Winter Blues: Psych-tips, Issue 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Tip of the Week: Avoiding the Winter Blues ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Over the past few weeks, we´ve discussed Seasonal Affective Disorder, often referred to as the winter blues. This week we continue our discussion with tips on how to avoid the blues. - Carefully manage your sleep patterns. Get to bed and rise at set times every day. - Get more light. Use full-spectrum light bulbs, which are brighter than our everyday lights. Keep your curtains open during the day. - Eat plenty of complex carbohydrates such as fresh fruits and vegetables. - Get plenty of exercise; it has been shown to be an effective antidote to bouts of depression. A daily walk outside will help. - Learn ways to manage stress - Get moving. Depression responds to exercise, period. Aerobic forms are best, or try some simple stretches in the morning light. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Recommended Site of the Week ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information about SAD, see: http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/cattails/winter99/sad.htm Tara Kuther, Ph.D., is a professor of developmental psychology and freelance writer. Visit her latest site, ImprovingMe.com, for self improvement, self help, and personal growth resources. http://www.ImprovingMe.com