It’s getting colder outside, and you know what that means…it’s time for winter self-care.
Winter is an interesting season, depending on where you live. It’s either freezing cold with blizzards, or it’s cool, and maybe the forecast says sleet. I live in Texas, so it’s rare that we get snow, and when we do…it’s not fun. It’s just chaotic. Everything is shut down, and roads are closed. Besides that, wintertime is a wonderful season due to the many holidays and festivities.
It’s the ideal weather to sit back and chill (no pun intended) and implement self-care. Whether it’s with a cozy blanket or enjoying a cup of hot coffee, winter-themed self-care is needed. Having a self-care routine for the wintertime is a great thing to do. It’s not as easy to take a long walk outside in the freezing cold, whereas in the summer, you can do that. Instead, you can stay in with a nice book or cozy blanket and rest up.
On the flip side, winter is also a difficult season for some people due to the lack of sunlight, seasonal depression, loneliness, and the stress of holiday shopping or final exams, if you are a student.
So this blog post will give tons of winter self care ideas you can do this year to relax and find balance.
50 Winter Self-Care Ideas To Boost Your Mood
1. Stay warm.
Sweet and simple. Staying warm is one of the easiest ways to take care of yourself during the winter months. Use cozy blankets or thick sweaters to keep you warm.
2. Light a candle.
If you are a candle lover, light a candle like this winter-scented one from Amazon to make the room smell a little sweeter.
- EXPERIENCE LUXURY & WARMTH – Immerse your space in the delightful blend of Orange, Cinnamon, and Pine notes with our Sweet Water Decor Warm and Cozy Candle. Elevate your senses with a burn time of over 40 hours, creating an inviting atmosphere in your home.
- HAND-POURED SOY CANDLES – Our signature Christmas candles are crafted with care, each cinnamon-scented candle is a testament to quality and sustainability. Enjoy a sensory journey with exclusive fragrances that set us apart.
3. Stock up on oversized sweaters.
Oversized sweaters are the cutest, and I absolutely love them. Not only are they great pieces you should have in your winter wardrobe, but they are also so warm and cozy. Whether you’re going out or staying at home for a self care weekend, you can wear an oversized sweater.
4. Snuggle up with a heating blanket.
Winter is the best time to snuggle up with a heating blanket to stay warm. You should check out this throw heating blanket from Amazon that is on my wishlist.
- EFFORTLESS WARMTH: Easy-to-use push-button controller with LED indicator lights
- CUSTOMIZABLE WARMTH: 4 heat settings: warm, low, medium, high
- SAFETY FIRST: 4-hour auto shut-off and overheat protection for added peace of mind
5. Bake something.
Baking is one of the best winter self care ideas I can think of. Why? Because it’s food and fun. Some of the best holiday foods require baking, such as sugar cookies and gingerbread.
6. Moisturize your skin.
Your skin tends to be drier in the winter seasons.I recommend finding a nice moisturizer for your skin after washing it. Even invest in a few face masks!
7. Take a warm shower.
There is nothing better than a warm shower. Take a long (and most likely deserving) shower for a decent amount of time.
8. Finish laundry.
Fold clothes and stay organized. Don’t let your laundry pile up! Remember self care also means taking care of yourself and your space.
9. Watch Christmas-themed movies.
You have no idea how much I love Lifetime Christmas movies! They are my guilty pleasure during the holiday season. Take some time to watch a few Christmas movies during the winter season!
10. Make some hot cocoa.
You can’t go wrong with a nice mug of hot chocolate. Sit back and enjoy some hot cocoa as part of your winter self-care!
11. Do some yoga.
You can do yoga any time of the year. I even think Yoga with Adriene might have a winter yoga practice.
12. Make a soup.
Winter is soup season. Here in Louisiana, it’s gumbo season in the winter. Find a nice soup recipe on Pinterest and make one.
13. Exfoliate your skin.
Similar to moisturizing your skin, you need to exfoliate from time to time. It’s vital you take care of your skin in the winter.
I recommend this Lemon Peel Exofilator. I absolutely love it. It’s different from other exfoliators because it takes the dead skin cells off your face. It’s so cool and one of the best ones I’ve tried.
14. Read a self-help book.
Get ready for the new year with a self-help book. If you are new to the whole self-improvement/help genre, I recommend starting with You Are a Badass by Jin Sincero OR The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Luis. I love The Four Agreements; it’s so simple yet powerful.
15. Get some sunlight.
Vitamin D is what you need in the winter. Spend some time on a sunny day outside.
16. Go on a social media detox.
Social media is draining at times. As someone who works in social media and digital marketing, it’s so hard to take a full break for months. Instead, I take a social media detox towards the end of the year and January. You can try a week or a month, or even a day. Remember, it’s nice to have social media but too much of a good thing can turn bad.
17. Buy some comfy socks.
Comfy socks are definitely in season in the winter. The best places to buy comfy socks are Aerie, Walmart, and Target!
18. Moisturize your hair.
The winter air can dry out your hair a lot. Stock up a few moisturizing products for your hair, especially if you have natural hair like me, for the wintertime. Make moisturizing your hair part of your winter self-care routine.
19. Decorate a Christmas tree.
‘Tis the season! Get creative and decorate your Christmas tree.
20. Exercise for 30 minutes.
Exercising for 30 minutes can make a huge difference in your mood. The days I actually dedicate 30 minutes to working out, I feel much more engerized and better, which is so important during the winter time. As part of your winter self care routine, create a simple 30-minute workout plan to do a few times a week.
21. Stay hydrated.
Drink water! Your body needs water and a lot of it. Make sure to keep track of how much water you are drinking.
22. Spend some time organizing.
Organization is a skill that you should develop over time. It’s also a great winter self care idea to include often. Staying organized during these months becomes more difficult due to the holidays. But you should take it bit by bit. Having a nice organization system daily is better and more effective than spending an entire day every two weeks organizing.
23. Read some quotes about positivity.
Pinterest is full of positivity quotes and positive affirmations. Read a few positive quotes to boost your mood during the harsh winter.
24. Create a morning routine.
Morning routines are important, and it’s a way to be better at self care. Getting your day together in the morning leads to a better day.
25. Have a weekly self care day.
Aka self care Sunday or self care Saturday. This is one self care habit that I developed over the years. I realized in college that I needed one day to myself. My self care day really depends on the week and what I want to do. If I want to hang out with friends, cool. If I want to meal prep, cool.
But it’s so important to have one day to yourself. It could be whatever you want, but as long as you take it easy and relax.
26. Keep in contact with family and friends.
It can get lonely during the winter season. Get in touch with family and friends and even acquaintances. Attend any events that they invite you to. You need to maintain a good balance with your social needs during the winter!
27. Take a warm bath.
Similar to a warm shower, take a warm bath. Get some bath bombs or bubble bath. Relax. Unwind.
28. Listen to some Christmas music.
Christmas music can put you in a nice mood. Singing along too is great.
29. Invest in more mugs.
One thing that should be in your winter self care kit is a mug. Have a nice supply of mugs to drink warm beverages.
30. Write a to-do list.
Keeping a to-do list helps you become better at self care. Decide on three things to do and try to complete them. It also makes you feel more accomplished when you do!
31. Learn a new skill.
Have you been thinking about learning a new skill? Maybe for school or work? Try watching or taking courses as a winter break self care activity to your routine.
32. Put up some fairy lights.
Fairy lights can set a comfy, cozy aesthetic perfect for the winter season. They are cute winter self care products that I recommend.
33. Take a walk outside.
Nature changes in the colder months. There’s beauty out there. Go take a walk and admire the seasonal changes.
34. Spend some time being creative.
Winter time is a great time to be creative. We have some time off and can spend it working on some creative projects.
35. Cook your favorite meal.
What is your favorite dish? Prepare it as part of your winter self care.
36. Drive around your neighborhood and see the Christmas lights.
There is nothing more than I loved as a kid than looking at the Christmas lights in my neighborhood. Some neighborhoods even used to go all out. Drive around and see your neighbors’ Christmas light displays.
37. Light a fireplace.
If you happen to have a fireplace, use it from time to time. If you don’t have a fireplace, then I recommend playing a fireplace ambiance video. I used to do it while studying in college, but it was also great background music.
38. Write down your New Year’s Resolution.
The days in between Christmas and New Year’s are when you actually start working on your New Year’s Resolutions. Not the day of. That’s why we don’t stick with them that long. Create a plan and write out what you want to change in the new year.
39. Journal your thoughts down.
A generalized self care idea that you can add for your winter self care is journaling your thoughts. Journaling is a common self care activity that is recommended by a lot of people. Find a self love or self care journal prompt and get to writing!
Related: 100 Positive Affirmations for Self Love To Help You Love Yourself
40. Buy a new coat or jacket.
A comfortable and warm coat or jacket is one of the main winter self-care items you should have. You shouldn’t be walking around without one. Take care of your body and get one.
41. Apply lip balm.
Dry lips are common in the winter. Make sure you carry around some lip balm, such as EOS vanilla lip balm, which I love and recommend.
- OUR PROMISE: This eos vanilla lip balm is paraben, phthalate, gluten and cruelty-free
- MADE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN: Our Dermatologist-recommended lip balms are formulated for sensitive skin and hypoallergenic
- ALL-DAY MOISTURE: eos organic lip balms are made with skincare ingredients like sustainable shea butter + oil that locks in moisture for long lasting protection, nourishing coconut oil for weightless hydration, oil, and relieving jojoba oil.
42. Plan out your week.
The holidays can get hectic! Plan out your week and use a planner.
43. Try a Christmas or winter-themed drink.
Trying a Peppermint-flavored drink or winter speciality drinks is definitely self care during the winter months. Treat yourself!
44. Take your vitamins.
You should take your vitamins, especially during the colder seasons. It’s one of the easier ways to take care of yourself during the winter. Catching the flu or a cold is more common during these months, so make sure you have your vitamins around. Take them as the bottle or what your doctor says and try to stay healthy.
45. Sleep in on the weekend.
Rest is the best self care you can honestly do. Sleep in on a cold Saturday or Sunday.
46. Spend some time reflecting.
Sit down and reflect on your year or your next goals. Self-reflection is a common self-care activity that you should do from time to time.
47. Binge-watch a series on Netflix.
Winter Break is the best time to binge-watch that show you’ve been putting off. Or watching those cheesy Christmas movies can count as self care for wintertime.
48. Listen to an audiobook.
Listening to audiobooks is my new favorite hobby. It’s a great way to read books faster or when you don’t have the space for a physical book on your bookshelf.
Download the Audible app and get a subscription for a while! You’ll find tons of books on there. It’s slowly becoming a must-have for me.
49. Buy a new pillow.
The back or neck pain or tightness you might have could be due to your pillows. Do yourself a favor by buying a new pillow or two. It definitely helped my back out.
50. Relax and be easy on yourself.
As the year wraps up or begins (depending on when you’re reading this), you’ll need to relax. Be easy on yourself for the things that you didn’t do. Take time to really relax. You deserve it.
This blog post gave you 50 winter self care ideas.
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Before you go, make sure to check out the other self-care-related content on the blog:
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