Help to Beat the Winter Blues

After the holiday decorations have come down and your relatives have all gone home, you may find yourself stuck with a case of the winter blues. Colder temperatures and limited sunshine can make anyone feel like curling up in bed rather than facing the outside world.

Each year, millions of Americans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that strikes during the winter months. The exact cause of SAD is unknown, but the decreasing daylight that wintertime brings is thought to be a trigger for the condition. Even if you don't suffer from SAD, the short days of winter can be enough to make anyone feel down.

The good news is there are many affordable, natural remedies for the winter blues. One simple option is to try to get more sunshine, whether by spending more time sitting next to a window when you're inside, or increasing the amount of time you spend outdoors each day. For more severe cases of seasonal depression, a common treatment is light therapy, in which patients sit in front of light boxes for an allotted time each day for exposure to artificial sunshine.

Here are a few other remedies that can help combat dreary winter moods:

St. John's Wort

This herb has been found to help alleviate mild to moderate depression, and it works as well as standard antidepressants, according to the journal American Family Physician. You should consult with your health care professional before starting a regimen of St. John's Wort to find out about possible issues with other medications. For example, taking this herb can compromise the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.