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Got Cabin Fever? (Our 'Girl from the North Country' Reveals 12 Great Ways to Beat the Winter Blues) by Kristi Kates Photo collage by Kristi Kates The term "cabin fever" isn't defined in Webster's Dictionary. Although cabin fever is a common winter epidemic, much like the flu, there's no antibiotic to take. And, although the term is bandied about rather frequently, many people don't realize that cabin fever is indeed a real ailment - one that, at its severest, can lead to uneasiness, restlessness, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, depression, and irritability. So, when the temp drops below 30 - again - and you're shoveling your driveway for the third time this week, what do you do? The answer is, not much - if, that is, you're hoping to banish the winter blues by banishing the ice and snow. What you can do, though, is fight back - and we've got a dozen ways for you to do just that! One of the biggest problems with winter, for most people, is the restriction on mobility. Not only can it be, at best, inconvenient, at worst, treacherous to get around by foot or car in the winter, but we also find ourselves buried in layers of clothing, from socks and thick boots to heavy sweaters, coats, gloves, and hats. Is it any wonder that we feel less free in the winter than we do in the warmer months? As a result, we end up spending more time indoors than ever, indulging in lots of energy-suppressing passive entertainment (also known as TV and naps) and basically waiting for winter to be over. If you tend to be one of those people who prefer hibernating at home when it's cold outside, we'll start with idea number one, directed right at you... 1. Make Your Cabin Your Own. Staying inside for the duration? Then really make the most of that idea, and, when you're spending time indoors, make sure that you've got the right attitude. If you're snowed in, then be snowed in, and do it right - heat up the hot cocoa and marshmallows, get out some brandy, cook up a hearty stew or soup, light the fireplace or some candles, and make it an event. It's so easy to just zone out on the television, flipping through the channels - but, if you make your video watching more of an event by having great food, perhaps inviting some friends over, and choosing movies to watch that you never have the time to watch in the summer, you'll find that your living room becomes a fun winter haven, instead of the confined space you might have previously been getting tired of. 2. Virtually Snowbound. Another great indoor pursuit is also available at most video rental stores - the much-overlooked video game. Not just for kids anymore, video systems these days - from Nintendo's classic 64 to the new GameCube to the XBox or the superior Playstation 2, have such a range of games available that there is, to use a cliched phrase, something for everyone, and you can often rent the systems as well as the game cartridges themselves, both fairly inexpensively. You can drive a whole range of cars in virtual environments from Indianapolis to the Riviera in the stunningly realistic looking Gran Turismo 3. You can take on fantastical monsters in the detailed Final Fantasy series. You can play basketball, soccer, football, or tennis. You can bowl or snowboard. But, perhaps best of all, you can take advantage of the escape factor - many of the game environments are beautifully rendered and nicely absorbing, and, in addition, you can "become" one of a myriad of characters for a few hours - Buffy, Shrek, Batman, Tarzan, a ninja, a Russian puzzle-solver, a rap star, or even 007. Who cares about the blizzard outside when you're busy fighting foes, figuring out riddles, or winning the World Series? 3. Work It. Speaking of baseball, you may not be able to play when the diamond's covered by a layer of ice, but that doesn't mean you can't stay fit. Exercise is a great way to combat winter sluggishness, and it's also proven to release endorphins, the chemical that raises mood, a nice side effect of your workout. As far as the workout itself goes, there are many ways you can pursue your physical fitness without having to take one step outside. Making one last stop at the video store, you'll find that there are dozens of workout tapes you can purchase for under $20, from traditional aerobics to Tai-Bo, MTV workouts to country line-dancing, all of which can be done in the comfort of your living room - just push that La-Z-Boy aside and get to it. Yoga is another great workout idea for the winter months - a wonderful toner and strength-builder for both women and men, a good yoga program will help you get toned up for the summer months, and you'll find that yoga can be both an energizer and a relaxer, depending upon which yoga program you follow. If you don't mind exercising outside, all the better - the cold, clean air of winter is great for your lungs and for your well-being. 4. Make Stuff. Once you've decided on which exercise program you're going to follow (whether it's every single day or just once a week - it's the effort that counts!), you might want to consider picking up a hobby to get you through until spring. A new creative pursuit can be another good way to stave off boredom, and this is another option in which there are tons of things you can choose from. Have you ever wanted to try oil painting, sketching, writing poetry, or building furniture? What about crafting beaded necklaces, learning a foreign language, making pottery, or tying flies? There's no better time to try! And you can get a great start through such internet websites like www.craftopia.com or www.makestuff.com, sites that are chock-full of intriguing ideas for things you can make. Make things for your house, for your friends, for yourself - you might even want to set aside a special spot in your house or apartment just for doing projects. You might just find that spot a perfect refuge on bad weather days - if you're really enjoying your new project, you can become so involved in creating that you won't even notice that several hours have gone by, putting you that many hours closer to spring. 5. Dine Like its July.
6. The Theme Is "Fun". Break the rules even more by breaking yourself and a few friends right out of their winter wardrobes. How? Throw a theme party! Although it sounds like a big and expensive endeavor, it doesn't have to be, and it's usually well worth the effort. Just think of all points tropical, tell your pals to dress appropriately, and base your party around that theme. For a Hawaiian party, serve pulled pork, pineapple on skewers, and a fruity rum punch, play Twister, and have your guests arrive in beach wear - or invite your amigos to a Mexican party, complete with a make-it-yourself taco table, margaritas, the tunes of Los Lobos, and perhaps a piñata. Where do you start? Recipes can easily be found online (try www.cooking.com), ready-to-eat foods are all over the supermarkets, and you can have an extra day of fun before the party by blowing up some balloons, being a little crafty, and making the decorations yourself. 7. How Much Is The One In The Window? Things a little quiet around your apartment? Or are you and your roommates, significant other, or family getting on each other's nerves? Perhaps a little friendly distraction is in order - one that you can name yourself, whether it's Bubbles, Fluffy, Spot, or just Bob. A new pet can really bring a little life back into your household - games of fetch or hours of teaching your pet to sit or roll over can be a lot of fun, and a new personality can be a breath of fresh air. A dog or cat are always good choices, of course - but, if you're not ready to make that kind of pet commitment, there are always birds, hamsters, ferrets, or mice. Even a fish is a good idea - a single, jewel-colored Betta fish in a pretty bowl can add a bright spot of color to your house. A small, lit aquarium, if you want to make the investment, is even better, as the bubbling water and the beautiful fish swimming back and forth can have even more of a calming effect. 8. How Attractive. If you live somewhere where a pet just isn't feasible, or you'd prefer not to have a pet in your household, you can still get that extra little infusion of life without having to adopt a pet of your own. A wildlife feeding station is something that can be set up and maintained for very little money - and you'll reap the rewards when you find yourself being entertained by the creatures that find their way to the food in your yard. The easiest way to start is with a birdfeeder or two - a mix of standard birdseed will attract half a dozen varieties of birds, and, if you add a finch feeder (filled with black thistle seed), you'll find that you'll attract even more birds. Their colors and comical antics are fun to watch, and the show will be doubled should you add food for, depending on where you live, squirrels, deer, turkeys, or raccoons. If you live in an apartment, you can still take advantage of this idea - small suction cup window birdfeeders are available at most discount stores. Just ask your landlord first. 9. Sunshine Superman. While you're sitting in front of your window watching the wildlife, it's likely that (at least on sunny days) you're reaping a second benefit. Sunlight, and the vitamin D synthesis that it triggers in human skin, assists in the relief of seasonal affective disorder and its symptoms. Sunlight is also known to increase mood and helps regulate sleeping/waking cycles - something that can be easily thrown off in the wintertime due to the sharp decrease in sunlight hours. Fluorescent or full-spectrum light boxes are another possibility - these specialized lamps sit on your desk or table while you work or read, and help regulate melatonin and sleep-wake cycles so you feel healthier and more in sync. All in all, sunlight is good for you in reasonable amounts - just remember to slap on that sunscreen if you're going to be outside or in sunlight for longer than 10-15 minutes. 10. Take Ten. Ten or fifteen minutes may be all you need to change your routine and change your outlook on the long winter months. It's easy to get into a rut in the winter - get up, shovel out the car, drive to work in the dark, drive home in the dark, eat dinner, watch tv, and go to sleep. Even if you don't have a lot of time in your daily routine, sometimes just a short respite from the norm can make you feel a whole lot better. If you normally drink coffee in the car on the way to work, leave a little earlier and have that coffee in the friendly environment of a coffeehouse. If you normally do your bills at the kitchen table, take them out for lunch. If you normally surf the internet or read in the same place every day, try a change of venue, whether it's a friend's house, a library, or a cybercafe. 11. Get The Heck Outta Town. Saving one of the best ideas for last, if you have the means to really escape, that can be one of the best ideas of all. If you've got the bucks for a trip to the Bahamas, Las Vegas, California, or the Greek Isles, then, by all means, now's the time to go for it! If you've got a slightly more limited pocketbook, there are still ways to travel without blowing your budget. Check out the towns within a few hours of yours - is there a museum, restaurant, nightclub, or concert event you've been wanting to see? Maybe now is a good time for a quick overnight trip - many hotels even have lower rates this time of year as tourism is low. If you're really on a small budget, you don't even have to leave town - just check yourself, or perhaps yourself and that special someone, into a hotel in your own city. The change of environment will do you good, and you can have a blast lounging about, ordering up room service, and swimming in the hotel pool. If all else fails, there's still one last option for the winter-weary among us... 12. If You Can't Beat It, Embrace It It's going to be there until spring, so if none of the above options work for you, there's still one thing left to try - just get on outside and find the good side of those snowy, cold days. You might just be surprised at how beautiful the landscape can be right after a big snow - the trees are outlined in white, the roads are free of tire tracks, and the neighborhoods can be full of camaraderie as people shovel out their driveways and porches and talk about the latest storm. Even on any old winter day, there's still fun to be had - think like a kid, and take yourself and some pals skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, or ice-skating. Have a snowball fight, build a snow fort, make snow angels and snowmen, or craft ice sculptures. The cold won't seem so cold when it's part of why you're having fun. Yes, Midwestern winters can be long and tedious - but perhaps the worst thing you can do is just give in to cabin fever. You'll get through until spring, but you'll have a lot more fun if you consider it a challenge to make the most of the coldest season of all.
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Along with warmer weather, many of us look forward to what we consider
summer foods - barbecues, watermelon, fresh fruits and vegetables, and ice
cream.
Many of those same foods are kind of scarce in the winter, but they can
still be found if you look hard enough. Treat yourself! More exotic
fruits and vegetables, like mangos, kiwis, berries, melons, hothouse
tomatoes, and imported peaches, can still be bought at your local grocer -
granted, the taste may not be as rich as when they're in the height of
their proper season, but it's still a nice diversion for your palate.
