A Melancholy Makeover: Beating Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Winter

With Punxsutawney Phil predicting six more weeks of winter I just can’t seem to make the best of these cold days before spring finally overcomes those lions and lambs and comes full swing. I can’t wait for the day when it doesn’t get dark at 5pm and I can walk my dog til 7 or garden after work. So for the next four weeks I’ve decided to beat the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and try a few new routines to get me moving:

• Open the blinds before I go to bed. This way I will wake up to natural light and fight those vampire-ish tendencies to avoid the day.
• Participate in laughter yoga once a day. Check out www.laughteryoga.org for daily laughter yoga videos. (This is way more fun that you might think!)
• Drink hot non-caffeinated tea - warmth + herbs = bliss! Try Tea Forte White Ginger Pear Loose Leaf Tea or check out all our Tea Forte tea products here.
• Say goodbye to chocolate and hello to sweet breads. Carbs can help increase levels of serotonin in your body and generally amplify your mental capacity – making you feel smarter and happier!
• No more napping. Naps are a good way to kill a snowy day but often leave you more lethargic than when you started. Skip your nap and start your spring cleaning early – the light exercise of simple cleaning will give you the energy boost you’ve been looking for.

Got any easy ways to beat the SAD? Let us know!