SURVIVE THE SEASON/ Natural rhythms of body, psyche demand rest in

Winter is the cruelest season.

And although the official winter solstice isn't for a couple of days, our bodies already know the season has arrived.

Dry skin. Exhaustion. Depression. Cravings for foods we think we shouldn't eat.

But we don't have to let winter have its way with us. Proper care of our health can make us feel better and look better during this or any season, says Peggy Wynne Borgman, author of "The Four Seasons of Inner and Outer Beauty," and director of the Preston Wynne Spa in Saratoga, Calif.

Her suggestions for each season of the year are based on the body's natural rhythms and attuned to the cycles of the earth.

Though each season has its challenges, winter is the toughest for most Americans, she says, because our culture prizes activity, cherishes achievement and lauds progress.

"Winter is really about inactivity, a storing-up time, a time to renew, replenish and rest," she says. "What's appropriate this time of year is to NOT do things. Or at least do less of them."

Her suggestions: Snowshoe instead of ski. Walk instead of run. Do yoga instead of aerobics.

It's also a time when we naturally want to be more isolated, and less social, yet the holidays demand that we be more social than almost any other time of year.

"We're hypersocial when we least want to be," she says. "You have to do death-march shopping and go to all these parties. But our minds and bodies don't like it. That's one of the reasons so many people have trouble with the holidays.

"Christmas would be great if it came in the middle of the summer," Borgman says.

The solution to the season's demands is to find quiet time amid all the festivities. Sit quietly, read a book, write a journal, and don't even listen to music, she suggests. Quiet is something our bodies crave this time of year.

"We don't have to have all our senses stimulated all the time," she says.

Being still in winter helps us recoup the energy we expend the rest of the year.

To that end, sleep is especially important.

"Sleep is fundamental to replenishing our energy," Borgman says. "If you wake up and it's still dark, go back to sleep. That's your first clue."

She cites recent studies suggesting that, at least in winter, we need up to 10 hours of sleep a night, not eight. Most of us get fewer than eight.

Bedtime rituals will help you sleep well, she adds.

Her personal bedtime ritual is to take a warm bath with dim lighting. It cleanses, relaxes and gets the body ready to rest.

"Bathtubs are one of the most overlooked healing and wellness tools we have," she says.

Add some aromatic oil for "gourmet bathing," she says.

Meditation is a good way to relax and replenish our energy, too. Do it in a quiet environment, even if you only can manage a few minutes a day.

Another tool for relaxation before sleep is the self massage.

"It'll never be as good as when someone else does it," she says, "but once you get the idea, it's pretty good."

She suggests using a good massage oil to massage your face, skin and scalp.

Many people - probably more than suspect it - suffer from light deprivation in the winter. To combat it, Borgman says to get outdoors as often as possible to soak up natural light.

Winter also is time to eat foods intended for consumption this time of year. Root vegetables, seeds, protein and other foods help us replenish our energy.

"Don't eat too much cold food or raw food," she says. And choose hot drinks over cold ones.

None of this should be viewed as pampering yourself, says Borgman, who dislikes that term. It's essential to our health and well-being this time of year. And, when you think about it, a lot of it isn't new.

"Grandma was right, you know. Bundle up and drink hot tea. It's good for you."

- Linda DuVal may be reached at 636-0371 or duval@gazette.com.

Edited by Barbara Cotter

Expert tips

Winter health and beauty tips from the experts include:

Take a brain break. Sit perfectly still for five minutes, either in silence or with soft music playing, and concentrate on breathing through your nose. - Peggy Wynne Borgman

Take calcium and magnesium supplements to help your body make better use of the water you drink. If your lips are chapped but your ankles are swollen, your body isn't distributing your fluids properly. - Borgman

Add a little light to your life by lighting candles in the evening. Candlelight also is relaxing. - Jeanna Reeverts, Veda Salon

Put lavender or chamomile oil on your temples, or sprinkle it on your pillow case, to help calm nerves and induce sound sleep. - Reeverts

Get a massage before or after the holidays - or both. - Christina Aquila, Veda Salon

Three more seasons

In Peggy Wynne Borgman's book, "Four Seasons of Inner and Outer Beauty," she says each season has its own character amd makes its own demands on us. Here are some of her observations for the other seasons of the year:

SPRING: A season of beginnings. The days get longer and the dreariness of winter is replaced by new leaves, flowers and signs of emerging life. She recommends working up a good sweat, followed by a refreshing cleansing. Eat fresh greens. And celebrate with what she calls a "shouting ritual," which she describes in the book.

SUMMER: A season of expansion, it's time to stretch your limits. Work on releasing tension through exercise, especially swimming, and walking barefoot whenever possible. Eat such cooling foods as salads and salsas. And practice a laughing ritual to express your joy.

AUTUMN: A season of transition, it's time to wind down from the heightened activity of summer. Indulge in the fall bounty of vegetables and fruits. Work on your flexibility instead of your big muscles when exercising. And, because many of us feel a sense of loss at the changing season, explore the possibility of having a crying ritual to encourage introspection and release emotions.

De-stressing the holidays

Modern culture has completely changed the meaning of the term "holiday," says stress management expert Patrick Klingaman, author of "Finding Rest When the Work Is Never Done" (Cook Communica-

tions, $10.99). It used to mean a vacation from all that was stress- ful. Now it conjures up the most stressful time of the year for many.

Klingaman, president of Boston-based Meaningful Work & Leisure, offers his suggestions for de-stressing this holiday season.

Keep expectations realistic. "If your family more closely resembles the Addams Family than the Waltons, don't expect them to suddenly change because the holidays are supposed to be special."

Don't demand perfection. "Repeat to yourself 10 times, 'I am not Martha Stewart,'" and accept your limitations, he says.

Help someone less fortunate. The holidays provide excellent opportunities to help others -

whether donating food and toys or helping in a soup kitchen or just checking on your shut-in neighbor. "Helping others will help you regain perspective on what these holidays are supposed to be about," he says.

Schedule time off for holiday preparations. Maybe you have a personal day or a leftover vacation day you can take to finish some of your preparations - last-minute shopping, holiday baking, or just getting the house cleaned and the gifts wrapped.

Plan and budget both time and money. Spend an evening as a couple or family to discuss activities you want to do, then see if your list is realistic. Set priorities. And because this time of year is a budget-buster anyway, set a price limit on gifts and entertainment.

Remember the reason for the season. In all the frenzy to buy the perfect gift or throw the best party, don't lose sight of the fact that relationships are the most important consideration. "Count your blessings ... and consider the original Christmas 'gift' or reflect on memories and accomplishments of the past year," he says.

Don't let anyone ruin your celebration. This is a difficult time of year for some people, so decide in advance that you'll just forgive the Scrooge or Grinch in your life for trying to dampen the spirit of the season.

Ask for and accept help. You don't have to make every cheese ball and veggie tray at your party. Let someone else bring it. If you have children and they're on a school break, let them frost cookies and wrap gifts - so what if they're not perfect?

Plan to rest after the holidays are over. "In January, most people hit the ground running, aggressively seeking to fulfill New Year's resolutions - note how crowded the health clubs are! Schedule downtime instead. Take a day or two to sleep in and do something enjoyable."

- Klingaman's book is available in bookstores, or by contacting the publisher at (800) 437-4337.

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