The Best Winter Blues Tips To Stay Happy

We all get depressed from time to time and did you know that most people are affected by the conditions of winter? No one wants to think about shoveling snow, getting up extra early to warm their car up or the heat bills! those things alone can be depressing, but the winter blues is actually triggered by two factors”

  • Not enough, adequate sunlight in the day
  • Gloomy skies and cold temperatures

In fact there is an actual medical condition called seasonal affective disorder that affects quite a lot of people; whereas others experience something not quite as intense. But feeling depressed during this time of year is rough, regardless. So here are some winter blues tips to keep the sadness away.

1. Get A Light Box

This is actually been proven to be the most effective method of treatment for winter-based, seasonal depression. Scientists now have realized that low serotonin levels in the body can make a person feel really down.

Not getting enough sunlight depletes serotonin and increases melatonin; which sends a sort of hibernation signal throughout the system that can make you feel very moody inside.

By sitting with a sad light for just a little bit of time each day; you can notice great results in a week or two and if you ever start to feel down again – you’ve got the light to rely on.

2. Stay Active

It’s important that you increase your feel-good hormones through proper exercise. Even something simple will do the trick and you don’t necessarily need a gym membership. You can get your own gym equipment at most superstores now days. So you could pick up some weights, get a yoga mat, fitness DVD, etc.

It’s been proven that exercise can help a person alleviate stress, fight off fatigue (which is common with winter blues) and even sleep better.

Most experts recommend 30 minutes a day of activity for 5 days a week. At first this seems overwhelming, but if you can stick it out for a week you’ll probably look forward to it and it won’t seem like a chore at all.

3. Careful With Your Diet

You are what you eat, which means that it can affect the brain as well. Try to stick to lean foods if you can. Steamed vegetables, fresh fruits, plenty of water, avoid carbohydrates, eat fatty fishes and consider taking a multivitamin.

Speaking of diets and vitamins. One of the best winter blues tips that can be offered is to load up on D3. D has shown a strong link to depressions and has a connection with sunlight. It’s also an important element to add to the body to lessen your chances of catching a cold or another common illness.

There you have it. Follow this strategy and you’ll truly benefit from these winter blues tips.

Seasonal Depression Test

Been feeling down lately and have some concerns about yourself? Notice that the changing of the seasons really get to you? You might have seasonal affective disorder, but only a doctor can really tell you if you have the mood disorder called SAD.

However, for a starting point this seasonal depression test might help you confirm things; although no internet seasonal depression quiz can be as complete as an evaluation by a medical professional; which is always recommended. You can take the seasonal affective disorder test below.

1. I tend to get the "Winter Blues"
2. When I'm depressed I find that I gain weight
3. I sometimes oversleep and feel tired and draggy throughout the day
4. I've been eating a lot of carbohydrates (breads, sweets, pizza, snacks)
5. When dealing with other people I am very sensitive to their comments and find myself becoming a little emotional.
6. I seem to feel down during the Winter every year or have at least noticed it for the last 2 years.
7. Do you typically feel depressed during Spring and Summer?
8. When I'm depressed I tend to isolate myself from social interactions and just want be home.
9. I tend to withdraw from my friends and family members