Baseball is over. Football and hockey season are in full swing. Decorations from Halloween come down as the festivities for Thanksgiving begin, which can only mean one thing: winter is looming.
From shivering nights to snowed in mornings, from frozen car engines to snowball fights with the family—there are many great things about winter, and some, not so great.
But if one thing is for certain, it’s that when winter does arrive—it requires a catalog of lifestyle changes from the normal routine of warm and sunny days. So, before winter knocks on your down begging to come in, battle down the hatches and get ready to protect your family against the icy fists of Mother Nature’s wrath: cabin fever.
The following suggestions are aimed to help you and your family prepare against the days and nights of winter’s looming ‘claustrophobic’ vengeance:
Home Entertainment. The long and brutal days of winter mean you’ll probably be spending more hours together with your family to evade the cold. If so, boredom, claustrophobia and cabin fever often become a threat few consider when preparing for dangerous, long-extended winter storms. To avoid this mentally and emotionally draining experience, invest in a home entertainment area and system that you and your loved ones can enjoy at any moment. Bonding over a movie or funny television show can alleviate the tension and fear of feeling trapped. If you have a family with diverse television preferences, you check here to find TV providers in your area that offer customizable options to fit everyone’s entertainment needs.
Discover a new hobby. Don’t be one of the many who choose to put all this added time to waste. Sure, winter can be frustrating and put a halt to some of your favorite outdoor activities, but it can also give you time to explore other hobbies; such as, photography, learning to play an instrument, cooking, learning a new language, ceramic pottery, writing a short novel, painting, etc.
Remember, the long days and nights of winter can make your brain fuzzy as a result of social isolation and daily repetitiveness; it’s imperative that you keep your brain sharp and eager to learn new things while take on new challenges. Before you know it, the sun will be up and you’ll be gifted with a whole new arsenal of skills.
Winter is no excuse for not exercising. If you thought winter was a gym-free pass that was only valid during spring, summer and fall—think again. Your body can (and will) deteriorate if you sit stagnate in your home eating while keeping your feet up in the air for months at a time.
There are so many wonderful indoor exercises you can participate in every day that are fun, easy to master and really work! Plus, you get the added benefit of saving money on your gym membership, as all you need is a little room in the house and a lot of motivation to experience a heavy endurance workout.
Keeping your body sharp is just as, if not, more important than keeping your mind sharp during extended periods of time spent indoors. Exercise reduces stress, increases blood flow, release the body’s natural “feel good” chemicals (dopamine), and overall, makes your sheltered winter-experience a healthy, productive and efficiently spent time that can improve your life.
Take control of winter before it takes control of you!
