WINTER WELLNESS HACKS

At the moment, it might feel like the only thing that’s hacking is your cough. But with a few tweaks to your everyday self care routine, you’ll be back on form in no time.

Here are our favourite ways to beat the winter blues (and bugs) this August.

Stay hydrated: We’re not just talking about remembering to drink (it’s easy to forget when we’re not hot and sweaty) but giving your skin and hair a hydration boost too. Look for nourishing ingredients like New Zealand harakeke and chia seed to provide nutrients. And go for ingredients like coconut, argan and jojoba to seal it all in.

Eat well: Winter nutrition is the key to staying on top of your health. Yes, it’s tempting to load up on comfort food, but there’s no reason it can’t be good for you too. A slow cooked one-pot wonder is the perfect treat at the end of a wintry commute. Not only will you come home to a house filled with delicious cooking aromas, you won’t have to do any prep and can eat, and therefore go to bed, nice and early.

Sleep longer: While we’re on the subject of bed, there’s a reason animals hibernate through the winter months. Don’t resist the urge to do the same. It’s your natural body clock telling you to get more sleep while the nights are longer. Before electricity, we didn’t have much choice and that was a good thing. If you’re a night owl, try inching your bedtime forward by 10 minutes a night.

Rug up: Wool is the perfect companion for the NZ winter time. Why? Because it insulates but still breathes when you move from the shade to the sunshine. Merino is great for layering and stays nice and fresh even when you’re hiking or skiing. And when your adventures are over and you’re soaking in the spa, treat your woollens to a wash in a gently cleansing formulation, like ecostore’s Wool & Delicates Wash.

Keep moving: There’s no getting around it, staying active is easier in summer. But the key to keeping fit throughout winter is to – A: remind yourself why you exercise and B: get a little bit inventive. 6am runs when you can’t see the pavement are not everyone’s cup of tea. But perhaps you could find an indoor bootcamp or take up boxing. Or go running at lunchtime instead. It’s rare to regret getting the heart pumping whatever the time of year.

Visit ecostore: You’ll find plenty of winter wellness goodies at ecostore’s Freemans Bay shop, 1 Scotland Street. Like Weleda natural products and Absolute Essentials oils for starters. And of course ecostore’s own range of nourishing and protecting skin care, lip care and hair care – perfect to keep yourself looking and feeling great all winter long.

ECOSTORE, 1 Scotland Street, Freemans Bay, T: 09 360 8477, www.ecostore.co.nz