For those of us who don't live in "The Sunshine State", winter can be too long. Those living in the North of the United States or Canada, can even suffer from a lack of sunlight and the Vitamin D it provides, causing them to become depressed and stir crazy. Some people have the luxury of a vacation coming up, but many feel trapped by the short days and length of the cold season. 

But take heart! These five ingenious hacks will help you not only demolish the winter blues, but may even make it more enjoyable. 

 

1. Get some light therapy

Believe it not, for many it's a medical necessity to have a light therapy lamp. Doctors can prescribe light therapy for many reasons, including not getting enough sunlight and Vitamin D during the winter months. Here's some of the signs and symptoms:

  • Low energy
  • Overeating
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Social Withdrawl
  • Loss of Interest in normal activities 

It's important to get either sun or a light which can replicate the sun's benefits into your home so you're able to beat the winter blues. Especially, if you live in an area where you lose hours of sunlight the closer you get to the winter solstice. 

To read more, visit the National Institute of Mental Health on SAD and the  Mayo Clinic's page on Light Therapy.

 

2. Listen to Birdsong

Youtube is full of recordings and images of bird's singing. It's a way to shift your mind into the thoughts of Spring without actually smelling the smells and feeling the warmth of Spring days. This is one of my favorites: 

Let it play in the background and see how much it can lift your mood. If the rushing water bothers you, don't worry, there are plenty of other videos to choose from.

 

 3. Exercise More

Yes, I know how you feel. The couch is calling and you've embraced it's warm cocoon of pillows and enveloping softness. But repeat after me: "I NEED to move. I NEED to go. I HAVE to keep moving." 

If you're a homebody, there's plenty or workouts available on youtube to help - OR - you could actually go sledding, start a snowball fight, snowshoeing, iceskating... But if that's not your thing, you could also look for dance classes in the area. A lot of Swing Dancing Clubs are popping up. If you can't find one, Start One! 

If Swing's not your thing, there's also Contra dancing, Line, Irish, Step, Stomp, Square, Lindy, and on, and on...

Or, if dancing's NOT your thing, you could try: 

  • Bowling
  • Indoor Swimming
  • Walking
  • Chopping wood
  • Basketball
  • Pickleball 
  • Raquetball
  • Trampolining
  • Dodgeball!!!

 

4. Make or Start Something


Either start a new hobby or take a class. Winter is no time to miss out on all the fantastic, productive things you could be doing. Why not take piano lessons? You could knit an afghan, learn Gin Rummy, start a book club, learn accounting, the sky's the limit! Just go for it! 

5. Reconnect with a Friend

If you've lost touch with someone, now's the perfect time to plug back into their lives. Sure, everyone is busy these days, but there's always time and room for those special people we've been missing. 

Go for coffee! Take them to dinner! Better yet, make dinner and invite them to bring a friend of theirs you haven't met yet! Then you have a new friend to get to know. Booyakah! 



We hope you've gotten some great tips today.

Remember, the snow and cold won't last forever. Until it's done, isn't it nice there's so much to do in the meantime? Stay Warm!