- The winter blues usually results in folks having a lack of energy and feelings of irritability, sadness and apathy
- To battle those blues, folks need to expose themselves to daylight each day, and prioritize sleep
- It’s also good to move at least 15 minutes a day, brighten their surroundings, watch their diet, spend time with friends and more
While there are certainly some people out there who love the cold and the snow, there are also plenty of people who get downright depressed with the temperatures outside drop below freezing. The winter blues, which usually results in a lack of energy and feelings of irritability, sadness and apathy, aren’t something to be ignored, but for some there’s just no way of getting out of that seasonal funk.
But if you're one of those people who suffer from the winter bles, there are some things you can do each day that may make you feel a little bit better. They include:
- Expose yourself to natural daylight every day – As much as you may not want to, make it a point to spend at least 20 minutes outside soaking in as much light as you can.
- Prioritize Sleep – Lack of sleep can cause feelings of depression so try to clock in the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
- Move every day for at least 15 minutes – It may be hard to motivate yourself to go to the gym, but even 15 minutes of movement can have energizing effects on your mood and body.
- Brighten your bedroom and office – Getting as much light as you can will go a long way towards feeling better, so add some lights to your home or office, or maybe even get a dawn simulator to gradually bring light into your room.
- Examine your daily diet – Try to cut back on fast foods, which could have negative effects on your mental health, and watch your alcohol and sugar intake, plus try and incorporate whole grains and veggies into your diet.
- Spend time with friends – Connecting with other people is critical to ward off the winter blues, since being with people will help keep your mind and emotions in check.
- Cut yourself some slack - Don’t make yourself feel bad about feeling bad. It’s only going to make your feel worse. Accept that it’s okay to have some bad days during the winter.
Source: The Huffington Post