When we think of picturesque winter scenes, we may imagine people surrounded by a beautiful snowy setting, with glittering snowflakes falling and crisp white snow underfoot.
Realistically when living in the UK we rarely get a beautiful winter experience. Often, we wake to grey skies, biting winds and freezing cold downpours. Throw in dark mornings on the way to work and returning home as the night has set in, and winters can feel long and bleak.
Winter is the most common season when people are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), with 1 in 15 people being affected by SAD. The NHS defines SAD as “a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.” For more information on SAD and the best essential oils to support you, please head to our previous article.
Often, we feel a real pressure to push through the winter months, we may struggle with the winter blues, lower immune systems and can feel tired or lack motivation. Many of us only really slow down when our bodies physically make us. During cold and flu season when our bodies are battling viruses this can be one of the only times we stop to take care of ourselves. We have several pre-blended essential oils to help you relax, beat the bugs or enable you to breathe easy.
How to thrive in the colder months
We live in a modern world in which we are all often extremely busy. Whether it’s summer or winter we have the same responsibilities, but if we think about how nature embraces winter, we could learn a lesson or two on how we too can enjoy winter.
Many animals are often busy in the spring, summer and autumn months preparing for the winter months ahead. Once winter arrives, they take this time to stop and recharge.
Honeybees collect nectar to turn into honey to store over winter. Once the colder weather arrives, they stay in their hive and feast on their honey. Throughout the autumn months squirrels are busy collecting and caching nuts to prepare for the winter months ahead. Once winter is here both species and many more retreat and rest.
Plants and trees also use techniques to see them through. Trees begin to lose their leaves in mid-summer. By losing their leaves it helps the tree to retain water and use less energy in winter. Essentially the trees are slowing down.
The natural world understands winter is a time to retreat, rest and embrace a slower pace of life.
Whilst understandably we cannot hibernate in the winter months, but perhaps like nature we can take the opportunity winter brings to enjoy a slower existence.
Ideas to help you embrace winter
- Leave any big projects for the summer months but plan them in winter.
- Embrace winter hobbies: Knitting, painting, reading or doing a jigsaw.
- Wrap up warm and head outside when the winter sun is shining.
- Bake bread or pastries and breathe in their beautiful scent.
- Order your spring bulbs or add flowering plants, such as a winter heather to your garden.
- Light the fire, grab a fluffy blanket, and add comforting essential oils to your diffuser.
We can also use nature in the form of essentials oils to encourage a slower pace of life and bring us comfort during the winter.
My top essential oils to help you rest and retreat
Here are my favourite oils that can help you retreat and relax during the winter months.
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) is all about relaxation. With its sedative properties and calming aroma, it will have you feeling relaxed in no time at all.
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) is a beautiful calming oil. It can help you to slow your breathing and find inner peace. The ultimate essential oil to help you embrace the colder months.
Breathe in the sweet and floral aroma of Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and feel your worries disappear. Geranium is balancing and helps to lift your emotions.
Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) has a gorgeous aroma to rejuvenate and stimulate. When you are feeling lethargic, struggling with the winter blues or SAD, then look no further than grapefruit essential oil to bring you a little happiness.
Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) has a sweet yet warming aroma. It is a useful oil to use in the winter months when we may need to focus more on our self-care.
I have chosen Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), to help you through winter as it is both soothing and stabilising. The rich and musky scent of patchouli is balancing and beautiful to use if you suffer from depression, anxiety, or low mood.
Not only is Sandalwood (Santalum album) essential oil one of the top oils to use in meditation, thanks to its ability to quieten the mind, it also has anti-depressant properties to help you through the winter blues.
Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) is a cheery essential oil. It is uplifting, but also has sedative properties and can be beneficial in supporting an overactive mind.
Diffuser blends and affirmations for winter
Using an aromatherapy diffuser is a great way to enjoy the above essential oils. Add up to 8 drops of one of the essential oils mentioned, in water, in either an electrical aromatherapy diffuser or candle burner and diffuse into your chosen room for a maximum of 20 minutes or alternatively make one of the following blends, using the same method:
A moment for me blend: Diffuse 2 drops of Clary Sage, 2 drops Frankincense, and 3 drops of Jasmine essential oil.
Let’s recharge blend: Diffuse 2 drops of Geranium, 3 drops of Grapefruit, and 2 drops of Patchouli essential oil.
Ultimate relaxing blend: Diffuse 2 drops of Clary Sage, 3 drops of Sandalwood, and 3 drops of Tangerine essential oil.
Close your eyes, breathe in your chosen essential oil or blend. Inhale in the plant magic through your nose and exhale. Next pick one of the winter affirmations below to help you embrace the colder months and repeat:
- The stillness of winter allows me to slow down.
- No amount of darkness can dim my light.
- Everything I need comes to me at a perfect time.
- I invite in mindfulness and tranquillity.
- I embrace the magic which darkness brings.
Final thoughts…
Life is busy and it is hard to take moments to pause. We feel real pressure to keep pushing through, but as nature does, why not embrace the colder months and use it to your advantage. Give yourself permission to stop, to rest and recharge. Like every winter the dark days pass and before long you will notice the buds beginning to arrive on the trees, the birds singing as you wake and the sun just that little bit warmer. Spring is here.
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