Do you feel certain depressing moods when fall turns to winter?

If so, a lot of people suffer from the winter blues when the months turn colder.

And the notion of “winter blues,” experts claim, is not just anything to be rejected.

It can be a symptom of a true medical condition called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD illness. It’s a true thing and it’s very real.

Feelings of sorrow, melancholy, or depression all may be linked to having the winter blues.

After all, the winter blues definition goes as follows: a feeling of depression or deep unhappiness associated with experiencing the cold.

So if the winter blues are a steady daily fight for you to remain happy, cheerful, and in a better daily mood after the season changes?

And if you happen to live in an area where you experience cold and darker winters that really affect you?

Having the power to change the way you feel might be something you need to actively work on each day.

Think about it, if you feel stronger, more lively, and in control of your daily moods, you can certainly be one of those people that’s full of energy and is cheerful once winter rolls in.

And these 8 approaches to help you defeat this season’s winter blues are all you need!

8 simple ways you can beat the winter blues this season

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1. When you’re feeling down start increasing your blood flow.

When it comes to curing the winter blues this season, then it comes as no surprise that exercise will really help get you there.

In fact, exercise is also a cure for feeling happier.

That’s because moving your body (even just for a little bit) will help improve your body’s overall stress hormones, which in turn, is going to make you feel a lot better — naturally.

In the holiday season, however, we put an even greater toxic load on our livers and it should really be helped with good exercise to increase blood flow.

For tips to help you combat those winter blues with fitness, try this:

- Start with moderate exercise. Moderate exercise increases blood flow to the liver and thereby increases its detoxification capacity.
- Try to choose an activity that raises your heart rate but make sure you can still chat. That is to say, fast walking, gentle jogging, swimming, and cycling are all great alternatives.
- Create a simple home daily workout routine in the comfort of your own warm home.
- And if you’re trying to cure your winter blues, try to incorporate simple fitness hacks like these to give your body the boost of endorphins it needs.

2. Stay extra warm during the colder months.

How can you stop the “winter blues” from ruining your fall and winter?

Studies have shown that staying warm can lessen your winter blues because being cold has a negative impact on your mood, thus making you feel more irritable.

For tips to help you combat those winter blues with staying warm, try this:

- Let the sunlight in during the day to warm up your home.
- Drink warm teas that will help aid your health.
- Keep curtains closed at night. If you have thicker curtains on your windows, it will trap heat in the house at night, making it warmer.
- Block drafts with a pool noodle.
- Invest in a programmable thermostat. You can find one here.
- Move furniture away from vents.
- Close up any cracks in your window frames.
- Cover your floors with cozy rugs.
- Enjoy a warm hot water bottle for those extra cold winter nights.
- And if experts are saying the warmer you stay the better off you’ll feel, then try using a warm heated electric blanket like this for the winter season to help you better combat those winter blues.

3. Stick to a healthy sleep routine.

Enticing as it might feel to stay in your warm cozy bed (on those early cold winter mornings), experts suggest that continuing with your regular sleep schedule is most ideal to combat the winter blues — which includes waking up on Saturdays and Sundays at the same time.

For tips to help you combat those winter blues with sleep, try this:

- Schedule a wind-down before bed: Just allow yourself 20 or 30 minutes to rest and relax every night before turning in.
- Reward yourself with some peaceful and fun hobbies, including reading with candles, or even drawing some art, and you are sleeping quicker.
- Sleep every night at the same time, and get up every morning at the same time, even on weekends.
- After 3 p.m., don’t take naps and do not sleep for more than 20 minutes.
- Stay well away, especially late in the day from caffeine and alcohol.
- Avoid nicotine.
- Get a daily workout in, but not 2-3 hours before bedtime.

And if you need help with waking up at a realistic time and in a better mood, check out how to wake up feeling totally alert with energy here.

4. Warm yourself up with a mug of real hot cocoa.

There’s nothing like heating up on a cold winter day with a cup of real hot cocoa. And it might seem like an indulgence, but there is a whole lot of health perks to doing this. Real cocoa has positive impacts on cardiovascular health, levels of insulin, cognition, and much more.

To warm yourself up with a mug of real hot cocoa, try this:

- First, get relaxed with some homemade hot chocolate using real cocoa powder. The real cocoa powder will elevate antioxidants which are known to help your heart and boost your mood.
- Next, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
- Cook, stir and simmer continuously until smooth.
- Reduce heat and add your milk preference.
- Leave on simmer while continuously stirring. Do not boil.
- Remove from heat and serve as soon as possible to aid your winter blues.

5. Consider light therapy.

You have to think again if you don’t believe less sunshine can influence you, your attitude, or your stress levels during the colder months.

A loss in sunlight can interfere with the brain chemistry of your body and trigger a reduction in dopamine and vitamin D levels. It is so crucial to helping you combat the winter blues that you really should start doing any of the following below.

For tips to help you combat those winter blues with light therapy, try this:

- Spend time in the natural sun whenever possible. Natural Vitamin D is also labeled a “sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the nutrient’s best sources. (More on vitamin D in the next tip.)
- Open your windows and sit in the natural light every morning.
- Invest in a sun lamp if you need it. Without the harmful Ultraviolet rays, light therapy is your next brilliant way to get some artificial sun.
- Lightboxes used for SAD are filtered UV light, so it’s best to place it above eye level.
- Place the light box about two feet away from your eyes.
- Sit in front of the sun lamp for 20 to 30 minutes or the time recommended by the manufacturer or a doctor.
- Try to use the sun lamp at the same time every day.
- Know that lightboxes create different light intensities. Brighter boxes can take less time to use compared to dimmer boxes used every day to achieve the same result.

6. Take your vitamins & set a reminder for them.

The cause of your inconsistent moods or exhaustion could very well be a vitamin deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency can also lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones).

If you aren’t taking supplements and are having the effects of the winter blues, then there is a way out. Your body needs the necessary vitamins and nutrients to stay in consistent health.

For tips to help you combat those winter blues, try this:

- Please spend time in the sun every day. Vitamin D is also labeled a “sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the nutrient’s best sources.
- Take vitamin d supplements to better cope with vitamin D deficiency. The two commonly available forms of vitamin D supplements are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). It is suggested that vitamin D3 is best, rather than vitamin D2 because vitamin D3 is the naturally occurring form of the vitamin and it may raise vitamin D levels more effectively.
- Consume fatty fish and seafood. Oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel do wonders for Vitamin D deficiency.
- Eat more mushrooms. Mushrooms are one of the highest foods that aid in a strong natural dose of vitamin D.
- Eat sun enriched foods such as oranges and pineapples to perk your mood. These are sun density rich fruits and have been shown to mimic the sun in colder months.
- Make sure you always take a multivitamin during the cooler time of year.
- Enable an alarm to remind you each and every day to take your vitamins!

7. Start taking daily doses of Olive oil (it really works!).

Olives are one of the healthiest and most enjoyable ways to bring sunshine into the darker months.

So if you like the real things, stock up on olives if you feel low and tired during the winters and consider buying 100% Organic Cold-Pressed or cold-extracted olive oil, the next time you are feeling down.

Cold-pressed olive oil (with food), will make you feel much more energized. Plus studies show it will also help you sleep better during the winter dreariness.

Some people even suggest that a tablespoon or two of olive oil a day may be all you need to fully reap its benefits. And always remember that adding heat to the oil can damage the antioxidants and reduce the health benefits.

8. Don’t hesitate to see your healthcare professional, they can help you!

Chronic pain, migraines, sleeping illnesses, and even hypertension are all linked to depressive symptoms, which can be masked by the winter blues, so check with your medical provider to ensure your seasonal affective disorder isn’t more serious.

If winter is coming then we must prepare for it. If you follow just a few of the suggested tips above, you’ll surely defeat those winter blues in no time at all.

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