Do The Winter Blues Exist & How To Beat Them
When the Earth tilt’s away from the sun, us the in Northern Hemisphere get a little bit colder. We call this process Winter Solstice. During June, there is the Summer Solstice also.
Definition of Solstice: The point in the ecliptic at which the sun is farthest from the equator, north or south, namely, the first point of the sign Cancer and the first point of the sign Capricorn, the former being the summer solstice, latter the winter solstice, in northern latitudes; — so called because the sun then apparently stands still in its northward or southward motion.
Now that we’ve covered the technical aspects of how the seasons change, it’s time to dig deeper into a metaphysical meaning of what happens when the days get shorter and the nights get longer. One such phenomenon is classified as the “holiday blues”. This is supposedly a time of year where depression, anxiety and other disorders run rampant through out society. But contrary to popular belief, depression and anxiety actually DROPS during the winter months. Studies suggest that people assume the winter months promote depression due to overwhelming HAPPINESS produced by society as a whole. Therefore, those who are lonely are being magnified.
Avoid Sad Faces & The Winter Blues
Whether you believe the changing of seasons have an effect on your emotions or not, Yahoo Shine offers “5 Natural Ways to Beat the Winter Blues”:
1. Get outside: Outdoor light is VERY beneficial
2. Change your bulbs: Increase exposure to light indoors by replacing light bulbs with full-spectrum light bulbs. Open your curtains and blinds to allow light inside the home. Trim tree branches that block light from entering your home.
3. Take off the sunglasses: Wearing sunglasses limits the amount of natural light that travels the path from the eyes, thereby increasing the risk of suffering from the winter blues.
4. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, 30 minutes of exercise three times a week is recommended.
5. Eat your vitamins: Deficiency in any nutrient can cause an imbalance to the body which may result in a worsening of the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder.
