How to Ground Yourself in the Winter

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It’s that time of year again when the cold weather tries to bring us down aka the winter blues.

The days are shorter and all we want to do is curl up under a blanket or stay in bed under the warm covers.

While it’s natural to feel a little more sluggish during the winter, it’s important to find ways to stay grounded and balanced during the winter months. 

What is grounding?

In essence, grounding is the practice of reconnecting with the earth and its natural rhythms. When we feel connected to the earth, we can find peace and reduce stress.

Grounding activities can be as simple as walking outside barefoot on the grass or spending time in nature, and it has been shown to have a host of benefits for physical, emotional, and mental health. 

Some other benefits of grounding are reducing anxiety and inflammation, improving sleep, circulation, and mindfulness.

However, during the winter months, the coldness can make it very difficult to be outside much less putting your feet on the cold grass (or snow). 

Grounding yourself is the process of balancing your mind, body, and spirit and reconnecting with yourself.

Here are some ways to keep you grounded during the winter.

7 Ways to Ground Yourself in the cold weather

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1. Drink Grounding Herbal Teas

Cozy up and be mindful at the moment with a hot grounding herbal tea. 

Examples of grounding herbal teas are:

• Chamomile
• Tulsi
• Ginger
• Peppermint
• Jasmine 
• Rooibos

This will not only warm you up but has a ton of health benefits to help you to feel centered.

2. Put Your Feet Flat on the Floor

Depending on where you live it might be hard for you to go outside because it might have a lot of snow on the ground or just be too cold to function. 

Even though you might not be able to go outside you can ground yourself inside by putting your feet flat on the floor. 

This is a practice you have to be mindful of. You can do this either barefoot or with warm and fuzzy socks made with cotton or wool.

If you want to take it up a notch you can use a grounding mat which is made of natural materials that will help to ground your body’s energy.

3. Practice Deep Breathing

During the winter months especially around the holiday season and the new year, you may feel more overwhelmed and stressed out than normal. 

Being mindful and taking deep breaths is a great way to calm yourself and get grounded. 

A great technique to use is the Box Breathing technique. 

How to do box breathing

• Slowly inhale for a count of four seconds.
• Hold your breath for a count of four seconds. 
• Exhale for a count of four seconds.
• Repeat a few times till you feel re-centered and grounded.

4. Nourish yourself with grounding foods

During the colder months, it is a great time to nourish your body with grounding foods such as root vegetables and warming spices. These foods often keep us full, helps with digestion, and but have a way of giving our bodies a sense of warmth and groundedness.

According to Ayurveda, we should adjust what we eat throughout the changing seasons. For example, in the summer we eat more cold and refreshing foods but in wintertime, we stick to more warm and grounding foods. Makes sense right?!

Related Reads:

• How to Create a Self-Care Routine for Your Mind, Body, and Soul
• 12 Ways to Reduce Stress and Feel Calmer

5. Move Your Body by Practicing Yoga

Practicing yoga is not only a great way to relieve stress but always a great way to feel centered and grounded. 

The last thing you probably want to do in the wintertime is exercise but moving your body is essential for your well-being. And yoga is a great way to do this. 

Some grounding yoga poses are:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
• Savasana (Corpse Pose)

> Check out Grounding Yoga Videos

6. Get Some Sunlight

For at least 10 minutes a day, enjoy the sunlight. You can do this by bundling up and stepping outside and standing in the sun. 

Or by sitting by one of your windows and taking in the sunlight. The sun gives our mind, body, and spirit so many amazing benefits like energy and Vitamin D. 

You can even take this time to meditate and practice sun meditation which is a great way to allow your body to draw energy from the sun.

7. Practice mindful self-care rituals

Mindful self-care rituals are a great way to bring you back into the present moment and feel balanced and grounded. 

Examples of some mind self-care rituals are: 

• Take a bath with grounding essential oils such as lavender and frankincense
• Practice gratitude journaling
• Turn your phone on silent and read a good book or spend some quality time with someone you love and laugh a lot
• Give yourself a massage or get a massage – make sure to have calm music playing, diffuse essential oils, and have candles

Final Thoughts

It’s important not to let the winter blues get you down. 

Finding grounding techniques that work for you is one of the best ways to help you to become calm and take care of your well-being. 

Instead of shutting yourself inside and hibernating all day long, try incorporating some of these activities into your winter routine, you’ll be sure to stay grounded and balanced throughout the season!

Which activity do you plan on doing?