It is raining, snowing, or too cold outside. If you are at home or at work, this may cause you to feel depressed or frustrated, and possibly make you feel the winter blues.
So, how do you prevent the winter blues from settling in, especially after the holiday season?
According to Dr. Matthew Rudorfer, a mental health expert at NIH, "winter blues is a general term, not a medical diagnosis. It’s fairly common, and it’s more mild than serious. It usually clears up on its own in a fairly short amount of time."
It is important to remember, "the so-called winter blues are often linked to something specific, such as stressful holidays or reminders of absent loved ones."
The key thing is movement. You need to move and it doesn’t have to be at roadrunner speed. You can move at turtle speed, but you need to move out of your favorite chair and couch.
If the weather is wonky, take a trip to the mall. The mall is free and it is free to browse. However, if you feel tempted by buy something, leave your money and credit cards at home. Also, shopping without buying is a perfect way to get ideas for future home improvement projects.
Here are some additional tips to help you beat the winter blues:
• Buy a light box.
You can buy one online for as little as 40 dollars. Light therapy has been known to decrease SAD cases by more than 80 percent.
• Speaking of light ... Increase the light in your home.
If you tend to live in a bat cave, it may be time to open the windows and let some fresh air in. Do a quick Arctic blast. Open the window for one minute and let some fresh air in. After you let some new air in, keep the curtains and shades open.
• Get a paint job.
Which room do you live in the most? Paint that room white or a bright color like yellow. Yellow is a very welcoming color especially for a family room where you may spend most of your time.
• Take a vitamin D supplement.
A recent study revealed that vitamin D supplements produced improvements in various measures of mood.
Keep an upbeat attitude. Spring is less than four months away!
Sources:
"13 Simple Tips And Tricks For Beating The Winter Blues." BuzzFeed. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/simple-tips-tricks-for-beating-the-winter-blues
"NIH News in Health." NIH News in Health RSS. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/jan2013/feature1
Shah, Yagana. "8 Ways To Beat The Winter Blues." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/24/winter-blues-tips-_n_4647116.html
November 24, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith