67. IYH
There are things that we can do to combat the winter blues:
❄❄GET MORE LIGHT. Open the curtains and roll up the blinds. Turn on lights and lamps in your home during the day. Get outside during daylight hours. ❄❄STAY IN A REGULAR ROUTINE. Keep up with your regular activities. Go to bed and wake at the same time every day. Purchase a dawn simulator, a device that will cause the lights in your bedroom to gradually brighten over a period of time, making it easier to wake at your regular time if the sun has yet to rise. ❄❄KEEP ACTIVE. Exercise is a natural antidepressant, particularly if you do it outside. If indoor activity is all that is available to you, do it because there are still great benefits. Consider layering up, however, and heading outside for a walk, run, or game with friends. ❄❄EAT WELL. Remember that you are what you eat. If you feed your body nutritious foods, it will be better balanced and able to handle stressors that come along. If you eat a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, the blood sugar roller coaster will contribute to sleep disturbances and feelings of depression. Give your body the fuel it needs to feel good. ❄❄SOCIALIZE. Being around friends and family can boost your mood. Meet up with your friends, schedule a dinner out, or go to the movies together. Spend time with positive people that make you feel good about yourself. Surround yourself with those who nurture happiness because happiness is contagious. ❄❄SET GOALS. Have a plan not only for your day but also for the next few months. Plan a summer vacation. Give yourself something to look forward to. ❄❄BOOST VITAMIN D. Because of decreased sunlight exposure during the winter months, vitamin D levels may drop. Low vitamin D can masquerade as depression and fatigue. Boost your vitamin D by getting outdoors and taking vitamin D supplements if necessary. Ask your doctor to check a vitamin D level to see if you would benefit from supplemental support.
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