We’re slap-bang in the thick of our South African winter and us sun-lovers and regular beachgoers may therefore be feeling a bit down. Even though our climate is incredibly temperate compared to other more extreme ones around the world, the driving rain and zero temperatures in many parts of the country may make feeling positive a little trickier right now (never mind the pandemic we’re in the midst of).
So perhaps it’s time we take advice from those who are more experienced in all things wintery: residents from snowy Canada, permanently grey England or Virginia in the US, which gets on average over 1000mm of rain per year (South Africa’s rainfall average is less than half of that!).
Here are four things which may help you get through the next few chilly weeks, using advice from our wintery experts:
- Don’t forget to move
While it can be tempting to curl up on the couch for three months straight, you won’t do yourself any favours. Just ask Candice Habershon, a self-confessed South African “beach bum” who moved to London after marrying a Brit. “I battled to adjust to the long, bleak winters but after stumbling into a yoga class one day, I found that using movement and breath helped me to come out of my head and into my body”. Candice, who is now a yoga instructor herself, says that yoga teaches us that everything is impermanent (including the seasons), so we may as well live fully in the present moment.
Dhanusha Dhoorgalu agrees, having grown up in Durban but who then spent a year living in Virginia, where she says that running or exercising “naturally warms up the body and helped her to feel good”. Regular exercise builds up robust immune systems and contributes to strong mental health, both important contributors when it comes to reducing your healthcare costs, including what you pay for medical aid with schemes such as Fedhealth.
- Ramp up the warmth factor
Our homes, offices and clothing in SA do not cater well for winter, considering how short the cold season is here. But that doesn’t mean that you should struggle through, without comfort. Just as Dhanusha opted for thermal clothing under her regular clothes in Virginia, so too should you think about layering up a bit more, using vests, jerseys and coats.
Karen Eva is an ex-Capetonian who now lives in Toronto, and she said that dressing her kids for those frigid winters took some getting used to! “The layers we stuff them in include underpants and socks, long johns and long sleeve vests, sweatpants and shirt, a sweater, a snowsuit, a coat, and then boots, scarves, mittens and hats!”. So perhaps putting on a beanie and scarf during SA’s winter isn’t that strenuous huh?
- Focus on fun wintery activities
We like Karen’s advice on making the most of ‘winter’ things: “Take your kids sledding, go ice skating, go skiing if you can, do some winter hikes to frozen waterfalls, drink lots of hot chocolate and eat nice warming stews”. Candice says that she also plans fun things to keep her upbeat until the weather improves, like yoga workshops or girls’ nights out.
While we can’t all going snow skiing, we can schedule in more wintery treats like boardgame nights around the fireplace (Glühwein in hand), movie marathons snacking on roasted marshmallows, and wintery walks in the neighbourhood, jumping into big red piles of leaves.
- Soak up the sun when you can
The great thing about our climate is that although our winters are cold, we do generally still get to see the sun. It’s not perpetual greyness and gloom over here – and we should take advantage of this. As Karen says, “make the most of any sun you can get: if you see a clear blue sky, go for a walk or a run, and feel the sun on your face.” Candice says that she takes Vitamin D tablets throughout the winter, and that these have really helped her.
We hope that these four tips will help you feel more enthusiastic about getting through the rest of winter – while clad in your beanie and clutching your mug of hot chocolate of course.
