Winter can be a dark, lonely time for many people. There's even a depressive disorder called SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder that is usually associated with the "winter blues." It's definitely a real thing that many people suffer with each year. Identifying th
e problem is the first step in fighting it.
There are many ways to fight this form of depression, here are some tips:
- Increase your Vitamin D3 in the winter months
- Get outside in the sun as much as you can
- Expose as much skin as you can to the sunlight; it's truly healing
- Remove sunglasses periodically. Your eyes and brain need the full spectrum of light to function normally.
- Exercise - we produce endorphins when we exercise which trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.
- Sun Lamps - I've heard of people successfully using these that live in northern climates. Some people swear by tanning beds during the winter, but consult your doctor on that.
Sunlight is the key to beating the winter blues. Get as much of it as you can. Rearrange your day to be the most active when the sun is out. When on the road, check the sunrise and sunset times everyday in order to schedule your day. You can even consider cutting your drive day short at times in order to stay on your solar schedule.
If you have other tips to beat the winter blues, please share in the comments.