There’s a chance of a hard freeze next week and it’s getting darker and darker–and I saw this long string on Twitter about how to make our second pandemic winter a little nicer:

 

Yes, the daylight simulating lamps are nice but I use them less now that 1) I’m on antidepressants and 2) I don’t work in a windowless basement. But another lamp that’s wonderful for those dark mornings is a sunrise alarm clock. I’ve had mine for years and couldn’t make it to the early gym class without it in the winter.

People in that thread mention getting outside every day, which is something I want to try to do this year. If it’s snowy or icy, microspikes to go over your boots are life-changing–you won’t have to worry about falling down, at all, not even on a sheet of ice. (I speak from actual experience on winter trails.)

Lots of people talked about making your house cozy with twinkle lights and candles and I’ve stocked up on IKEA tealights. But literally being warm and cozy also helps me deal with winter and a hot water bottle is wonderful for that. I’m late to the party but I love mine (which I found on Am*zon; however, they’re available pretty widely and I’d wish I’d seen this before I bought mine).

Anyway, thinking about how to improve winter now makes me feel a little more in control of the long slide into the dark of winter and another round of holidays without my mom. I hope there’s something in that string of replies that helps you, too.

 

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