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The climate in our country seems to be designed to destroy the enemy, but we also suffer from his whims: we freeze, weep, we fall into hibernation. However, winter is also sunny days, and the beauty of the sleeping nature, and sports, and …
When snow falls – it doesn’t tease, but really falls, covering the cities with white caps, then it seems that this time everything will be different, in a new way. On such days, many say: “Snow fell in the winter, news to me too!”
But this is news to me. Everytime. Because snow is happiness. The one who loves silence. It whitens all the bad that is in the soul, and as if reassures: “Do not be afraid, everything will be fine.” And it keeps you warm despite the cold.
I began to love winter and admire it, over and over again finding myself in extreme weather conditions. So it was with me in Yakutia, where even at -35 ° C you can’t push through on ice slides and in lines for ice cream. So it was in Altai, where, due to the proximity of the full-flowing Katun, frost penetrated the skin rapidly and categorically, in the Arkhangelsk region, where wooden, almost casket-like churches are covered in winter to the very windows.
Then I realized: it is not enough just to love winter – you need to respect it. And always have several sets of thermal underwear with you. It is not for nothing that they say in Siberia that a Siberian is not one who does not freeze, but one who dresses warmly.
And I dress obediently. I put on warm socks, puffer shoes from a sports store, and a hat that fits snugly to my head. Clothes that can work wonders and in which even the most severe frosts are easier to bear than Moscow -10 ° C. And miracles are created by the inhabitants of the North, who, in conditions of an unusual cold for an inhabitant of the middle zone, are able to warm even the coldest heart with their warmth.
Enter the fairy tale
Winter, especially outside big cities, is often like a fairy tale. There is no black snow and tons of salt that corrodes boots. But there are frosts, such that from one house to another you have to move in dashes.
Old houses are still preserved here, where a village dinner is on the table, prepared by housewives, wise with that real worldly wisdom that happens only in villages. Homemade cheese, cabbage soup from the oven, rice and millet porridge in cast iron pots, baked milk – also in a cast iron pot and with a crusty foam, kulebyaka with fish, salted milk mushrooms, pies …
In my opinion, the real taste and aroma of these dishes can be felt only by breaking into the warmth from the cold. True, on an ongoing basis, such a diet is not very suitable for the harsh winter months: it is a hearty meal, but there are not enough vitamins in it.
Stop, moron! Little tricks for every day
The ability to manage your mood and take care of yourself is a special skill that is more valuable than ever in winter and which can be developed. It’s not about constantly being in high spirits: we have the right to experience the whole gamut of feelings and emotions, but about finding a way to recharge our own batteries when there is a need for it.
Psychologies experts remind of some possibilities: you can pick up your favorite book, touch the pages and immerse yourself in a familiar world. Or make a new playlist of incendiary rhythms and dance: the movement increases not only the physical tone, but also the mood, as it contributes to the release of endorphins.
Colors: add new colors that you lack in winter to the interior, to your image or paint a picture, caring not for skill, but only for the satisfaction of desires. If you yearn for the light, try making a fireplace for yourself, big or small, light candles: living fire calmed our ancestors who lived in the wild, and still gives us a sense of security.
Surround yourself with pleasant smells – aromatic oils, favorite perfumes or fresh pastries with coffee: look for the aroma that you like at this moment. Laugh, breathe, sing quietly or loudly, call friends, communicate, be here and now.
Not waiting for spring
A lack of vitamins can cause a bad mood and even apathy. Therefore, it is worth approaching the issue from a practical point of view and preparing in the summer not only a sled, but also immunity. Without delay until Monday or until the moment when the first seasonal fruits appear on the markets. Citrus fruits rich in vitamin C – tangerines, oranges and pomelo – can be bought regardless of the time of year.
“To boost immunity, any iodine-containing products are also suitable,” recalls general practitioner Nadezhda Grunina, “fish, seaweed, feijoa, persimmon. Better in combination with natural hot drinks made from hawthorn, wild rose, St. John’s wort, thyme or mint.
“The best way to replenish vitamin D is to travel to warmer climes, because our skin produces this vitamin in the sun,” the expert explains, “but it’s not necessary to wait for this summer. Even if you go south now, the iodine-laden sea air and warmer-than-average weather will do more good for the body than all the ultraviolet lamps put together.”
looking for joy
It is hard to imagine that a century ago, only the richest members of society had access to the comfort that is familiar to everyone today: well-heated rooms and comfortable warm clothes.
“Look at the old peasant huts,” offers psychotherapist Pavel Beschastnov. – Previously, they were heated in a black way, and representatives of several generations huddled in small rooms at once. For the vast majority, winter remains an unpleasant season that we have no control over.
But we can change the attitude to what is happening. Do not spend the winter months gloomy and sad, but squeeze the maximum joy out of the proposed circumstances: humanity has come up with a lot of fun and entertainment over the long centuries of interaction with the cold.
Physical activity, skiing or ice skating can be alternated with observing winter nature. Such contemplation is akin to meditation.
Once, while walking in a forest near Moscow, I stopped and could not believe my ears, because I did not hear anything at all – there was such silence. No breeze, no creaking of a branch, no rustling of skis, no rumble of the road. Complete and all-consuming silence. I stood as if rooted to the spot, and then shouted to the forest: “Hey!” and she was afraid of her own courage. It echoed faintly, and then fell silent again.
I remember thinking how different happiness can be. For example, the happiness of being with loved ones. Happiness to fill yourself with beauty at every opportunity. The happiness of harmony and the feeling that one should not expect any special miracles from life: there are already a lot of them around us. Just stand up and look around. Checked – it works.
Does the brain freeze?
The fact that brain activity directly depends on the season and that the “winter” state of the brain leads to its poor performance is nothing more than self-hypnosis! These conclusions were made by experts at Auburn University in Montgomery (USA), the University of Tromsø (Norway) and the University of Liege (Belgium).
American study authors1, which was attended by more than 30 thousand volunteers, did not find any seasonal patterns of behavior: different respondents felt differently at different times of the year.
Belgian neurophysiologists have refuted the assertion that a depressed state of the brain leads to poor performance.2. This time, the volunteers had to solve simple tasks and perform actions for concentration, attentiveness and reaction. During all four seasons, the subjects showed approximately the same result.
The American and Belgian studies were preceded by a Norwegian study in the 1990s, which was ignored until recently. Then its authors also tested dozens of volunteers for mental abilities at different times of the year.
The experiment was carried out in Tromso, a city located beyond the Arctic Circle. If the dependence of brain activity on light really existed, the subjects would give amazing results in the summer, and not give any in the winter. But no. Experiment leader Dr. Tim Brennan concluded: “Subjectively, it seems to us that the brain is a little lazy and slow in winter, but objectively there is no evidence for this.”3.
1 MK Traffanstedt et al. Major depression… Clinical Psychol.Science, Jan 2016.
2 C. Meyer et al. Seasonality in human… Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Feb 2016.
3 T. Brennen et al. Arctic cognition… Applied Cognitive Psychology, Feb 2000.