you have enough lighting in your home to chase the shadows away until night time. If your home feel cozy and bright, it’ll go a long way to keep your spirit up.

Change your mindset.

Have you ever met one of those kids that are getting served something new for dinner, and already before it’s on their plate they’ve convinced themselves they hate it, and when they taste it they go all green and spit it out? Pretty fucking annoying kids, right?  What if I told you that you might be doing the same thing about winter? Already in august people start talking about how winter is gonna be here soon and how they already miss summer. When the first leaves starts turning color they are all grumpy and when winter hit they have talked themselves into a state much like the kid. So, try focusing on the good stuff instead of the bad.

That’s my ten survival tips.

I hope you have gotten some inspiration, and please, let me know what your best advice is ❤

Love, Tea