Surviving the After the Holiday Haze and Facing the Winter Blues

Although the holiday season can elicit mixed emotions in all of
us, once they are over, we are often left with a sense of not having much to
look forward to, aside from the cold, dark, dreary winter. The adrenaline and
excitement of the holidays fade, and we find ourselves counting down the days
until spring. Its aftermath can have an effect on all of us, whether we
experience seasonal affective disorder, or various forms of depression. Thus,
these feelings should be taken with seriousness. It is important to have a plan
in place as we face the months ahead.  Rather than viewing this period as “surviving the winter”, one
way to face the winter is by embracing it. If you are counting down the days until
spring, then you are wasting away precious days of your life. There are
approximately 52 days until the first day of spring, multiply that by 85 years,
and you have 4,420 days of your possible lifetime. Do you want to look back and
say that you missed out on 4,420 precious days of your life? With that in mind,
it is seems more pressing that we embark on the winter months with zest and
positive energy.

Six Tips to Get the Most out of the
Winter

1. Enjoy your down time. When you
are taking off for the beach or pool party during the summer weekends, it is
easy to lose sight of your own personal interests. Make use of the slower pace
by catching up on reading books, putting albums and scrapbooks together, learning
a new language, and watching a movie marathon. You can even use this time to watch
the summer series shows or movies that you did not have time to see last summer.
You can also use this time to rest and sleep—let yourself relax.

2. Enjoy outdoor activities. This could entail taking up skiing,
going out on a brisk walk, or hiking in the great outdoors. You can even join
an outdoor sports league. I believe that it’s still important to get a healthy
dose of outdoor air as well as vitamin D from the sun, as it has been proven in
clinical studies that healthy doses of it can reduce depression. Just be sure
to dress warmly and wear sunscreen.

3. Enjoy indoor activities.  If outdoor activities are not for you, there are many indoor
activities in which you can partake to stay active.  Join the local YMCA or community center. They
tend to have many organized sports such as volleyball, indoor tennis,
basketball, floor hockey, as wells as aerobics classes and weight lifting
options.  The important thing is to stay
active and allow yourself to release endorphins, which has been proven to ward
off feelings of depression and anxiety.

4. Follow a healthy nutritional plan.  Keep up with a healthy diet and exercise regime. It is easy to
be a “couch potato” during the cold months, and sit around eating snack foods.
We also tend to eat more simple carbohydrates in the winter, which are high in
sugar. These include  candy, soda, sugar
and chips, as the cold weather can trigger carbohydrate cravings. This can have
the effect of feeling more tired. Try eating more complex foods such as whole
wheat bread, beans, granola and cereal.  Balance this out with a diet high in protein.  Proteins are full of the amino acids that
produce dopamine and norepinephrine, which regulate mood and behavior.  Both dopamine and norepinephrine are used to
treat depression.

If you were not able to maintain your
exercise regime during the holidays due to travel and parties, now is the time
to get back into exercise routine. This will also increase serotonin levels,
which has been proven to improve mood and overall well being.

5. Spend time with family and friends. Now that the
holidays are over, you may not have as many occasions that will allow you to
see your friends and family.  Set up a
weekend visit with your friends.  Even
though it is difficult to motivate yourself to go out during the winter, make a
plan to meet with friends, or go out with your partner at least once a week.
Cold weather can keep us isolated, and staying connected to others is a way to
maintain overall happiness and feelings that you are connected to the world.

6. Plan a winter getaway.
Knowing that you are going on vacation can be a way to keep your spirits up and
give you something to which you can look forward.

7.  Stay positive and don’t complain! It
is easy to get caught up with all the complaining during this time of
year…everyone is doing it. However, this becomes habitual, and negativity can
block you from having positive thoughts and energy. Look for the positive in
things, and challenge and reframe your negative thoughts.

People don't notice
whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.

- Anton Chekhov