How to Beat Winter Blues

It is factual that most people who experience depression get seasonal depression during the winter months and then are fine as soon as the spring season begins. The symptoms of seasonal depression are fatigue, increased need for sleep, decreased levels of energy, weight gain, an increase in appetite, difficulty concentrating and an increased desire to be alone. If you are having problems coping with seasonal depression this winter, perhaps a few of these tips will ease your depression.

Yes it is cold in the winter but that doesn't mean you have to wait for spring to come along before you can resume your life. The number one depression reliever is to stay active. Outdoor recreational activities can be fun, get your blood pumping, and can increase your levels of serotonin. I'm sure most of you know serotonin is the chemical that makes you "happy". So here are a few outdoor recreational activities I would recommend.

Some of you may be surprised when I say sledding is one of my top outdoor recreational activities. I was visiting my home town after college when one of my friends invited me over to sled. We went to the store to purchase an air bed, aired up it up, and climbed one of the hills beside her apartment. Now being the sensible person I am I began to calculate how close the apartment complex was to the end of our stopping point on the air mattress. I was distracted when my friend grabbed me and yanked me on to it as we sailed down the hill at a pretty good pace. C'mon, when was the last time you laughed so hard that you became teary eyed and your stomach cramped up? This was one of those moments that I will never forget! If you don't have a sled, you can improvise. Just remember to sled safely.