Winter can be a pretty tough month for all of us. It’s cold; the urge to overfill on carbs and sleep long past the time the alarm clock goes off is a very really one. Then, there are those winter blues that many of us, unfortunately, suffer from when the sun rarely deigns us with its presence.
If you feel fatigued, listless and down whenever winter hits, you could be suffering from a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. If that’s the case, you might want to see your doctor because medication can help to make you feel more like your old self again. You might also want to try some of these brilliant ways to beat the winter blues…
Get More Light
If you want to beat the winter blues, one of the best things you can do is get more sunlight. If you don’t like getting up early or going out in the cold, conservatories can be a real boon. If you have one, spend at least 30 minutes in there soaking up the sun, if not, go outside around lunchtime when you’ll get the most benefit, or invest in a SAD lamp and switch it on for 30-60 minutes each morning.
Eat Carbs
Eating a small portion of carbs without any protein will help to boost serotonin levels, and since there is a link between depression and a lack of serotonin in the body, this should help you to fight off the blues this winter.
Supplement Wisely
There are a few supplements that you might want to take if you’re feeling blue at the same time the weather is turning you blue. A good one is fish oil or, if you’re veggie, flax oil, which are both excellent sources of Omega-3 – a substance which feeds the brain.
Another supplement you may wish to consider is vitamin D. This is an essential vitamin for us all, and is naturally produced when the sun makes contact with our skin Since there isn’t much sun to be had, here in Britain anyway, taking it in supplement form in the autumn and winter, at least is a very good idea and will most likely make you feel more positive.
Finally, taking a tryptophan supplement will help you to build up more happy-making serotonin in the body too.
Meditate
Mindfulness meditation is pretty in-vogue now, and it is often espoused as being a solution to the depression problem. Although I wouldn’t go that far, it is fair to say that practising mindfulness meditation regularly can help you to put things into perspective and perk up your mood, so it might be worth looking for a class in your area.
Go on Holiday
If you’re able to get annual leave, one of the best things you could possibly do for yourself as a sufferer of SAD is book a nice holiday somewhere in the sun. You’ll get lots of vitamin D and plenty of time to relax, and that will make all the difference.
Hopefully, these ideas will help you avoid having a blue winter this year!
*collaborative post
