00:00 With the colder weather this time of year, many people are hunkering down and spending more time indoors.
00:05 And although it's comfy to curl up on the couch, doing this too much can make it easy to come down with seasonal affective disorder, or just simply the winter blues.
00:15 You may notice that you don't want to go out as much anymore, maybe because it's darker outside, you know, we don't have as much sunlight.
00:23 You may feel more irritable, a little bit more impatient with things. You may also notice that your appetite might increase, and so you may notice you eat a little bit more too.
00:33 It's important to find ways to stay active. Along with reducing your risk of chronic diseases, exercise can be a great way to boost your mood.
00:40 And when the temperatures drop, try not to rely too heavily on comfort foods. Eating healthy can do wonders for your mental health as well.
00:47 One way to combat those winter blues is to get out when the skies are blue. Get out and take a jog, walk the dogs, but do what you can to take advantage of the nice weather when it comes around.
00:59 Vitamin D is produced in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight, but with the cold weather and less sun, people may also find some relief through light therapy, which involves using a special lamp to mimic sunlight.
01:12 Another way to keep the winter blues at bay is to stay social. Dr. Pruitt urges people to contact someone they've been meeting to connect with.
01:19 Maybe it is a family member that you reconnected with during the holidays that you really want to reach out to. I would encourage you, go ahead and reach out to that person.
01:27 Or maybe there's a friend that you saw over the holidays, maybe someone you grew up with. I would just encourage, go ahead and reach out to those folks.
01:34 For AccuWeather, I'm meteorologist Tony Laubach.
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