The winter blues

It's that time of year when many of us begin to feel blue or mopey. It has a lot to do with the temperatures and the lack of sunshine during these winter months. For some it may be just a mild case and for other it can be more extreme especially the further north you live.

Some ways I have read and found myself to help combat these feelings are as follows.

Exercise-is a great way to stimulate your body and increase your mood. I read that doing so in brighter lights can help your vitality as well. Getting out and doing this with friends is even better because adding the social aspect to your day will help keep your mind stimulated.

Listen to music-turn on some upbeat music that makes you feel happy and gets your heart a pumping.

Get out-I know its cold but the best thing on days like this is to get yourself out of the house. Take a walk or go for a walk around the mall. The stimulation is great for the mood and helps keep you body motivated.

Careful what you eat-Be careful what your eating, some foods can add fuel to the fire and make your mood worse. Others like chocolate can give you a temporary fix, but add more stress down the road when you've added to many lb's over the winter months.

Try spending some time near windows when the sun is shining in, or even adding a sun lamp to your house, you can find sun bulbs at most pet stores and some farm supply stores. This will add some vitamin D which is needed for your body to be healthy and strong.

For me I think the biggest help is having someone to talk to. When your feeling blue its always nice to have that one friend who will listen and understand. Someone who won't judge and be supportive and maybe help drag you into doing some of the things that's on the list.