How To Beat The Winter Blues

Ahhh the winter blues. I remember it was tough as a kid to be stuck inside during those long, cold winter days with not much to do.

When you take that boredom, throw chemotherapy into the mix plus a pandemic....well this starts to look like something a bit different.

Cancer treatment can be isolating enough, but not being outside can truly take a toll on your emotional and physical well-being.

Here are some fun ways to beat the winter blues, while taking really good care of yourself!

Have an indoor picnic

If you have kids, they'll love this idea! Pull out your favorite picnic blanket, create a menu of your favorite sandwiches, cut them into bite-size pieces, top it off with some fun desserts and you've got an instant picnic!

Give yourself a spa day

Gather your favorite bath salts, bubble bath, and candles, dim the lights, play some "spa" music and you'll feel like you've temporarily escaped the blistering cold of the winter. Take it one step further by treating yourself to a facial mask, then wrapping yourself in your favorite bathrobe afterward.

Move

Nothing beats the winter blues more than working up a nice sweat. Depending upon where you are in your treatment, you can either choose to take it really slow by doing some yoga...or hop on your stationary bike or treadmill for a more intense workout. Either way, you'll release some "feel good" endorphins which will make you feel great all day long.

Catch some rays

Catching some rays may also be helpful to your well-being. If it's simply too cold for you to be outdoors, try to position a chair near a window that gets lots of sunlight. Try to sit in this sunny spot for at least one to two hours per day.

How do you overcome the winter blues?