November has arrived and cold weather is on the way for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere. As the days get shorter (and colder), what better time to stock up on some essentials to help you healthily transition into the winter season? We rounded up nine things you won’t want to be without over the next few months.
First up on the list is a humidifier, and for good reason. With outdoor air being drier in the winter, and indoor heating systems drying out the air even further, a good (and frequently cleaned!) humidifier is just what your home is missing. Not only will it help keep the air from drying out, but your skin too. And if you have a desk job, whether at home or in an office, you can even invest in a desktop humidifier for extra moisture.
2. Quality moisturizer & lotion
Speaking of dry air, your skin may need some extra help in the winter months. If you’re both hydrated and running a humidifier, and your skin still looks or feels like it’s lacking in moisture, consider swapping out your face moisturizer and body lotion for something with a bit more oomph. Check out our picks for the best moisturizers and best lotions for some vetted options.
A good weighted blanket is one of those simple luxuries that never fails to deliver. On top of simply being super cozy, research from 2015 found adults who slept with weighted blankets for two weeks reported an easier time falling asleep and better sleep quality. They’re also thought to help with anxiousness—making them a win-win if stressful thoughts keep you up at night.
With the days becoming increasingly dark, this is a great time to invest in circadian lighting to help keep your circadian rhythm on track—and your energy levels regular. While nothing beats natural daylight, light bulbs that mimic sunlight are a truly revolutionary way for us to hack our indoor lighting, and circadian rhythms, so our energy levels don’t have to suffer in the wintertime.
And speaking of mimicking sunlight, if waking up in the morning when it’s still dark outside isn’t your strong suit, you might want to consider a sunrise alarm clock. It gently wakes you up to the warm glow of (artificial) sunlight, which helps stimulate your circadian rhythm and get you out of bed as if the sun really were shining.
Nothing says “hygge” quite like lighting a candle, curling up, and getting cozy. After all, vibes are everything. But not all candles are created equal, so make sure you’re going for non-toxic, clean-burning candles, like these.
OK—this one may not be as “fun” as the other items on this list, but according to environmental toxins expert and certified holistic health coach Lara Adler, if you have a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in your home, it’s probably blowing dust around.
As she previously told mbg, “If people have an HVAC system, I do encourage them to change their furnace filters more frequently than recommended because the system is probably going to be on all the time through the winter.”
Look for a filter with the highest MERV rating your HVAC system can handle, which stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values.” (It’s essentially a rating for a filter’s ability to capture particles.) “The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter will be at capturing particulate, allergens, dust, and mold spores,” Adler adds.
If you really want to embrace the winter season, allow yourself to go inward and reflect with a new journal. Whether you opt for a guided journal with prompts, or pick out a totally blank one for whatever’s on your mind, the chance to sit and reflect with your thoughts is what the quiet, contemplative winter season is all about.
And last but not least—who really wants to go to the gym when it’s cold, dark, and potentially snowing? If you go into full homebody mode come wintertime, investing in some at-home workout equipment allows you get that workout in. Staying active during the winter can help not only keep your mood up, but exercise also promotes deep sleep, and is essential to overall well-being. Enough said!
