Breaking the ice: Swedish city combats winter loneliness with "say hello" campaign
In the frozen embrace of Luleå, where daylight dwindles to mere hours, plunging into icy seawater becomes a ritual. For Katariina Yliperttula, a dip before work is about more than braving the cold—it’s an invigorating thrill. "It’s like a happiness rush afterwards," she says, recounting her Read More...
How to cook your veggies to boost their anti-inflammatory powers
Every year the cold winter weather doesn’t only put frost on the grass, it also brings an increased chance of getting sick. In recent years, people have been putting in the effort to ensure their immune system is as healthy as possible to fight off any illness that comes their way. Keeping our Read More...
Jigsaw puzzles: A hobby that's great for your brain
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In our ever-increasing digital society, puzzling is the perfect activity to unplug and improve your mental and physical wellbeing. If you’re looking for some motivation to start a puzzle, whether it’s 20, 250 or 1000 pieces, here are six benefits of doing Read More...
All you need to know about winter bird feeders
As the planet warms, we are experiencing shifts in weather patterns that are downright bizarre. Even people who are fortunate enough to not have been directly hit by extreme natural events like catastrophic floods, droughts, or forest fires will still have to adjust in some way. For instance, Read More...
Let's embrace the Swedish winter tradition of “little Saturday”
In northern Sweden, where the winter season means up to 20 hours of darkness a day, staying positive during colder months is tough, but fortunately, residents of these parts of the world have come up with a variety of strategies to make winters more fun and cozy. One of these strategies is Read More...
3 Ways to help hummingbirds survive the winter months
Hummingbirds are genetically programmed to migrate to warmer climates during the winter months, which means that if you live in a colder climate, your hummingbird feeder may not get many visitors. With that said, if there are any stragglers or early arrivals in your area, keeping a hummingbird Read More...
New Hampshire mom designs innovative car seat-friendly coat for kids
Anyone with kids knows how difficult it is to put young children in car seats in bulky winter coats. Innovative thinker and mother Dahlia Rizk was all too familiar with this challenge raising her children in the chilly winters of New Hampshire, so she decided to come up with a coat that would make Read More...
These houseplants don’t like winter, but here’s how to keep them alive
Most houseplants enter a period of dormancy in the winter, especially if you live in a colder climate. You might notice that plants begin to drop leaves or dry up in winter, and three plants, in particular, are especially finicky about cold, dark weather. Here are some tips for keeping those picky Read More...
High altitude experiment shows that snow monkeys are excellent at fishing
Snow monkeys, also known as the Japanese macaque, are native to many of the main islands of Japan. These fluffy creatures are the most northern-based non-human primate out there, meaning they have some cold temperatures to put up with. Many live in the Japanese Alps, where in the winter months' Read More...
How to stay warm this winter during outdoor social gatherings
Temperatures are dipping and snowflakes are falling, but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to our outdoor social gatherings. Plus, it might not always be safe to gather indoors, and everyone will have different comfort levels surrounding indoor gatherings. Even if you hate the cold, Read More...