Explore dozens of helpful Winter self-care ideas to learn how to get through Winter months, from December through January and February, by reading and doing so many other great things that help you stay warm, healthy, hydrated, and happy on cold days.
“That’s what winter is: an exercise in remembering how to still yourself then how to come pliantly back to life again.”
– Ali Smith, Winter
Taking care of yourself and your mental health is an extra important part of life in the Winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is felt most during the coldest and darkest days of the year, can make us feel sad, grumpy, sluggish, sleepy, and more not-so-pleasant feelings.
I know I often find myself struggling on these days in the new year when I really want to be extra energetic to work on my resolutions. To beat these blues, I lean into things that are cozy and restful in this restorative season.
My husband and I really found our way to peak Winter self-care on Christmas Day during the very lonely days of the Coronavirus pandemic. We stayed in our pajamas all day, ate comfort foods, and binge-watched movies by the fireplace. Spending such a normally busy holiday doing nothing but resting essentially set the standard for how I now like to implement self-care for Winter!
This list of simple self-care ideas for Winter teaches you how to survive in Winter when you’re feeling less than yourself and longing for warmer, sunnier days ahead. Spend time creating a Winter routine you love, and you’ll feel free of the Winter blues.
You may even want to have a Winter self-care day filled with seasonal pampering!
This post about the best Winter self-care ideas first shares my own personal favorite self-care tips for Winter, with product recommendations for your own Winter self-care kit, as a blogger who focuses on cozy self-care via reading and related lifestyle.
Then, I list ALL of my ideas for self-care during Winter and dare you to take your own customizable Winter self-care challenge to have the most impactful season of rest before rebirth in Spring.
Top Winter Self-Care Ideas for Surviving the Winter
Below are my personal favorite Winter self-care tips based on what I love to do myself as a cozy, introverted, indoor gal. Let’s get hygge!
First and foremost, read one of the best Winter books. They totally set the mood for snowy, indoor days by the fireplace, curled up under a blanket. In our house, we use the cult favorite ChappyWrap blankets, which are oversized, extra warm, and wash like a dream. And, you can write about your Winter reads in a Reading Journal to relax and indulge even further in your bookish life — I’m doing a lot more of this myself.
Add a warm beverage to that — from hot tea to hot chocolate, or my personal favorite — mulled wine. I’m also a soup fanatic on cold days, and I especially love making this comforting pasta fagioli soup. Nothing warms your belly quite like it.
And take it STRAIGHT to the bath. I am always cold and nothing warms my freezing extremities (and muscles) like hot water. I use and recommend Necessaire’s bath products for your body and Olive & June’s care essentials for your hands. Specifically, Olive & June’s Overnight Hand Treatment is the #1 most hydrating product I’ve used to date, and I top it with some seasonal Winter nail colors.
Yoga has also always been a good way to sneak in some exercise while treating your body to indulgent stretches. I always leave my at-home sessions feeling both better and more relaxed.
I more or less ONLY wear comfortable clothing these days from my Winter capsule wardrobe. This includes L.L. Bean slippers, soft and snuggly Barefoot Dreams cardigans, wool-lined Allbirds flats, and the like. Gilmore Girls fan? If so, then make it the infamous Rory Gilmore sweater.
Shop The Best Self-Care for Winter Blues
All the Best Winter Self-Care Ideas
- Attend the theater.
- Bask in the daylight.
- Bake.
- Boost your immunity.
- Breathe in the fresh air.
- Burn a candle.
- Build a fire.
- Celebrate Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day).
- Color.
- Connect with someone else, particularly someone lonely or in need.
- Cook something seasonal.
- Create a photo yearbook for the prior year.
- Cross something off your to-do list.
- Cuddle with your favorite person or pet.
- Curl up with a blanket.
- Decorate your home for the season.
- Do an act of service in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
- Do something that makes you feel nostalgic.
- Do yoga.
- Drink a warm beverage.
- Eat healthy food that energizes you.
- Enjoy indoor gardening/plants.
- Exercise.
- Get a massage.
- Get or give yourself a Winter-themed manicure.
- Go ice skating.
- Go skiing.
- Go to bed early.
- Have a cup of soup.
- Hydrate your skin and body.
- Implement the hygge lifestyle.
- Join a club.
- Journal.
- Knit or needlepoint.
- Listen to a Winter-themed playlist.
- Make a craft or art project.
- Make a puzzle.
- Meditate.
- Order takeout food.
- Organize.
- Play an instrument.
- Practice gratitude.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Read a book.
- Plan ahead for the year to come.
- Play a game.
- Play in the snow.
- Reframe the narrative and focus on the joy and beauty of the season.
- Send cards.
- Set new goals for the year.
- Sleep in.
- Stay in your pajamas all day.
- Take a bath (using the best bath ideas).
- Take an indoor or virtual class.
- Take a personal day.
- Take your vitamins.
- Travel in real life.
- Travel virtually.
- Unplug with a social media detox.
- Use warm towels.
- Videoconference with your loved ones.
- Visit a museum.
- Visit the doctor for routine health care.
- Wander around a bookstore or library.
- Watch movies or have a tv marathon.
- Watch a Winter sporting event.
- Wear cozy clothes.
- Wear a fluffy robe and slippers.
- Work on your resolutions.
- Write something creative.
Take the Winter Self-Care Challenge
Now that you know all the best Winter self-care ideas, take the Winter self-care challenge! Use the Instagram story template below to track your own custom season of taking care of YOU.
Related Winter Posts
If you liked these Winter self-care ideas, check out these posts:
