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Beating the Winter Blues During the Holiday Season

Winter is the season with the shortest days and the coldest temperatures. With all the bright colorful lights and all the holiday decorations who would ever think that fall and winter can cause a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is said to affect about 20% of the people in the United States according to an article, Tips for Beating the Winter Blues, found at Finding Dulcinea (Librarian of the Internet).

Here are some suggestions for beating the Winter Blues:

• Make your home sunnier and brighter by opening blinds and letting in some outdoor light.
• Go outdoors on sunny days, even during the winter months. Take a walk and enjoy the sun.
• Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety. Becoming more fit can make you feel better about yourself, which in return will lift your mood.
• Get enough rest, eat a well balanced diet and take time out to relax.
• Unmanaged stress can lead to depression, overeating, or other unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.
• Socialize with people you enjoy being around

Instead of being beat by the Winter Blues try to follow some of the suggestions above and at the end of the long winters day curl up under a warm blanket read a good book or watch your favorite DVD while sipping some hot chocolate or chamomile tea !!!!

So while on your way to “Beating the Winter Blues”, Enjoy the Holiday Season!!

For an additional website to find out more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seasonalaffectivedisorder.html