Beating the Winter Blues - by Jack Hanneman

With fall coming to a close and winter inching closer, for some of us this is the start of Seasonal Affective Disorder or Winter Depression as it may also be known as. Winter Depression is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. On Wikipedia.org they talk about signs and symptoms are lack of energy, craving carbohydrates, difficulty concentrating on or completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family and social activities – which all lead to depression. I personally tend to embrace the winter and the more snow the better is great for me . . . breaking out the snow mobiles, ice fishing, and heading North is something I love about living in Michigan. But, on those weeks when getting out is not possible, some things I do to curb the winter blues, is taking a walk with my wife and girls through the well-lit mall, taking on projects that keep me focused on the task - not the weather, using the winter months to plan summer vacations, and when possible we’ll try and take a family trip south. If cold is not your thing and if your philosophy is staying inside is better than getting out, I encourage you to look forward, keep your widows open during daylight hours, and invite friends or family over for coffee, games or dinner.