The cold weather will put our mental fitness to the test this year, so here are some ways to prepare for the challenge. Waking up to several centimetres of snow or a grey raining day shows us that there is no doubt winter's on its way. 

With the days becoming colder and shorter, experts have been trying to get the message out that we all need to prioritize our mental health as the pandemic drags on. So what are the best ways to do that?

Do The 'Dance of Compassion'

What does this mean? It is Ok to be vulnerable right now. The only mask you should be wearing is a medical one. Discard the mask of not being vulnerable.

It's important for people who are used to performing at a high level — both at work and in their personal lives — to accept that might not be possible right now. 

What we know is that right now, is that life is full of uncertainty. COVID protocals are changes every two or three weeks, or even sometimes daily. So you really need to learn to have this dance of compassion and be flexible.

Grieve Your Losses

We need to give ourselves time to grieve our losses, whether it's the loss of a loved one, a job or a way of life. 

Part of coping with the pandemic is being able to have that Kleenex, acknowledge our losses and cry those tears. This is especially important for children, who need to be able to express their sadness at how life is right now. 

Oftentimes as parents, we don't want our kids to suffer. So we try to put a brave face on the situation and say things like, “It could be worse,” or, “Let's try and think some happy thoughts.” Instead acknowledge your child's disappointment then redirect them to look on the bright side of life. 

Get Better Sleep

In trying times it is important to be aware of your mental health. Try journalling in order to put your emotions or what is bothering you down somewhere. Thoughts and emotions can interfere with your sleep if they are not settled.  

If you write it down ... that's a way of processing it and putting it aside so then you can get to bed and get the rest you need.

It's so important to get enough sleep, exercise, and also to make an effort to eat properly.

Take Up A Hobby

You need to take time for yourself: go for a walk, take a five-minute break to stretch or breath deeply, read an inspirational book or take up a hobby. Schedule it in, just like you'd schedule other important activities. 

It's not about the end product. It's about the process. Finding creativity within yourself allows for mindfulness.

Embrace Winter Activities

Looking at winter through the eyes of a child can make it easier to accept some of the harsher realities of the season. Try to see the potential for fun. Go out and make our Canadian winter the best winter ever possible. Let's be brave and courageous around outdoor play, whether it's a walk, going to the rink, or organizing some games outdoors.

If you need help, please do not hesitate to get the help you need.

As we have all been spending so much more time in our homes; here are some ways to improve health, wellness and comfort through home design and style.

Air Quality

There are plenty of ways to set up a house for good air quality, whether it’s designing spaces to create cross breezes or installing air purifiers. Another is adding a living walls, which adds a pleasing natural element while helping to purify the air. For example, horticultural therapy lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Tending to gardens, houseplants and fresh flowers at home can help to promote wellness.

Incorporating plants into home design also establishes a link with nature to create healthy indoor environments. In addition to plants, the use of natural materials can help establish these links. Create the feeling of a favourite outdoor place through artwork, colour and materials in your home. Choose colours that evokes a mood and enhances comfort.

Lighting

Using lighting to promote wellness means incorporating natural light and creating a pleasing ambiance with artificial light. Today’s LED lighting options can change colour in a way that helps change mood. Controllable and adjustable lights can work with our natural circadian rhythms. This results in a more productive day as well as a good night’s sleep. For example, in the evening, amber light can promote calmness. While the natural light pouring in through a skylight or window can help wake a person up in the morning and prepare them to face the day.

Comfort And Movement In Space

This includes creating floor and furniture plans that make it easy to flow through a space. This means removing any obstacles, and leaving enough space between furnishings to pass through.

Comfort also means achieving an uncluttered feeling in a space. This doesn’t have to mean a strict minimalist style, but it does mean curating favorite books, knickknacks, photos and other mementos and maintaining a clean and airy feel by finding proper places for them. Comfort also includes individual pieces of furniture. For example, even if the current work-from-home situation doesn’t last, a proper ergonomic chair is a worthy investment.

Thermal Well-Being

Maintaining a comfortable temperature is another key element of promoting wellness in design. Technology can be a big help with this, whether it involves a smart thermostat or heated floors. Homes with a tight envelope also promote thermal comfort. Windows or doors that aren’t drafty allow for greater control over heating and cooling systems.

Achieve thermal comfort on a smaller scale by placing things like throw blankets and warm slippers where needed.

Auditory Comfort

This refers to finding a quiet refuge at home. While the average house may not have space for a dedicated meditation or quiet room, any place of relaxation will do. It can be as simple as a favorite reading chair in a bedroom.

Music also plays a part. Match your music to the mood you want to evoke. The soothing sound of water splashing in a fountain is another example of acoustical comfort.

Put Work Away

When it’s time for unwinding, put work away. If a desk is in the bedroom, put papers and electronic devices away when the workday is over.

Think About Scents 

Engaging any of the five senses can affect mood. Adding pleasing scents such as fresh eucalyptus or lavender will enhance the way you experience your home.

How Your Home Can Help You Feel Good

* Think about the goal of feeling good as soon as you walk in your home.

* Consider how you want your home to look, feel, smell and sound.

* Remove, fix or put away things that are bothering you, particularly dust-collecting clutter.

* Make small changes to enhance your mood —

                    light a favorite candle;

                    experiment with different furniture arrangements until it feels right;

                    locate your desk under a window with a favorite view;

                    place a speaker where you want to listen to your favorite music;

                    pot a grocery store basil plant and put it in the kitchen;

                    cozy up a place of respite with a throw blanket;

                    change out a lightbulb that’s not warm enough;

                    put your lights on dimmers.

Feeling a little anxious with the ongoing pandemic — and no end in sight — turning your life topsy turvey, you might be down to your last nerve.

What you’re going through is completely understandable. It’s even physiological.

“When you’re waiting for something that’s driving you crazy — especially when there’s a threat element to it — that’s what makes anxiety so strong and that results in cortisol, a stress hormone, being released throughout our body,” says Steve Joordens (psychology professor at U of T).

Here are some suggestions for how to deal with the tense days ahead as we all wait to see what happens.

Distraction is key - Finding a way to take your mind off the present situation — and there’s a lot of ways to go about it.

For many people, focusing your mind on something else and really concentrating on it is an easy solution. That could mean concentrating on a work-related project or even a hobby you love. You’ll be getting something done, feel productive and get your mind off your present worries.

Taking a break is another way to approach the problem and will probably be more enticing. Four things that increase vitality are singing, dancing, laughter and activity. If you can somehow find a way to get a break from what’s making you anxious and engage in those sorts of activities, they release endorphins which counter the cortisol response.

So find something that makes you laugh — a favourite film, a TV show — and then immerse yourself in the laughter for as long as it takes.

Something as simple as going for a jog is really helpful. Aerobic activity leads to a positive state of mind.

Music and the nostalgia it can sometimes evoke is also a really effective way to distract yourself while chasing away the blues. Music connects us to periods of time in our lives. When we listen to a song, it has the power to transport us back to that previous time. Create a playlist that can pull you mind to another place and help lift your mood.

Sunshine is a simple solution get outside and enjoy it whenever you can. Go for a nice walk or just sit and soak up some of that sunshine and realize you still live in a beautiful world.

Finally, even though we all have to maintain physical distancing because of COVID-19, that doesn’t mean we can’t renew the social connections with those who mean the most to us. Social bonds are our go-to when we’re feeling anxious and stressed. When things get scary and tense, our family and friends make us feel safe and secure. There are plenty of ways to reconnect with the loved ones we have in our lives, both family and friends, so lean on them and vice versa to get through the next few days, weeks, months.

Reaffirming that you have people in your life who are there and they care, that grounds us all and helps our feeling of security which is being a little shaken right now.