Photo by Vlada Karpovich.
Winter can be challenging. Sure, some of us thrive on it: the crisp, refreshing breeze; the beauty of snowscapes; the ability to slide and glide on slick surfaces that offers whole new ways to play. On the other hand, those crisp breezes can dry your skin and hair to Sahara Desert levels.
Those snowscapes aren’t quite as entertaining when you need to get somewhere and your car is a silent mound of heavy, wet white stuff. And sliding and gliding is only fun when you do it on purpose, not when you’re simply trying to make it to the mailbox..
Do yourself a favor and be prepared. Have a good snow brush and ice scraper for the car and a nice lightweight shovel. Keep these, along with a pair of insulated gloves and a warm hat, just inside the front door. There’s nothing quite like realizing that your snow-removal gear is right where you left it last night, in the back seat of that silent mound of heavy, wet white stuff.
Make sure you’ve got good lighting to keep the early nightfall at bay, and a cozy nest for relaxation, with a soft blanket or throw and a handy surface for your snacks and books (or your crochet project or whatever helps you pass the time indoors and still feel productive and content).
Have the right gear for the weather, even if you’re not the winter sports type. Being comfortable when you’re out taking care of business is key, and there are days when even a quick walk down the block and back can save your sanity.
And go a little deeper into self-care. In the Hudson Valley, resources abound that can help you feel your best when the frigid winds blow and make even February (how does the shortest month of the year feel so eternal?) tolerable.
salt caves
Salt has natural disinfectant properties, and the ancient belief that it has a healing effect got a boost in the 1800s when doctors realized that salt miners weren’t experiencing the lung issues that other miners did and were actually thriving. There haven’t been a ton of clinical studies, but a great many people say they can feel the difference after spending some time in intensely salty spaces.
Potential benefits of salt therapy, also called halotherapy, include better breathing: salty air will thin the mucus in your lungs. It may also help fight infections. Surely you’ve heard that gargling with salt water or a saline nasal rinse can help stop a cold in its tracks. Many people find that time in a salt cave improves their skin texture and melts away anxiety, stress, and exhaustion.
Potential benefits of salt therapy, also called halotherapy, include better breathing: salty air will thin the mucus in your lungs. It may also help fight infections. Surely you’ve heard that gargling with salt water or a saline nasal rinse can help stop a cold in its tracks. Many people find that time in a salt cave improves their skin texture and melts away anxiety, stress, and exhaustion.
Photo courtesy of Crystal Connection, Wurtsboro.
Photo by THLT LCX.
sound healing
All over the world, since ancient times, a good sound bath has been recognized for its healing properties. Sound is vibration, and the right sounds reach into the cellular level. Research backs this up: sound baths can slow down those busy brain waves, leaving you deeply relaxed and refreshed.
That has powerful positive effects on your entire body and being, meaning that a good sound bath can relieve stress, anxiety, and depression, It’s also got a reputation for helping ease fatigue, improve cognition and memory, and soothe chronic pain. A sound bath is a terrific way to decompress.
massage
Therapeutic touch is another healing modality with a long and honorable pedigree. There’s nothing like it for relieving the muscle aches that can come from feeling chilly, sitting too long, or taking a tumble on a slick spot. A skilled massage therapist can find those achy places and melt them for you, leaving you refreshed and pain free.
Research backs this one all the way up: a good massage improves circulation, enhances your immune system, and leads to better mood, better sleep (which helps everything!), and reduced stress.
Photo by Elly Fairytale.
floating
Photo by Dmitriy Ganin
A float session quite literally takes the pressure off—all the pressure. It’ll lower your blood pressure, relieve your aches and pains, and make your burnout history. It’s known to have therapeutic effects on everything from chronic muscle aches to body dysmorphia.
Floating, which happens in a tub of silky-smooth Epsom salt water inside a sensory deprivation chamber, is also one of the safest possible ways to achieve an altered state of consciousness. Some people swear by it—not just to relieve the negatives, like anxiety and depression—but to enhance creativity and productivity., anxiety, and depression, It’s also got a reputation for helping ease fatigue, improve cognition and memory, and soothe chronic pain. A sound bath is a terrific way to decompress.
yoga
Photo by Dane Wetton.
Yoga is the exercise that keeps on giving. It will leave you stronger and more flexible, with better balance and posture. It’s also great for your heart, improving your circulation and cholesterol, All of that boosts your immunity to any nasty little bugs that might be floating around out there. The mindful breathing that comes with yoga practice is great for your nervous system, chasing away stress, anxiety, and the winter blues.
Don’t worry about being an absolute beginner. Everyone is at some point! Our yoga teachers are experts in helping you to feel comfortable and welcome. Some even offer online sessions, so you can keep it up even when the weather is doing its worst. But we highly recommend in-person classes for the warm, friendly communal vibes that are served as a side dish and offer their own therapeutic benefits.
herbal apothecaries
Photo by Yan Krukov.
Nearly every medicine we have began as a botanical one; people were chewing willow bark for aches and pains long before aspirin was a thing, and that’s just one example. An herbal apothecary will offer you the opportunity to get treatments that are more closely connected to the source and may be less harsh than prescription or over-the-counter remedies.
A good herbal apothecary (and we’ve got some great ones around here!) is where you’ll find wise practitioners who truly care about what ails you and can offer you the right relief. They’ll help you find the right plants at the right doses, avoiding problems (herbal remedies can be potent, and it’s important to know what you’re doing) and offering authentic healing that’s much more than skin deep (although if your skin is the problem, they’ve got just the thing, and deeper understanding of the underlying issues than you’ll ever find at Bog Box Pharma.)
crystal healing
Ancient civilizations believed that crystals had specific healing properties, and though the research has been scant, many people swear by their positive benefits. At the very least, the right crystal can provide a great focal point for mindfulness meditation.
Crystals hold energy, and we’re made up of energy, so it seems silly to deny there could be a positive result. Try it for yourself and see. Go to a rock shop and see what pretty stone may be begging you to pick it up and bring it home. Many are undeniably beautiful, and there’s no such thing as having too much beauty in your life, especially when the chilly winds are blowing. And at one of our favorite crystal shops, you can even try out infrared mats and energy healing devices. People who love it say their chakras have never felt better.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov.
