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Beat the Winter Blues: 7 Self-Help Tips to Ease Seasonal Affective Disorder | The Health Sessions

Seasonal Affective Disorder: 7 Self-Help Tips to Beat the Winter Blues

Do you start to feel down, sluggish and carb-hungry as soon as the days are getting shorter?

This time of year, when it’s cold and dark outside, can trigger the winter blues in many people. It’s no wonder the third Monday of January was dubbed ‘Blue Monday’ by the travel world to promote trips to exotic destinations.

Seasonal changes, especially a lack of daylight, can disrupt your biological clock. Your internal clock regulates countless of bodily functions, including your sleep-wake cycle, alertness and energy levels, and your mood.

In around 5% of people living in northern latitudes, these changes in circadian rhythm contribute to feelings of depression. These recurring depressive episodes in autumn and winter are called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Just like a ‘regular’ depression, seasonal affective disorder is characterized by a depressed mood, loss of interest in activities, withdrawal from social interactions and problems with sleeping and appetite. Symptoms like oversleeping and craving carbohydrate-rich foods are characteristic for winter seasonal affective disorder.

According to the American Psychological Association, January and February are the most difficult months for people affected by seasonal affective disorder. If escaping to a tropical island isn’t an option, what can you do to beat the winter blues?

Take a look at these 7 ways to ease your seasonal affective disorder and brighten your mood this winter.

Disclaimer: Always seek help from your doctor, psychologist or other medical professionals when you struggle with severe depression and/or have suicidal thoughts!

8 Science-Backed Strategies to Boost Your Mood

There’s nothing wrong with being sad, frustrated or angry from time to time. Life isn’t always easy and you don’t have to “just be positive” all the time when you’re struggling with your health, relationships or finances.

But when you feel down, worried or tense more often than not, it may be a warning sign for you to take action. Depression and anxiety disorders can have a really negative impact on your health, happiness and overall functioning. So what can you do to take care of your mental health?

Have a look at these 8 scientifically proven strategies to boost your mood.

Top 5 Ingredients You Can Juice Or Blend That Combat Depression

This article was written by Nicholas Charles at Sprint Kitchen.

Life is full of ebbs and flows. The good, the bad and the ugly. For those of us who face depression from time to time, we do have the power to change how we feel. One study found that people with moderate to severe depression improved their symptoms just by switching to whole foods and eliminating junk from their diets. So changing your diet can be a great way to lift your spirits and boost your overall well being.

Today, I’ll show you 5 fruit and vegetable ingredients you can turn into juices or smoothies that’ll help you kick those blues to the curb. All you need is a juicer or a blender.

10 Ways to Stop Yourself From Being Controlled by Your Emotions

This article is written by Kate Walker.

Emotions affect almost 90% of your reactions to various situations in life. However, you know you are controlled by your emotions if your mood changes depending on circumstances. Some situations are easy to handle while others are hard to control. For the difficult ones, you have to learn the skills to stop such feelings from controlling you and reduce their impact on your life. It requires a lot of practice and dedication to master the art of controlling your emotions. Nonetheless, the results are worth all the efforts.

Here are 10 ways how to handle your emotions and stop yourself from being a slave to them.

45 Ways to Cheer Yourself Up When You’re Down

Life gets all of us down sometimes. And that’s perfectly normal – you shouldn’t push your sadness, anxiety or loneliness away. But it isn’t helpful to get stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts, feelings and behavior either.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to instantly boost your mood. You might be tempted to drown your sorrows by eating junk food, having one more glass of wine or obsessively checking your phone. Those actions might brighten your mood for a moment, but they’ll only make you feel even worse afterwards.

To really get out of your funk, take a look at these 45 ways to cheer yourself up when you’re down (that don’t involve ice cream).