What advice or ideas are out there to beat winter depression?

I am from the midwest, born and raised. I moved to SW Florida in 2005. We lived there for two years. We have recently moved back to the midwest and I'm concerned I will slip into the winter depression that I used too.What advice or ideas are out there to beat winter depression?
go for a walk outside every day, even if it is cold. both the exercise and sunlight will help stave off SAD. and it doesn't have to be sunny. you aren't looking to get a tan. you can benefit even if it is cloudy. look up at the sky once in a while.





yahoo SAD discussion group:


http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/S-A鈥?/a>What advice or ideas are out there to beat winter depression?
EXCERT FROM WEB MD:





Winter depression is still a mystery to scientists who study it. But researchers agree that people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder are particularly sensitive to light, or the lack of it.


By Martin F. Downs





Winter depression is still a mystery to scientists who study it. Many things, including brain chemicals, ions in the air, and genetics seem to be involved. But researchers agree that people who suffer from winter depression -- also known as ';seasonal affective disorder,'; a term that produces the cute acronym SAD -- have one thing in common. They're particularly sensitive to light, or the lack of it.





Many studies have shown that people with seasonal affective disorder feel better after exposure to bright light. It seems simple enough: In higher latitudes, winter days are shorter, so you get less exposure to sunlight. Replace lost sunlight with bright artificial light, and your mood improves. But it's actually far more complex. Alfred Lewy, MD, a seasonal affective disorder researcher at the Oregon Health %26amp; Science University, says it's not only a matter of getting light, but also getting it at the right time. ';The most important time to get light is in the morning,'; he says.





He thinks seasonal affective disorder is due to a ';phase-shift'; of the circadian rhythm. The wall clock may tell you it's time to get up and at 'em, but your body's internal clock says you should be resting. Bright light in the morning resets your circadian clock.





This is relevant to the ';fall back'; time change, which happens in places that observe Daylight Saving Time. You might think that setting back the clock one hour would make seasonal affective disorder symptoms worse, because the sun sets one hour earlier. ';Actually, I think it's the opposite,'; Lewy says. ';The problem is waking up before dawn.';





Lewy says he suspects that ';true winter depressives,'; the people whose problem is biological and not related to other factors, might feel better after the time change. But the improvement would only be temporary, as days continue to shorten.





WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?





If you live in a climate where daylight hours are shortened there are a few things you can do to help overcome Season Affective Disorder.





You can use light therapy to extend the hours of daylight in your day. Light therapy is the most effective depression treatment known. Sit near a small bank of lights for a couple of hours each day.





You need a fixture that will hold four foot long fluorescent bulbs. Buy the best 'grow' lights. The kind that is best for plants. They are the closest match to the spectrum of sunlight. Do not use standard fluorescent bulbs. They are too green and will actually drain the energy out of you. Research shows the best time to treat winter depression with light therapy is early in the morning. The best time is probably the first task of the day. You could sit quietly near the lights to read uplifting material before you begin your day.





In addition, try to following tips:





*Stick to a daily routine.


*Go to bed on time so you can do your light therapy first


thing in the mornings.


*Try to avoid annoying people.


*Arrive at work early. Plan your day. Make a list of what


you want to accomplish and check things off as you


accomplish them.


*Save challenging projects for when you are not fighting


winter depression.


*Decide that the weather not affect your mood. You cannot


change the weather.


*If the weather is bad, allow a little extra time to get to


work. Accept the weather as it is and move on.


*Improve your health. Eat healthier foods.


*Exercise. Walking is one of the best exercises for


depression. It is nearly impossible to think bad thoughts


while you are walking briskly.


*Drink plenty of water.
they say winter depression also known as SAD (seasonal adjusted depression) is down to a lack of natural day light. it has proven that using a daylight lamp is a good idea and really helps. they arent ordinary lamps, you sit in front of them for a period of time and use them as a therapy
Just think about the answer I gave you in your ';Down in the Dumps'; question. Think good thoughts and keep your head up and eyes on something beautiful!!





You dont accept email through your profile. Feel free to email me through my profile or direct at ...... okiemuskvet@yahoo.com
1. Think positive: persuade yourself to think about the good things in your life ie count your blessings. Force out any negative or worrying thoughts.





2. Occupy yourself: if the weather is terrible, do indoor activities eg painting, chess, bridge, Meccano, reading, indoor games, etc. If your mind is busy, it is less likely to encourage negative ideas. You could even try skiing or ice-skating outdoors.





3. Keep warm and cosy: a mere sensation of feeling cold keeps reminding you it is winter, so have good central heating and warm clothing/bedsheets.





Good luck!
One treatment that I know works pretty well is light treatment, where you would sit under a UV lamp for a while and it helps with the winter blues(SAD), talk to your doctor about it or you could always tan in one of those tanning salons...those would work too!! Good luck