People tend to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a kind of depression or general unhappiness in the winter season. A study has revealed that women are more prone to it than men.
Researchers from the University of Glasgow conducted a study on 150,000 people which revealed that women get more impacted by the SAD and unhappiness during winter.
During the season, women's mood tends to become low compared to men -- they feel stressed, tired and enjoy the things lesser than they usually do.
The researchers believe that compared to a man's brain, a woman's brain is more sensitive to cold and dark. This is because of a spike in the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. Also, a greater inflammatory response to environmental factors by women makes them more susceptible to winter depression.
Here are some foods and drink you should include in your diet to combat SAD:
These are rich in vitamin D, which is usually provided by sunlight. It aids in boosting body's immunity and keeps cough and cold at bay. Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D, which is equal to that of the amount of the vitamin provided by health supplements.
Mushrooms transform the UV light they get from the sun into vitamin D, which is released when we eat it, a Daily Mail report revealed.
Cooking has no impact on the vitamin content in mushrooms, but scientists advice to keep the fungi in the sun for half an hour before consumption to get more benefitted by the mood-enhancing effect of the fungi.
Beetroot is a great source of nutrition and boost your sexual performance. It helps you shed weight and providing longevity. It also contains a chemical called Betaine, which increases the levels of dopamine and serotonin -- hormones that make you happy.
This beverage can also help you combat depression and gloominess. Banana tea will enhance your mood with the help of dopamine and serotonin hormones. It relieves anxiety and depression. It could also treat sleep disorders, enhance heart health, improve healing process and help you shed weight.
It's also found that getting indulged in sexual activities once or more in a week can improve your mood. It induces sleep and also has other health benefits. Sex reduces anxiety and also lowers your blood pressure.