Coping With Cabin Fever During a Long Winter

Although brighter days are ahead, it looks to be a rather long winter. The term cabin fever takes on new meaning during a pandemic. We’re stuck indoors more than a typical winter. Worrying, feeling uncertain and isolated, not seeing family and friends as often or at all — it all adds up. Some days are better than others. Here area few simple ways to add a bit of normalcy to every day.

• Stay on a regular schedule. Sticking with routines can be reassuring during the long winter. Go to bed and get up at set times. Eat meals at your usual times.

• Carve out time to relax. Make time for quiet time, even if it’s 20 to 30 minutes a day. Deep breathing, meditation, stretching, a warm bath, a good book.

• Rearrange your surroundings. Redecorate and/or rearrange your living rooms and workspaces for a nice change. Add new photos to your view.

• Connect with your support network. Sharing your feelings with friends and family may help you feel better. Your support will help them, too.

• Stay active and keep moving. If you can, go for a walk or a bike ride. If you can’t get outside, look for online exercise classes or put on some music and dance.

myStrength: Your source for strength and support

Even in the best of times, life can bring new challenges every day. Even in the worst of times, life can bring new joy and opportunities every day. Find your strength and inspiration every day with myStrength.

Available at no added cost, myStrength is a web program and mobile app for Quartz members aged 13+. You can access tools and resources to deal with stress, anxiety, poor sleep, chronic pain, and more.

MyStrength is uniquely yours

Take a short quiz and get a fully customized program that’s tailored to your needs and goals. You’ll get 24/7 access to myStrength’s tools and resources so you can:

• Build emotional strength and resilience
• Monitor mood, sleep, stress, goals, and more
• Engage in hundreds of fun wellness activities
• Find inspiration and stories of hope
• Track your progress to stay focused

Get Started

Download the myStrength app. Available for iOS and Android –search for myStrength. Or, visit mystrength.com/r/quartz.

Enter the code Quartz when prompted during account setup.

Message and data rates may apply.