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I get tired and gloomy around this time every year. I&rsquo;m pretty much over winter. I call it the February blues. By the middle of February, I grow weary of the cold temperatures, dirty piles of snow, and the overall dreariness of winter. I find myself craving comfort foods and longing for sunlight. It&rsquo;s a form of seasonal fatigue that has my mind and body yearning for sunny, warmer days.
				I face this winter slump when the excitement of the holidays end and I begin to feel trapped in the house. I don&rsquo;t sleep very well and become irritable; just ask my husband. Some people become much more depressed than I this time of year. Experts refer to this as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression related to the change in season. For many it begins in fall then worsens in the winter. I guess I&rsquo;m lucky I only experience it in February.
				I&rsquo;ve been trying to be more mindful of my mood and to work on ways to improve it when the winter blues hit me. Here are some things that help me overcome my gloominess. They may help you if you&rsquo;re facing the same thing.
				&#8226; Connect with friends. Hibernating is for bears not for people. I just want to curl up under a blanket on my couch this time of year and be alone, but that&rsquo;s not the smart thing to do. It&rsquo;s important to stay social and active. Talk to friends, Zoom chat, or visit with family. It will help improve your mood.
				&#8226; Spend some time outside in the fresh air. Shovel the driveway, take your dog for a walk, go for a hike, or just bundle up and sit outside on your deck with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the afternoon. No matter what&rsquo;s going on in my life, getting outside in the fresh air always clears my mind and makes me feel better.
				&#8226; Eat healthy foods. I&rsquo;m hungrier in the winter. It must have something to do with the colder weather, but it&rsquo;s always a battle to keep my weight in check this time of year. Although you may be craving comfort foods like me, try to eat healthier. Incorporate more lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into your diet. Your diet has a lot to do with your overall well-being. Stay hydrated and keep in mind that excess sugar and alcohol can make your winter depression worse.
				&#8226; Get plenty of exercise. It&rsquo;s important to stay active when you&rsquo;re battling seasonal sadness. If you can&rsquo;t face the chilly temps for an outdoor workout, then develop an indoor exercise routine. In addition to walking every day, I do short 30-minute workouts at home 5 times a week. I fit them in when I have the time and I really believe they improve my frame of mind. When you exercise, your brain releases chemicals called endorphins that can boost your mood. Staying active helps stop winter weight gain too.
				&#8226; Get enough sleep. This is big for me because I&rsquo;m a terrible sleeper. Keeping a regular sleep schedule can help you feel less fatigued. If you&rsquo;re struggling with sleep, try to set a pre-bedtime routine that helps you relax. Disconnect from technology, listen to soft music, read a book, meditate or take a warm bath. Going to sleep and waking up at roughly the same time every day can help. I try to do this even on the weekends. Your body will become accustomed to its own sleep clock and it may help.
				&#8226; Surround yourself with greenery. House plants have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and have a calming effect on one&rsquo;s mood. As an added bonus, plants help purify the air and can add a pop of color to living space. I have both green and flowering plants in my home, and they do make me smile.
				&#8226; Check something off your to-do list. It will give you a sense of accomplishment. Whether it&rsquo;s work-related or something such as reading a new book or cleaning out a closet, crossing tasks off your to-do list can make you happier and more relaxed. This works for me. When I have no motivation to do anything, but force myself to accomplish something on my to do-list, I feel much better the rest of the day.
				&#8226; Volunteer. Volunteering your time to help others can improve your mental health and your level of contentment. I know that doing for others does wonders for me as well. This is something I&rsquo;ve really focused on this year and my mood is much better for it.
				&#8226; Schedule some fun. I always need something to look forward to. Whether it&rsquo;s planning months in advance for a summer vacation or dinner with a good friend, I need to have plans on my calendar. If you find yourself stuck in a rut this time of year, scheduling some fun activity may help you get out of it. Something as simple as planning ahead for an at-home family movie and pizza night may do wonders for your mood.
				I realize that positivity begins with my thoughts and how I control them. It helps to make a list of all of the positive things in my life and good things that have happened, however small. This exercise allows me to be more hopeful and appreciative of the positives. It might help you as well.
				If all else fails, embrace winter. Although I haven&rsquo;t skied in years since I tore my ACL on the slopes in Vermont, I think getting back out there would cheer me up. If you don&rsquo;t ski or snowboard, sledding, snow tubing or building a snowman can do the trick. Most importantly, give yourself a pass. Don&rsquo;t be so hard on yourself. Accept that it&rsquo;s ok to be a little down and sunnier days will be here soon. Once I learned to do that, I experienced less anxiety. I hope some of the ideas above that help me, can get you through the remaining days of winter.
				***
				Ruth Corcoran is a professional marketer, former restaurant owner, and community advocate. She resides in Bear Creek. Readers can reach Ruth by emailing ruth@corcoranpr.com.

Life at Full Throttle: Beating the February blues