By Darcie Sosa

We all know that as beautiful as winter is (especially in the Berkshires) the lack of sun, the dry heat, and extreme cold can start to take its toll on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The good news is, you can melt the winter blues away with some self-care! Here in the Berkshires, we are surrounded by world-renowned resorts and day spas where you can spend the day relaxing and recharging.

Location: Canyon Ranch in Lenox

Our most famous resort is the destination wellness resort Canyon Ranch in Lenox. Accommodating long and short visits, the Lenox location offers full hair and nail salon, massages, body scrubs, facials, and other pampering options. If you’re interested in additional indulgence and wellness, stay for a short- or long-term visit. You’ll have access to the spa and salon services plus access to a complete gym, indoor/outdoor pools, saunas, cool dip pool, tennis courts, a rock climbing wall, enrichment classes, exercise classes, hiking and biking, and healthy dining. If you wish to take your wellness to a higher level, you can also schedule to meet with full-time physicians, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, behavioral specialists, and spiritual wellness experts for preventative and diagnostic medicine.

Location: Kripalu Center For Yoga & Health in Stockbridge

But perhaps holistic pampering is more your style? Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health can accommodate that. This world-renowned yoga center offers a wide host of programs and services to help you feel your mental, emotional and physical best. Come in for an Ayurvedic massage, or stay for a weekly program or presenter on a wide variety of holistic health approaches. Topics include: Sustainable Happiness, Teaching for Transformation and Coming Home to the Core of Your Being. Who knows, you may fall so in love with their approach that you decide to enter the yoga school!

If you’ve only got a few hours and are in dire need of some pampering, head to the beautiful InTouch Massage & Day Spa located on the Green River in Williamstown. The spa provides a beautiful space and offers massage therapy, facials, a full-service hair salon, skin care, manicure & pedicures, and a private outdoor hot tub at reasonable prices. Visiting Great Barrington? Then be sure to book yourself a treatment at Body & Soul Day Spa.

So if life starts to wear on you, remember that taking time for self-care can restore your spirits and outlook. Self-care can come in a wide variety of treatments and experiences, at different price points and time scales, but you can do it all here #intheBerkshires.

Darcie Sosa is a Berkshire marketing/PR professional, who when isn’t working loves being outside hiking with her dogs, going to live music and theatre shows, networking, trying new restaurants and volunteering for local nonprofits. She is an alum of Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.