Fight Winter Depression
More than ten million Americans suffer from Depression each year. Some may experience Symptoms that last only a few days or weeks to periods of six months or more. A common occurrence is winter time Depression or seasonal depression. Seasonal Depression occurs in the winter time and results from the persistent gloominess that sets in with the onset of longer nights, colder weather and the confinement to indoor spaces. The mood that one feels can be directly linked to the chemistry in the brain. Any imbalance of chemicals can cause a type of any number of types of depression. A common chemical imbalance that Causes depression is the low levels of certain neurotransmitters - particularly serotonin and norepinephrine. Due to the fact that serotonin is linked to B-complex vitamins, increasing B vitamins into the system, particularly vitamins B6 and B12 help to overcome feelings of paranoia, violence and depression.Increasing B vitamins in the diet can help to overcome winter time depression. Besides foods that are rich in these vitamins such as eggs, bananas, liver, cheeses and wheat germ, many herbal remedies, such as St. John's Wort, can also be beneficial. Getting outside and moving around will also help to take the mind off the fact that the weather is gloomy. Other solutions that those who suffer from seasonal depression have found beneficial are natural sleep aids. Depression tends to not only affect the mood; it also can disrupt sleep cycles and diet as well. With seasonal depression, it is not uncommon to sleep for countless hours or conversely, not sleep at all.
How depression effects an individual can very from case to case. Some people may lose weight as a result of not eating, while others eat excessively. Weight loss tips for those who have put on weight involve getting off the couch. Getting the blood circulating is the best way to feel good and
The weather is wet and windy, the days and nights are dark and gloomy and the hot summer days are another year away. For many the winter months can dampen a mood but for others it can lead to outright depression. Known as seasonal affective disorder this winter Depression is generally thought to be related to the darker days that occur during the winter months and those with this type of Depression experience Symptoms such as difficulty waking up in the morning and wanting to sleep longer then usual, have an increased appetite that often leads to weight gain and generally feel down beat and unmotivated day after day. For others Christmas day itself is an especially depressing time of year. For most Christmas is a time filled with warm welcomes, laughter with friends and family and plenty of eating and drinking with an optimistic view of the following New Year. Two classic Symptoms of depression are a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities and social withdrawal and when feeling depressed finding the motivation to get involved in the festivities and force a smile can be difficult if not impossible for some. For those with depression in the winter who have few friends or family Christmas day is often spent alone and isolated and consumed with feelings of loneliness, worthlessness and overwhelming sadness with thoughts such as 'the world would be better of without me' and 'life isn't worth living'.