How to Beat the Wintertime Blues

Art+credit+to+Elise+Stearns

Art credit to Elise Stearns

Snow, wind, and chilly temperatures continue to descend on the Missoula valley into the early weeks of March, and you might find yourself thinking wishfully of sunshine and warmer weather. It can be hard to persevere through the cold and dark, but here are a few ways to improve your winter mood.

Lighten Up

Less light in the winter means that your body’s inner clock might be disrupted, your mood boosting brain chemicals might decrease, and your amounts of melatonin – the chemical that helps you sleep – can become unbalanced. Sometimes these things can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD), a type of depression that’s related to changes in the seasons. Simply increasing the amount of light in your life can help: the most effective method is spending time in front of a light therapy box, but just increasing the amount of light in your house can help you feel more awake and productive.

Get Your Vitamins

People in states like Montana in the Northern Hemisphere often are Vitamin D deficient, especially in the winter months, and this can have unfortunate impacts on health in many ways. Besides leading to weak bones and muscle and joint pain, Vitamin D Deficiency can affect your mental health and is another cause of SAD. Luckily, Vitamin D supplements are easy to find at any grocery store.

Plan Ahead

Making fun plans for the warmer weather is a great way to get yourself through the winter months. Try drawing up plans with friends for camping, road trips, etc – this can boost your mood and give you something to look forward to. Short term plans are also good: spend time with people who make you happy.

Art credit to Elise Stearns

Get Your Daily Exercise

This will help release endorphins in your body, even if it’s just a few hours of activity a week. Even though it can be hard to motivate yourself to get outside and do something in the cold weather, bundling up and going for a walk, skiing, or just shoveling your sidewalk can help you feel better.