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Overcome Your Winter Depression

In North America, it is estimated that 50 to 60 percent of the population is affected by winter depression. There is a broad spectrum of symptoms that arise, from a change in sleep patterns to weight gain. This means about half of the people you know are depressed in the wintertime!

People who live in northern climates suffer because of the seasonally shortened days. Just as trees lose their leaves when the days shorten, people can lose their happiness, which is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Here are a few things you can do to help overcome winter blues:

• Stick to a daily routine
• Go to bed on time
• Plan your day and make a list of what you want to accomplish and check things off as you accomplish them
• Save challenging projects for when you are feeling the most energized and happy
• Decide that the weather will not affect your mood, because you cannot change the weather
• Eat healthier foods
• Go for a walk: exercise, especially walking, is one of the best activities to relieve depression
• Drink plenty of water
• Use light therapy to extend the hours of daylight in your day