How to Manage the Winter Blues
Each year as the sky grows darker and a chill starts to run through the air, people everywhere start to experience the Winter Blues. It’s commonly caused by a change in hormone levels because of the sun’s effect on your body’s production of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is essential for physical and mental health. Unfortunately, it’s not a vitamin that exists in many foods. You need sun exposure to create it, or you can take a supplement. During the winter months when the sun’s rays are not strong and people tend to stay inside where it’s warm, you can become significantly deficient in Vitamin D. Other hormone levels can drop as well. All of this combines to cause winter blues.
How to Manage the Winter Blues
Little things make a big difference. In fact, something as simple as a cheerful photo or a splash of color can change your perspective. During the winter
Go Outside – When the weather permits take a 20 to 30 minutes walk in the fresh air and sunshine. Exercise can raise your hormone levels and releases endorphins will elevate mood. It also helps you sleep better. This affects your hormones positively too.
Eat foods with Vitamin D – As I mentioned before, we can get vitamin D from the sun but during the winter months the sun’s rays are weaker and often covered by clouds. If you can’t go outside, take a vitamin D supplement or eat foods that contain vitamin D:
- Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
- Fortified foods such
as: cow’s milk, soy milk, breakfast cereals, or orange juice - Shrimp
- Oysters
- Mushrooms
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
As you can see, the list of foods containing vitamin D is quite short. Additionally, you’d have to eat a lot of fish and drink a lot of fortified milk to get enough. The RDA is between 200-400 IUs for children and 600-800 IUs for adults, depending on age. Therefore, supplementation is usually the most logical answer during the winter months.
Add Color to Your Surrounds – Color has been proven to affect mood. Cheerful colors like yellow, orange and purple can make you smile. Soft blues and greens can instill a sense of calm. You don’t have to go wild and paint your entire home. You can add throw pillows or an area rug to add color to a room and add cheer to your home. Find colors that make you smile and feel good. A little bit of cheer can go a long way during the gray winter days.
Bring Flowers Indoors – Flowers brighten any room and mood. Add a beautiful bouquet of your favorite flowers to a table. Make sure you can see them when you enter the room. Daisies and bouquets of mixed flowers are generally inexpensive and can last a long time on your table.
Use Uplifting Scents Throughout the House- Consider adding scented candles or an essential oil diffuser to your home. Citrus scents (lemon, orange, grapefruit), bergamot, and spearmint are uplifting and beneficial for emotional balance.
Hang Pictures That Make Your Smile – Find colorful images that make you feel good to hang on your wall. It can be anything from a photo of a loved one or a landscape picture that reminds you of a happy memory.
Getting your vitamin D, some fresh air and surrounding yourself with color and cheer can do wonders to beat the winter blues. However, if the blues turn into depression and last more than a few days, it might be time to see your doctor. Listen to your body, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from others!
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