We're Half Way Through January... 5 ways to survive the coldest month of the year...

February is just a corner turn away.

The weather will warm up, 

but until March,

at least here in Minnesota,

we begin to see more snow.

The question then becomes,

how do we survive this time of year,

when temperatures are the coldest

and the amount of light in the day is still reduced?

1) Be prepared.  Wear your boots, your heaviest coat, your hat, your gloves.  Keep a small survival kit in your car in case you head off into a ditch or slide into a snowbank.  

Preparedness is the key.

2) Keep your cell phone charged!n!

If you don't own one and you are traveling, I would strongly recommend that you purchase a phone with a limited number of hours so that you can have a phone available if you are stranded.

3) Hope!  Yes, I said hope.  If you keep track of the times that the sun rises and sets now, you will find that we have more light in our days.  Each day, the amount of light in our days increases from now until June.  

4) If you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), use a full spectrum light lamp for about a half an hour each day.  This helps to control that problem.  The lights tend to be expensive, but, rather than slipping into the gloomies,

these full spectrum lights help to chase the gloomies away.

5) Socialize.  Even if it's cold get out of the house each day, if you can.  Meet with friends.  Take your children to the library.  Go to lunch.  If you like out door activities, do them!

Get as much vitamin D into your system as you can!