As the thrills and chills of New Year's frosty festivities give way to the routine of everyday life, here's some useful advice to help keep us cheerful.
The first thing to recognise is that the winter blues are not 'all in the mind', as the low mood many of us experience in February is directly linked to lower levels of daylight and us spending more time indoors. Seasonal Affective Disorder (appropriately known as SAD) is thought to be due to limited light reaching the brain via our eyes, which in turn increases our melatonin levels which can lead to lethargy and depression. One of the fastest ways to literally lighten up is to increase our exposure to daylight, so moving your desk to an office window or heading outside during lunch and tea breaks can help. The fastest way to raise our spirits is to get out and exercise: not only does exercise create a surge of endorphins – the body's feel-good brain chemicals – but we also receive more daylight which may helpfully lower melatonin levels.
Exercise has also been shown to keep depression and general feelings of malaise at bay in the first place. One study in Scotland found that going to an exercise class for just 45 minutes twice a week significantly reduced depression far more than the same amount of time spent sitting around discussing health matters. Exercise has even been found to work where prescription antidepressants have failed – no wonder more GPs are actually prescribing exercise! One of the most fun forms of exercise to take off around the UK is Zumba and I have plenty of friends who really love these hour-long dance classes that are held everywhere from local village halls to private sports clubs. These high-energy dance classes produce a healthily addictive endorphin-buzz of happy chemicals (including the mood-regulating chemical serotonin) in the brain, as well as building the community spirit of working out in a fun environment with friends and others who soon become friends. The feedback from those I know has been so good that I'm definitely going to give it a try. zumba.com
At the moment though, my favourite activity remains Nordic walking, and if you've a tendency towards SAD, being outside for this to enjoy the benefits of extra daylight only increases the feel-good factor. I especially love Nordic walking as it uses poles to propel the body forward, which not only increases stability, but also gives an upper body work-out too – perfect for those who hold tension in their upper back, shoulders and neck. I really can't recommend it highly enough to give your spirits (and skin) a boost at this time of the year. nordicwalking.co.uk
To supplement wellbeing from within, you could look to the mood-enhancing benefits found in the herb St John's wort* (Hypericum perforatum). Also known as 'the sunshine herb' for its ability to lift the spirits, a review of 29 studies comprising 5000 patients being treated for depression found that extracts of St John's wort outperformed the placebo (dummy pill) and had a similar efficacy to standard antidepressants (without the unwelcome side-effects). The dose most widely recommended is 300mg of an extract (standardised to 0.3% of the active hypericin content). hypericum.com
However tempting it is to stock up on comforting sugary foods and carbs during the colder months, raw vegetable juicing is a much more energising tonic. The Green Whizzer (see below) is a great pick-me-up and if you have a juicing machine (or maybe found a juicer under your Christmas tree) you might like to try this delicious juice recipe. Especially useful to combat the build-up of acidity in our diets over the festive months when we all tend to overindulge with sugar, rich or processed foods, caffeine and alcohol. If you don't have a juicer, cartons of organic vegetable juices can be mixed with pressed apple juice and finely grated ginger root for an excellent home-made taste which also works well.
Whizz together a handful of baby spinach leaves (younger leaves taste sweeter) with half a cucumber (keep the skin on for its chlorophyll, a useful alkaline balancer), two stalks of celery, one large carrot and one apple. Choose organic vegetables wherever possible to avoid pesticide residues and post-harvest chemical treatments. Scrub vegetables in mildly soapy water, then rinse well before juicing. Tip: when drinking juice, don't just knock it back in one go, but savour every sip, almost chewing the juice to mix with saliva which makes digestion easier.
Finally, however blue you may be feeling, don't forget to take time out to focus on the positives in life too. As they say, the best things in life are free and there is much truth in this. Think of the things that are most important to you and what makes you smile. The chances are your list will include spending good times with family, the camaraderie and support that true friendship brings, the buzz you get from helping others, giving and receiving hugs and, last but not least, laughing out loud several times a day. All of these wonderfully uplifting things have no cost and yet are priceless beyond measure.
* We recommend you seek medical advice before taking any supplements.