Beating the Cabin Fever Blues

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Whether there is too much rain, snow, extreme heat or extreme cold, you can only stay cooped up at home for a while before the cabin fever blues strike.  Lucky for you there are plenty of ways to keep your spirits high and get you through the humdrum, dreary weather. From crafts to home repair, trying a recipe you never have time for or planning an overdue movie marathon, here is your survival guide to beating the cabin fever blues.

1. Binge! There’s no better way to pass the time and escape reality than by picking up a good book--or two! In fact, reading uses many parts of the brain so it’s almost like you are doing mental gymnastics each time you plug into a good book. You might also decide to watch a marathon TV series or movie sequel that has been hanging out in your queue for too long. If your Internet provider decides to take a snow day too, dust off those DVDs and break out the snacks.
2. Get crafty & creative! Check out Shelter’s Beating the Wintertime Blahs Pinterest board to explore tons of ways that you and your family can pass the time with a smile. From new games (no board required) to easy crafts and indoor activities, you’ll wish every day were a snow day.
3. Cooking craze! Most of us have at least one recipe that we have been hanging on to that it seems there is never enough time to try. What better time to try it than when you are stuck inside? The flipside is that making a mess in the kitchen also means you have to take the time to clean it up; that’s two boredom-reducing activities for the price of one.
4. Home repair! While some tasks may be better left to the experts, there are plenty of DIY home repair projects available that you can take a crack at yourself. When was the last time you caulked your bathtub? How does the finish look on your hardwood floors? If you can see light creeping beneath exterior doors, it may be time to apply some weather-stripping. Knowing when a storm or bad weather is going to strike would be helpful in most of these instances as it could give you time to prepare and have all the essential supplies on hand to really make a difference in your home.
5. Spa day! Not that we need an excuse to pamper ourselves, but being stuck inside provides the perfect opportunity to break out the cucumber eye gel and have a good soak in the tub. There’s no better way to shake off the blues than by de-stressing your mind and your body.
6. Get outside! Unless the weather is completely treacherous, a snow day is the perfect time to go sledding, make a snowman, have a snowball fight and soak up some sunlight while you can. That vitamin D and physical activity makes all the difference in beating the cabin fever blues.
7. Exercise! Fight the urge to hibernate by doing some indoor exercise. It’s easy to stay on the couch with a bag of chips and the remote. Challenge yourself to learn a new stretch or workout routine. It could be the beginning of something great.

With a few good ideas, your Cabin Fever Blues could turn into the perfect R&R time and make you wish that you were marooned for just a little bit longer.