IRON MOUNTAIN -- The cold and dreary winter months are known for drying up our energy and high spirits, leaving many with what medical experts call the winter blues.
“Winter blues are when people have seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which basically means that in the wintertime, people have disturbances with their mood or their affect,” explains Bellin Health family nurse practitioner, Rebecca Larson.
The disorder is linked to the lack of sunlight. Symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
Anytime Fitness manager Brian Foley says consuming more food and alcohol during winter can make matters worse.
“The extra food or the extra alcohol you do intake can put more stress on the body,” explains Foley.
His answer of how to battle the blues consisted of two words: get active. Foley insists that “when you exercise, it releases endorphins” and that will “give you that natural high to combat seasonal affective disorder.”
Other solutions to boost your mood include a 20-minute walk during the day and taking a daily dose of Vitamin D3.
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