need to hibernate?
you probably suffer the winter blues syndrome
WHAT IS IT the change of seasons. It affects individuals
exposed to few sunlight hours, such as
Winter Blues is not a new style of music... Nor northern European citizens. People who
is it the latest blue color based fashion trend suffer from Winter Blues experience increased
… or even the latest social networking tool… appetite, weight gain and hypersomnia.
If you suffer two or more of these symptoms
It is a very common disease that many each year in the fall and into the winter, you
Northern Europeans living above the may suffer from winter blues:
Pyrenees suffer from. It affects your overall
mood and it’s due to being exposed to few • Increased feelings of lethargy; feeling tired
sunlight hours. But it is not new at all! It all the time. For some scientists it’s a human
was first described in the VI century by a trait similar to animals’ winter hibernation.
• Difficulty in waking up in the mornings as
Therefore, if you are among the 64% of people the days gets shorter.
that believe that good weather makes them
feel happier, or the 86% that have to listen to • Difficulty in concentrating and thinking
their boss saying that their productivity drops creatively, in comparison to the summer
with the October hour change, or the 82% months.
that find it hard to get up before sunrise, your
should read this study to the end. • Increased craving for carbohydrate-rich
foods like chocolate and sodas.
• Incorrectly blaming oneself for things that
• Difficulty performing tasks that normally
seem to be easy/enjoyable.
tips to overcome winter
These tips will help you get through the winter
feeling a bit better:
WHAT ARE ITS EFFECTS?
Do some exercise
Winter Blues is a form of depression that takes Aerobic exercise has proven to help people
place around the same time each year with combat winter blues. Not only does aerobic
exercise improve your mood, but it has also of the population in the Netherlands suffers
has been shown to reduce stress. from Winter Blues.
Improve your diet with carbs
Carbohydrates are often effective in
increasing serotonin levels in the brain. A
better strategy for anyone suffering from
winter blues would be to eat larger portions of
complex carbohydrates, like pasta and rice,
and healthy simple carbohydrates like fruits
and fruit juices during meals.
Get away for the weekend to get natural
If you suffer this disease you are obviously
not getting that much sunlight. Take a break • The Winter Blues is primarily caused
and travel to some southern European by unstable melatonin levels, as well as
destination that offers plenty of sunlight hours serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for
and different interesting leisure activities. mood, hunger, and sleep. As the days become
shorter and the hours of sunlight decrease,
people suffering from sufferers of the Winter
Blues experience changes in their mood,
did you know that...? energy level, and ability to concentrate.
Facts about Winter Blues • Although the Winter Blues are not as severe
as long-term depression, they can change
• It affects about four times as many women the way a person thinks, reacts, and deals
as men. with everyday challenges.
• It affects mainly younger people, usually
starting in the person’s twenties and thirties.
• Winter Blues is a common syndrome that
affects the mood of some inhabitants in most
of the Nordic countries. Other countries where
Winter Blues exists are the United States and
• Around 20% of Irish people are affected
by Winter Blues, according to a survey
conducted in 2007, and an estimated 10%