Has the winter got you down? Are you ready for spring? You are definitely not alone. Much of the country has been in a deep freeze and the cold weather combined with lack of sunshine tends to put people in a bad mood. People become lazy, grumpy, moody, and tend to overeat. Then they get depressed because they gain weight. Many people try to snap out of it but it is a common problem and referred to as seasonal affective disorder or SAD.

Those initials basically sum it up. People are SAD, they sleep more, don’t take care of themselves, eat sweets and food high in carbs and become depressed. SAD is considered seasonal because it usually affects an individual during the winter each year. It is more common in people who live in regions of the country where winter days are short and there is less sunshine.  Experts aren’t really sure what causes it, but they think it is due to lack of sunlight. Some treatments include bright light therapy where you sit in front of a light box in the morning for at least half an hour. Another common treatment is dawn simulation where a dim light goes on in the morning while you are sleeping and it gets brighter like the sunrise. These two types of light therapy usually do the trick and within a week or two people feel better. For more extreme cases antidepressants and behavioral therapy can help someone balance and manage the symptoms.

For most of us when the feelings of sadness or anxiety come on we can overcome them by jump-starting our system. Try to change up your routine and soak up as much sunshine as possible. Exercise is a great way to combat the winter blues. Get outside and walk or jog or put on some Jimmy Buffet and hit the treadmill in your home or at the gym!

Once you have exercised and are still looking for things to occupy your time productively take advantage of being at home and get it in shape for spring. Do those things on your to-do list that never seem to get marked off.

Organize and clean – Go through your junk drawers, closets, cabinets and file drawers. Throw away items that are broken, get some desk organizers and group like items together, shred outdated contracts and bills and donate slightly used items to a charity. If you get all this de-cluttering done now you will be ready to head outdoors when the weather gets warmer.

Quiet time – Take this lull in your busy schedule to sit back and relax. Get out your favorite book and read without being interrupted. Turn off the TV and plan a nice relaxing evening with your family. Get out old photos or board games and just enjoy one another’s company. Take the time to put photo albums together or turn on the computer and organize your digital photo files. Place them according to date or function and make sure you have them backed up.

Redecorate – We all get tired of the same old wall hangings and whatnots. Try moving things around to different rooms. Get bold colored bowls out of hiding and place them on the kitchen counter to brighten things up. Place some cheerful throw pillows on the couch. If you have houseplants give them special attention by repotting or adding soil. If you don’t have any houseplants now is the time to add them to your décor. They are a wonderful addition to any room and definitely lighten the mood and brighten up your home.

Feel the breeze – On those days when it is almost warm outside turn off the heat and open up the windows. That stuffy winter air that has been trapped up for months will soon be replaced by fresh, crisp, energizing air.

Planning ahead – Soon it will be time to start planting and pruning. Research some bright new flowers to add to your garden so when the ground is ready you are prepared. Buy some birdseed and put it in your feeders. Place your feeders in front of your windows so when the weather is still cold you can watch them from your warm home.

Your health – Any exercise is better than none at all. If the weather is brisk, put on jogging pants and take a walk around the neighborhood. Try some yoga to take the edge off when trying to wind down from a busy day. Eat light and as much as possible avoid food with heavy consistencies. They will only weigh you down and slow up your system. Eating healthy and exercising your body will ensure a good night’s sleep so you feel well rested when a new day begins.

We all look forward to the grim winter weather moving on and the summer sun and long days to come. Do your inside “chores” so when old man winter leaves you are ready to head outdoors and welcome the spring air.

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