Don’t let frosty weather spoil a good mood—try these research-supported ideas for extra mental bounce-back. By Rosie Brogan.
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5 all-natural ways to beat the winter blues

4 May 2012

Don’t let frosty weather spoil a good mood—try these research-supported ideas for extra mental bounce-back. By Rosie Brogan.

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#1 Fend off bugs by practicing happiness
If you’re prone to colds and flu during the colder months, cultivating a cheery outlook may help you to recover quicker—and help stem the low mood that so often accompanies that scrunched pile of tissues.

Psychologist Sheldon Cohen’s research suggests that people with positive attitudes are less likely to get colds in the first place. As health writer Sophie Scott explains, this buffering effect is due to the fact that a happy state of mind helps the body to release an optimal amount of cytokines, proteins that shield the immune system.

#2 Don’t measure yourself up against others
“Comparing yourself to others will make you feel less worthy. Appreciate the strengths and abilities you already have, rather than wanting what others have,” says Scott.

While many think happiness should come easily, it’s in fact a discipline that requires you to identify mental habits that bring you down rather than help you flourish.

# 3 Beat stress with the right nutrients
The winter months can be some of the most demanding, work wise – if not simply because most of us tend to holiday in summer so we go for long stretches in the middle of the year without a break. According to Elizabeth Somer, author of Food and Mood: The complete guide to eating and feeling at your best, stress may lower your levels of nutrients such as magnesium and vitamins B, C and E.

To maintain a feeling of wellbeing, make sure to supplement your diet or eat foods rich in these nutrients.

#4 Beware the evening tipple
An after-dark glass of red can be a real comfort when the weather’s cold, but try to stick to the recommended two standard drinks day [source #1m] and have alcohol-free days during the week, too. The wisdom behind this advice? Booze is a depressant: it decreases the activity of the nervous system in the brain, inhibiting the cells that regulate your behaviour and thoughts.

“Regular drinking changes the chemistry of the brain, depleting levels of the brain chemical serotonin, according to the UK Mental Health Foundation report on alcohol and mental health,” writes Scott.

#5 Long live the sunshine vitamin
While this sun-sourced vitamin is mostly known for its bone-strengthening capacities, recent research shows its powers also extend to the head.

As Dr Vicki Kotsirilos and colleagues write in A Guide to Evidence-Based Integrative and Complementary Medicine: “Vitamin D deficiency especially over winter with lower sun exposure is linked with lower moods… and seasonal defective disorder. Increasing sun exposure and supplementation with vitamin D3 can improve moods.”

Hotfoot it to get your D-levels checked over winter if you’re consistently experiencing the blues.

References available upon request


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