Cures for the Winter Blues

Seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or the "winter blues," is a real condition that affects people annually, and at the same time each year. If you or a loved one experience symptoms of depression or fatigue during the colder months of the year, several remedies can lift your mood and improve your outlook on life during the fall and winter seasons.

Sunlight

• The winter blues are often intensified by the lack of sunlight common in the colder months. You can boost your mood by opening the blinds so sun shines through your windows and trim the branches of trees next to your window that block the sun. Also, spend some time outdoors, even when sunlight is faint in the winter; the direct sunlight is healthy for people with seasonal affective disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic, it's best for people with the winter blues to go outside within two hours of waking up in the morning.

Phototherapy

• Light therapy, or phototherapy, has been proven to help people with seasonal affective disorder. For this treatment, patients sit a few feet away from a box that emits bright light. According to the Mayo Clinic, the light emulates sunlight and alters the chemicals in the human brain that are connected to mood. The light therapy sessions should last from half an hour to 90 minutes a day during the winter, and are often coupled with psychotherapy sessions, according to the American Psychiatric Association at healthyminds.org.

Physical Activity

• Physical activity lowers the emission of physiological chemicals in the body that bring on anxiety and depression. This makes exercising especially beneficial for people with the winter blues. Working out also relieves stress and, when people are more relaxed, they are less likely to remain in a depressive state, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercise also improves your overall self-image, which wards off feelings of anxiety. Physical activity that involves being outdoors--for instance, a football game or jogging around the neighborhood--provide a double benefit for people with the winter blues, as they get sunlight exposure while relieving stress through physical activity.

Conventional Medicine

• Prescription medications used to treat the winter blues include Bupropion, an extended release variation of the popular depression medication Wellbutrin XL. The Mayo Clinic suggests that people with seasonal affective disorder take the medication to prevent episodes of depression. Other medications for depression and anxiety may also be prescribed for the winter blues; doctors sometimes administer these medications a few weeks before winter, when the SAD symptoms start. The reason for this is that some medications take several weeks to work, and are likely to take effect once winter officially begins.

Alternative Medicine

• Patients who prefer not to take prescriptions may turn to alternative treatments for relief from the winter blues. For instance; taking melatonin supplements may make for more restful sleep and regulate the mood of a person with SAD, according to the Mayo Clinic. The body produces the melatonin hormone naturally, but levels tend to drop during the colder months of the year. The Mayo Clinic also asserts that St. John's wort may be a helpful alternative treatment for the mild or moderate depression that comes with winter blues.