The Sounds of Advice #22: Cabin Fever

Aisling: This time of year people tend to go stir crazy with cabin fever. Here are some ideas to keep busy & ease the fever. 

1. Get outside. If it's not too chilly out try going for a walk or even try out skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing or ice skating so you can work off some of that pent up energy. 

2. Have a holiday movie marathon. Get together with family to watch some family favorite movies. 

3. Bake some cookies & have some hot chocolate. 

4. Can't get out of the house but would love to travel without actually travelling? Pick up a good book & let your imagination take you away for a while. 

5. Make some arts & crafts or try a new hobby like knitting or crocheting to keep yourself busy.

Sandy: Just doing things together as a family. Bring out some board games and chill out relax and have some fun. If kids are old enough have them help make dinner. Its the little things that make being stuck in the house not to bad.

Kate: 

1. Take Up an Indoor Hobby:

The walls won’t feel like they're closing in on you if you’re actively using the space in your home.

With a little creativity, you can turn your house into a winter fun zone. Grab your putter from the garage, some plastic cups from the kitchen, and turn the living room into a miniature golf course. Or, if you want to keep your property value up, you can check out indoor sports facilities in your area.

And, as we all know, there’s no wrong time for arts and crafts. Whether knitting or making a birdhouse, keeping your brain engaged in an activity is the best way to beat the blues.

Ever build a couch fort for a cozy reading getaway? Now is the time to try. Reading, after all, is good for you.

2. Exercise:

You probably have enough people telling you to exercise already, especially after all of those holiday cookies. But keeping up with your New Year's resolutions will also improve your mood.

If you don’t feel like braving the outdoors for a crowded gym, you can do plenty of exercises at home. These activities increase the levels of serotonin and other crucial chemicals in the brain.

3. Get Outside (Eventually) and Get Some Vitamin D:

You may not want to go outside when the wind chill makes your driveway colder than the surface of Mars, but consider heading out when the cold snap loosens its grip.

Being outside in the winter lets the sun reach your skin, even if it’s only on your face. This allows your body to produce vitamin D, which elevates mood. UV light therapy is a common treatment for SAD, too.

To keep the outdoors interesting, try picking up a winter sport, such as cross-country skiing, ice hockey, or snowshoeing. (Bonus points if you opt to build a luge course in your backyard.)

But you don’t have to wait for the beginning of the XXII Olympic Winter Games to pick up those skis. Simply going to an outdoor game to cheer on your local sports team is an excellent way to connect with others while also catching some rays.