7 auala e tau ai le faʻanoanoa o le malulu
 

Now come difficult months for many, when the days are becoming unbearably short, the gray sky and the absence of the sun are depressing, and colds seem inevitable. Our mood gets worse, too, and many of us feel sluggish. But for some people, fall and winter can have far more serious consequences than apathy and bad mood.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter blues, is not a fantasy of lazy, sad, or unhappy people, but a real, serious disorder that can affect everyone in our climate.

How to get through the long winter months – and not just get through, not fall into a blues? If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder or feel that the view outside the window is depressing for you, there are many ways to get out of this condition, or at least mitigate it! Here is some of them.

1. Get enough sleep and stick to your daily routine

 

Try to get 8 hours of sleep every day, and get up and go to bed at the same time. Your daily routine will help you be more energetic and get things done easier. Regime violations aren’t just unsettling: they exacerbate depression. The fact is that prolonged sleepiness and late waking up increase the level of melatonin, which is associated with depression. Plus, it steals the minutes and hours you could spend outdoors, and walking in daylight is very important for people suffering from winter depression. Follow this link for some tips for those with sleep problems.

2. Get rid of the “sweet” addiction

If you are prone to depressive states, especially in winter, you should get rid of the habit of eating sweets. Yes, this is not easy, because addiction to sweets and flour products physiologically affects the same biochemical systems as drugs.

The exacerbation of this dependence in winter is understandable: sugary foods and drinks help increase energy levels. However, this burst of energy turns out to be short-lived – and you again feel a breakdown. You can replenish energy reserves in other ways: by eating complex carbohydrates (such as cereals) and healthy simple carbohydrates (vegetables and fruits). And don’t have a snack with cookies or sweet bars, but with fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds. This will prevent you from gaining the extra pounds that will worsen your winter depression.

3. Make it a rule to move as much as possible.

Studies have shown that exercise can help fight winter depression. Exercise improves mood and reduces stress, which often makes depressive conditions even more severe.

By the way, you don’t have to go to the gym for this, especially since aerobic exercise outdoors (even under a cloudy sky) is twice as effective as training indoors. Brisk walking, running, skiing, sledding and even playing snowballs can help you cope with the winter blues.

4. Eat more omega-3 rich foods

Scientists see a link between omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies and depression, especially seasonal affective disorders. This is explained by the fact that omega-3 supports the correct level of dopamine and serotonin – neurotransmitters necessary to fight depression.

Low serotonin levels are responsible for depression, aggression, and suicidal tendencies. And dopamine is produced in the brain in response to pleasurable sensations such as food or sex. Its effect is similar to that of adrenaline: it helps block various types of pain. Our body itself cannot produce omega-3s, so we need to get them from food. Fatty fish (mackerel, herring, salmon, sardines, anchovies) are the best sources of these fatty acids because they contain the most “powerful” forms: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Flaxseed, hemp and walnut oils are rich in another form of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

5. Eat foods rich in folic acid

Folic acid improves our mood. Scientists suggest that the body can use it to produce serotonin, a deficiency of which, as mentioned, is associated with depression. Sources of folate include greens, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, oranges, lentils, green beans, and soy.

6. Treat yourself to dark chocolate

Studies show that thanks to dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), our body begins to produce more phenylalanine, which in turn contributes to the production of dopamine in the brain. Keep a bar of the darkest chocolate on hand and eat a couple of slices – like a pill for a bad mood.

7. Smile more often and spend time with friends

Develop a culture of optimism in yourself: smile more often, create an atmosphere of cheerfulness and energy around you, be creative, read positive literature and communicate with positive people !!!!

More often than not, those who experience blues avoid socializing with people, even close friends. If you do this, then you are depriving yourself of a simple and effective way to unwind: in a friendly company, our mood improves, and the blues go away.

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