Feeling SAD? Beat the Blues!

No one is quite sure why some folks are troubled by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) while others are not, but we do know what triggers it: The absence of light during winter’s gray days and long nights causes the pineal gland in your brain to turn the hormone serotonin into melatonin. This reduction in serotonin makes the chilly months miserable — and if you don’t face the problem head on, the symptoms can lead to major trouble down the road.

When you don’t have a compelling need to be out and about on a cold winter’s day — heading to work, for example — it’s all too easy to hunker down under a cozy blanket and stay there. Well, don’t do it! It’ll only make the situation worse. Here’s what you should do instead:

Plan a passel of pleasant things that’ll get you out of the house. If at all possible, take your annual vacation in the winter, and head straight for the sun. But don’t stop at that. Make firm commitments with family and friends to attend plays or concerts, go on day or weekend trips, or host birthday parties or game nights. With fun times to look forward to, you’ll breeze through the blue days like a ray of sunshine.

Shake your booty, and lose those dark clouds hanging over your head. If you’re not up to joining winter sports lovers on the slopes or frozen ponds, or even taking brisk walks around your neighborhood, head for an indoor skating rink or the warmth and light of your local fitness center. Getting 30 minutes of exercise each day, in whatever form you like (even dancing in your living room!) will keep your system pumping out endorphins that will help you battle the blahs of a long, cold, dark winter.

Orange essential oil has an almost magical knack for lifting low spirits. So add a few drops of it to your favorite hand and body lotions, or fill a plastic spray bottle with water and a few drops of orange oil, and spritz the air in your home or office. (Whatever you do, never use orange — or any other — essential oil directly on your skin. It can be very irritating.)

’Tis the Season to Be SAD

Feeling down in the dumps lately? It could just be an ordinary case of the blues and you’ll feel better in the morning. But if it hits you especially hard on dark, dreary winter days, it could be seasonal affective disorder (SAD). No one is quite sure why some folks are troubled by SAD while others are not, but we do know what triggers it: The absence of light during winter’s gray days and long nights causes the pineal gland to turn the hormone serotonin into melatonin. The lack of serotonin makes the chilly months miserable — and if you don’t face the problem square on, the symptoms can lead to major trouble down the road.

For many folks, SAD is far more serious than a simple case of cold-weather blahs. Like any other type of depression, it can affect your whole life and well-being. Symptoms vary greatly in their intensity from one person to another, but these are the most common signs that SAD has struck:

• Craving for sweets and starches
• Depression
• Intense desire to hibernate
• Sleep disturbances
• Permanent jet-lagged feeling

Try these effective and easy ways to lift your SAD woes:

Flee your cave. Force yourself to get outdoors for part of every day, regardless of the weather. Exposure to the sun’s rays, even on dim, overcast days, ups your levels of vitamin D, which in turn increases your serotonin supply. Even during the darkest downpour, there is 30 times more light outdoors than in.

Tipple some tea. Whenever you feel a craving for carbohydrates, sip a cup of chamomile tea. It’ll divert your attention from food and give you a much-needed energy boost at the same time.

Tipple some more tea. To curb your overall appetite — and therefore, avoid packing on pounds — buy a bottle of fennel essential oil at a health food store or on the Internet. Then before each meal, add two drops of the oil to a cup of warm water, and drink up.