Well…
We enjoyed our time off work and we caught up with friends and family over great food and drink. Christmas is over...New Year’s is over...short weeks are over...we are feeling fat and sluggish. We had all of that joy but now we are back into reality. On top of that we are into the long stretch between now and Easter. Which feels soooo far away! Ugh.
If you are like me the ”Post Holiday Blues/Winter Blues” whatever you want to call it, have you feeling a little depressed. It’s dark, it’s cold and there isn’t much to look forward too. Just working away the days until spring.
Days like these make it a lot easier to just stay curled up in bed especially on weekends. At least until spring! Right?!
Wrong!
Get Your Ass To The Gym!
Lift your spirits by lifting weights. Our depressed feelings are really just negative chemical reactions. Beta-endorphins, the family of chemicals that alleviate depression, are released when we laugh. We did a lot of that over the holidays, and now the laughs are over. Also, sunlight creates biochemical changes that lifts your mood as well and we are definitely not getting any of that. So the only thing we’ve got left is hitting the iron!
A study done in 2008 backs this up: Subjects who were the most fit were also the least likely to experience depression.
The feeling of accomplishment that follows a run or workout is often described as “euphoric”. Those crazy people that love running refer to it as a “runner's high”. I have never experienced that. Running is like torture to me, But getting out and challenging yourself physically will most definitely be followed by a positive and energizing outlook on life. You feel good instantly and have a more positive self-image.
Try Some Stretch Therapy!
Stretching and breathing is also an effective treatment for depression because it helps hike up levels of those same chemicals we were talking about in the brain.
Try a yoga class, or try out a Fascial Stretch Therapy Session with me! Then you only have to lay there and I will take you through the stretches and breathing.
Nutrient Deficient...Try adding some Supplements
Depressed patients have been proven to have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are primarily found in fish. Just 2 to 3 grams of fish oil a day can leave you feeling happier.
Also, St. John's wort has not yet been proven effective against major depression, but the over-the-counter herb can help minor depression. It's sold as a capsule, tea, or liquid extract.
