MORE CURES FOR BEATING WINTER BLUES

Last week we looked at causes and a few cures for winter blues. This week we’ll conclude this topic with some more great tips.

8. Express Gratitude: Doing for others and being grateful is emphasized by most long-standing religious traditions and spiritual practices. It creates a surge of feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.
According to gratitude expert Robert Emmons, PhD, gratitude may work by reducing underlying negative emotions such as regret, envy, frustration, and resentment. One common way of developing a habit of gratitude is by journaling, and some find that sharing those grateful thoughts with others even better. A practical way to do this is to put pen to paper and actually write actual thank-you notes for any gift or act of kindness or hospitality you received during the holidays.hese neurotransmitters are essential for making you feel motivated, energetic, and interested in life.

9. Stop Idealizing the Holidays: Stop comparing your last holiday to the idealized holidays of your childhood, the movies, or what you imagine others are experiencing. The actual holidays are short, only a few days out of the year and should not color your feelings when they’re over. This is where meditation can really help.

10. Clean Up Your Diet. For many inthe US, the carb fest starts on Halloween and continues through New Year’s Day, quite literally a 3-month-long sugar binge that contributes to mood swings, irritability, and brain fog.
Replace unhealthy processed foods with plenty of vegetables, high-quality protein, and mood-boosting healthy fats like those in nuts, avocados, fatty fish, and coconut.

11. Cut Yourself Some Slack. IBe patient with yourself and know that, just as surely as spring follows winter, your post-holiday blues will fade with the change of the seasons. And speaking of cutting yourself some slack … Save yourself some heartache and skip making any New Year’s resolutions.
This is not the time to heap on unrealistic expectations — only 8% of those who make resolutions achieve their goals.
This doesn’t mean you should not take steps towards improving your health, but there is no point setting yourself up for failure when you’re already feeling down.

If these things fail to lighten your mood you may wish to consider the following:

12. Light Therapy: By far the most popular, well studied, and successful treatment for winter blues is the therapeutic use of light. Light therapy involves sitting close to a light box for 30 minutes a day, usually shortly after waking up.
These boxes generally provide 10,000 lux (a measure of light intensity) which is about 100 times brighter than typical indoor lighting, but only 1/5 the brightness of a sunny day. 
During your session your eyes must be open, so you can use this time to read, eat, chat on the phone, or catch up on work. The light helps lower the abnormal high melatonin levels that people with winter depression often have.
The Center for Environmental Therapeutics  recommends using white light rather than colored or full spectrum light. If you choose a fluorescent lamp, pick one with a screen that filters out UV rays which can harm your eyes. If you are working with a health care professional, follow their instructions on how long and when to use your light box.
Note: Do not self-prescribe light therapy if you have bipolar disorder as it can trigger mania.

13. Consider a Dawn Simulator This is a  little-known remedy that works much like light box therapy. A dawn simulator is basically an alarm clock that works by gently waking you with light rather than sound. It mimics natural sunrise by starting with a dim light that gradually brightens over 30 to 45 minutes.  It is reported to be much easier since your “session” is over by the time you get out of bed!
Research shows that using a dawn simulator not only improves well-being and mood, but also increases mental performance, by modulating cortisol and melatonin production. 

15. Music: Winter is not the time to listen to melancholy music. Focus on upbeat tunes that make you happy. And dance! It’s great exercise.

15. Talk it Out: Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) a try if none of the above works. Also known as “talk therapy,” it seems to be more effective in the long run. During therapy, you’ll learn how to overcome your tendency to hibernate and challenge negative thought patterns that contribute to your seasonal malaise. 

A wonderful alternative to a therapist is to engage with people you love. Of all the excellent advice listed above this is the one we recommend most. No doubt there are others who also need a change of scenery, the kindness of a friend, and with the surge in January illness, maybe even a pot of chicken soup.

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!