How To Prepare Yourself For The Winter Blues

by Glenn Fisher

All this talk of crashing markets, the falling pound and a long, drawn-out recession is getting a bit depressing.

And then to top it off the clocks go back and daylight disappears...

You leave for work in the dark and you come home in the dark!

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to stay positive.

But don’t worry, help is at hand.

Today we’re going to look at a couple of simple things you can do to perk yourself up and beat the winter blues...

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Why you won’t catch me buying a light box

At this time of year the phenomenon of SAD comes back to haunt us...

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or winter depression as it’s sometimes called is thought to be caused because, during the winter months, we’re not exposed to as much light as usual.

Diagnosis of SAD and suggested forms of treatment are vague at best. Often people are sent towards ‘light boxes’ - a device brighter than a normal light bulb that acts as a substitute for the absence of natural daylight.

But how many people are really going to pop down the shops to pick up a light box? I’ll admit I won’t and I doubt many of you will either.

It does have the whiff of hokum, and though some people might find a light box beneficial - I think it’s a bit of an expensive placebo.

The two most reasonable reasons offered for SAD is a lack of serotonin or an excess of melatonin - two hormones that can affect your mood.

So, here is a very simple and practical morning routine you can do to increase your sero- and curb your mela...

How to prepare yourself for the winter blues

First up, if you can, try sleeping with the curtains open or at least leave a decent sized crack for light to get through. Even though it is darker in the mornings, I find waking up to a little natural light helps enormously.

If it’s difficult to sleep with your curtains open, when you wake up, this should be your first priority - just get as much light in the room as possible and reduce that melatonin level.

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Next, stretch. Bend over. Do a few push ups or sit ups if you’re able. I’m not talking a massive exercise regime here, but a little exercise will help wake you up and, studies suggest, increase your serotonin levels.

Serotonin and food is a difficult one. Different effects for different people. Carbs can help, but they can hinder too. Same goes for protein.

However, the best advice on these dark, depressing mornings is: whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast...

It’s much better to add 15 minutes to your morning making a decent breakfast than lose hours at work because you can’t bring yourself to do it.

Letting the light in, some light exercise and a decent breakfast will give you a great start and set you on the best possible course for the day.

I can’t promise you won’t step outside into soaking rain and papers full of bad news, but if you set yourself up for the day as best you can, I do promise you’ll be in much better shape to tackle it.