Looking after your physical and mental well-being can be just a little bit harder in the winter months. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to look after yourself, even as the days get shorter.  

#1 Sometimes Hibernation Helps

Ever wish you could hibernate like a bear? The reduced daylight and chilly temperatures can leave you feeling more tired than usual and craving a good night’s sleep. But even if you’re feeling more tired at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean sleep comes easy.

Drift off with the help of The Audible Sleep Collection, a series of guided meditations, bedtime stories and more that will help you shut down after a long day. It’s a great way to focus on something relaxing to wind down while hearing the pitch and tone of a calming narrator.

With an Audible Canada membership, you get free access to the Sleep Collection, and new additions are constantly being added.

#2 Get Active in the Snow

You don’t have to get a gym membership to stay active all winter. There are plenty of outdoor activities that will keep you active and might even help you learn to love the cold. Edmonton also happens to be the perfect winter city, with plenty of outdoor activities to do in town or nearby.

You don’t have to invest in expensive skiing equipment to stay active either. There are several places where you can go outdoor ice skating in the city. Some of the best spots to hit for a real workout are the IceWays at Victoria Park and Rundle Park, as well as rinks throughout the city.

Parents might have an easier time finding physical exercise than they might think. There are surprising workout benefits to a lot of wintertime activities you do with your kids. A great example is sledding. Not only is the trek uphill an aerobic exercise that’s great for leg muscles, even steering a sled is a great muscle workout.

#3 Stay Mentally Motivated

With the new year along the way, many will be looking to break old habits. Staying motivated can be tough, especially as winter drags on. If you’re looking for something that will help you stick to your new goals, James Clear’s Atomic Habits lays out a blueprint for changing behaviours. Clear points out that more often than not, struggling to change a habit isn’t about a person’s personal shortcomings. It’s about the system they’re using to change. He offers a better system for following through on your goals and replacing bad habits with good ones.

Your mental and emotional health may need some extra care and attention through the winter. Check out more health and wellness audiobooks for both inspiration and practical tips on caring for your mental well-being.

Sometimes life requires adaptation. Winter may ask us to adjust our lives, but there are still plenty of ways to stay physically active and look after your mental health even as the snow falls. Get out, dress warm and most importantly, be kind to yourself as the snow starts to fall. 

This content was sponsored by Audible.ca