As the long and dark winter season ends, it’s time to start preparing yourself for the upcoming spring season. In Alaska, this means not only refreshing your wardrobe or revising your skincare routine but also taking care of your mental and physical health in order to make a smooth transition.
Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself mentally and physically for spring.
Mental Preparation for Spring:
- Set Goals for the Season:
Spring is a perfect opportunity to set new goals and work towards them. Write down everything you wish to achieve this season- learning a new skill, starting a new project, or simply engaging in outdoor activities.
- Practice Mindfulness:
Mindfulness can assist in reducing stress levels, enhancing creativity, and aiding with focus. After spending months inside, transitioning back into a multi-environment life can be challenging. We suggest incorporating mindful activities into your daily routine, such as meditation, yoga, or observing nature with all its colors.
- Increase Productivity:
Prepare for the increase in daylight hours by restructuring your daily schedule appropriately. Start by setting achievable tasks that help enhance productivity without being too overwhelming. A few ideas would be to spend 30 minutes each day prepping your outdoor space by pulling weeds, clearing debris, or preparing the soil for plant seedlings.
Physical Preparation for Spring:
- Engage in Physical Activity:
As temperatures climb out of below-freezing temperatures and into the 40s during springtime, engage in outdoor activities, such as running or cycling, that increase physical fitness levels while enjoying natural surroundings simultaneously. We advise that you be cautious as it is still quite cold, and you don’t want to shock the body with intense physical exercise right off the bat. Take it slow and build up your time outside as the season continues to warm.
- Incorporate Healthier Eating Habits:
During the cold winter months, it is common to rely on comfort foods, which are often full of carbs and fats. While Alaska will still be waiting for fresh produce season, you will see more options available in store to enhance your healthy eating habits. Additionally, now is a great time to decrease alcohol consumption and uptick that daily water habit.
- Define a Healthy Sleep Schedule:
Springtime means more hours of light, yay! With that, our bodies will need to adjust from the long dark days, especially as summer’s long, bright days get closer. We suggest setting a healthy sleep schedule now that you plan to maintain it no matter what is happening beyond your curtains. Plus, if you haven’t invested in blackout curtains yet, now is the time!
- Get a Health Check Up
After the dreariness of winter, we suggest getting your annual physical if you haven’t already. Even if you feel fit as a fiddle, it is always wise to check in with your doctor, update your records, and identify your baseline for healthy living to use as a comparison down the line if you do get sick.
By following these simple steps, you’ll be ready both physically and mentally geared up for an exciting spring season ahead!
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