21 Ways to Kick Winter Cabin Fever in the Arse

This is the time of year when cabin fever can set in Big Time. With much of the country experiencing heaving snowstorms, rain and cold temps, staying safe and warm often means staying indoors. The lack of fresh air, natural vitamin D, and sunlight can wreak havoc on one emotionally. So what’s a girl to do? Here are 20 ideas to help perk you up, keep you healthy, and encourage you to get moving:

1. Take a class: Cooking classes rock, cake decorating classes can be found at many hobby shops (like Michael’s), or start taking piano or French lessons. Go to your local college and see if you can audit a class that sounds interesting (like a current evens class). Learning something new is a great distraction and keeping mentally occupied is good.
2. Bake/cook. Try a new recipe with ingredients you’ve never heard of, let alone tasted. Awakening your taste buds is manna for the soul. Comfort food, like mac & cheese, soups, breads and cookies are great options. If you have children around, involve them. Some of the greatest times my girls and I have together involve the kitchen, eating cookie dough or tasting our soups along the way.
3. Take an afternoon nap. When the weather is really cold and dismal, sleeping under warm cozy blankets is luxurious. (Just make sure you’re not sleeping too much or too often, as this can be a sign of depression setting in.)
4. Take in a movie. Any reason to get you out of the house is a good idea. Best yet, try and see as many movies nominated for this year’s Academy Awards as possible. Then watch the Academy Awards and root for your favorites to win. If you have age-appropriate children, you can pick a movie for them that starts around the same time yours does and, after your respective movies end, meet in the lobby.
5. Volunteer at your child’s school. 
6. Host a lunch or dinner party… or a kid-only party. For adults, inviting friends over for great food, maybe a little vino, and conversation helps one forget about the weather outdoors. Encourage your children to invite their friends over, too. This is a great time of year for popcorn, pizza, roaring fires, and movie-binging. Consider having craft kits for them to work on to keep them busy, or host a dance contest with prizes at the end. The options are limitless.
7. Take a hot bath and get lost in a great book. Better yet, add some Epson salts and deliciously-smelling essential oils to your bathwater. Light candles for added ambiance.
8. Binge-watch a great TV series that your friends recommend. Put on your favorite jammies and make some popcorn if you’ve got a few hours to spare.
9. Plan a vacation. Researching where to go can be half the fun and will give you something to look forward to. It can be somewhere grand, like Europe over the summer, or simple, like a nearby national park or small town you’ve never visited.
10. Make (or refresh) your Bucket List. Highlight a few on that list that you can get to this calendar year. Put your list somewhere you can see it often, like on your refrigerator.
11. Go for a drive. Invite a friend or family member to join you. Even better, go for a drive to a part of town you’ve never been. And if there’s an interesting restaurant or coffee shop along the way, stop and sample.
12. Exercise. If you don’t have a gym, rec center or yoga studio nearby, go to a mall or large store and walk the isles. All movement counts and has great physical and mental benefits attached to it.
13. Splurge on a new outfit. It can be something warm that you can wear immediately (the sales right now or fantastic!), or something summery to get you excited for warmer temps.
14. Get out of town. If the budget allows, go on vacation. A change of scenery is awesome any time of year, but especially if you live somewhere cold. There are amazing sales on cruising. Consider taking a trip via Amtrak and see the country from the comfort of the dining car.
15. Clean your house (or at least one room). Include a good re-organization, too.
16. Start (or get caught up on) your personal journal. Writing is extremely cathartic.
17. Do something nice for someone in need. This could be making cookies for a home-bound neighbor, picking up a friend’s children from school, visiting a retirement home, taking a family member to lunch, or walking someone’s dog.
18. Try a new craft. One of our readers has taken up soap-making. Who knew it could be so fun, simple, and make the house smell so great?
19. Adopt a homeless pet.
20. Get outdoors. Get outdoors and “enjoy” the cold. Go skiing, sledding, snowshoe-ing, or snowmobiling. Bundle up and go for a walk. Visit the zoo or animal sanctuary. Get as much fresh air as you possibly can.
21. Get cultured. Find a local play or symphony and get tickets. Go to the opera or symphony. Children’s performances can be found pretty much year ’round and cost very little money.