How to Reset Your Wellness Routine for Spring

Even in the mildest of winters, I find myself enveloped by a drab cloud of stillness. It’s not just the chilly temperatures or the gray skies (though those certainly don’t help). My winter blues are most characterized by a downward shift in energy that can leave me feeling stuck, particularly in terms of my wellness and self-care routines.

What has helped me over the years is an active acceptance of this cocooning—knowing that eventually, it will give rise to yet another shift. I’ve been a student of Eastern wellness philosophies since my early 20s, and practices like qigong and acupuncture have been a regular part of what I do to seek balance. So when I felt my wellness routine was suffering from a bout of inertia, I reached out to acupuncturist and wellness expert Juhi Singh, MA, LAc, who assured me that seasonal sluggishness is somewhat natural—the trick is to keep moving forward, even if that means inching your way toward spring.

 

Singh, whose wellness practices are informed by both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, tells Byrdie that the arrival of spring is a time to reawaken your wellness routine. “In Ayurveda, spring is considered an ideal time for detoxing, expanding, and nourishing,” she says. “I refer to it as the season of growth and nourishment in all facets: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.” She also explains that Chinese medicine uses nature as its guide. “The spring sun rises earlier, which is the perfect opportunity to flourish throughout the day,” she says. “A more balanced day brings thoughtful consideration and leads to a more stable, healthy, and happy life.”

According to Singh, small shifts in daily rituals can help you emerge from your winter blues and shed your old skin. (As a Byrdie editor, I know a good exfoliator helps too!) “I found the best way to create a new desired habit is to pair it with an already existing habit,” she says. “When you get up in the morning and take your shower or run a bath, try adding dry brushing to your routine.”

Singh also suggests picking one practice and making it a nonnegotiable. For her, that’s meditation. “Starting my day with the right mindful attitude projects positivity throughout the rest of my day,” she says. “I feel efficient, centered, and powerful.” You can also inject mindfulness practices like gua sha—which Singh calls a “washing of winter’s dullness to welcome spring’s newness”—into your daily routine.

Lastly, surrounding yourself with a bright color palette can also help you embrace the change of seasons—whether that’s in your home decor, your clothing, or your daily makeup routine. According to Singh, in Ayurveda, yellow and orange are thought to balance Kapha, the spring season: “Their vibrancy sloughs off any stagnant energy from the past, reminding us that kindness and love always triumph.” She also adds that, in Chinese medicine, green is the “queen of cleansing, representing the regenerative colors of spring and growth.” For me, picking an exciting color does wonders—it has been instrumental in helping me switch my mindset and setting me up for the day.

 

As you sunset the winter doldrums, seek comfort in small pick-me-ups to make your wellness spring awakening fruitful. Ahead are some editor-approved favorites from wellness supplements to spring makeup musts.

Supplements

Wellness supplements can help you meet your daily nutritional needs while supporting things like digestion, gut health, and energy.

• Ora Organics Easy Being Green, $40
• Seed Daily Synbiotic, $50
• Moon Juice Spirit Dust, $38

Body Care

Adding tools to your body-care practice helps you enjoy the sensation of touch.

• Supernal Cosmic Stone Xiuyan Jade Gua Sha Tool, $68
• SpaRitual Slow Beauty Dry Brush, $17
• Tata Harper Resurfacing Body Serum, $155
• Hanahana Beauty Lemongrass Shea Body Butter, $28

Skincare

A nourishing spring skincare regimen cleanses and exfoliates while protecting skin’s moisture with hydrating properties.

• Vintner’s Daughter Active Renewal Cleanser, $98
• Shani Darden Skin Care Triple Acid Signature Peel, $125
• Ranavat L’Immortale Empress Restoring Moonseed Treatment, $125
• Apothékary Peak Bloom Mask, $45

Makeup

Our spring makeup picks include vibrant colors and good-for-skin formulas to enhance a natural glow.

• Tower 28 JuiceBalm Vegan Tinted Lip Balm, $16
• Neen Pretty Shady Pressed Pigment Shadow, $29
• Merit Flush Balm Cheek Color, $28
• Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed, $25