Rainy-day Mood Boosters

Our mood can be strongly affected by the weather. Many people experience periods of sadness or depression when it rains, known as the "rainy-day blues." Weather-related depression is common and quite normal, but it can negatively impact our lives, sapping motivation and causing us to withdraw from social contact. While there's nothing that we can do to change the weather, there are a few things that we can do to boost our spirits and clear away the rainy-day blues.

Turn on the lights

Part of the reason that rainy days dampen our mood is that the clouds block out the sunlight. Sunlight is a natural mood booster, and without it, our bodies and minds can begin to feel sluggish. Turning on the lights can help counteract this effect. Incandescent bulbs are more effective than fluorescent., and many hardware stores also sell light bulbs called "full-spectrum" light, which closely mimics sunlight. These bulbs are even more effective at boosting mood.

Lemon balm tea

Lemon balm is an age-old remedy for depression. The warmth alone will help to combat the rainy-day blues, and the lemon is a proven mood booster. Sweeten with honey for a unique flavor and extra essential minerals.

Stay active

Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that can boost mood and lift your spirits. While the rain may have you stuck indoors, there are still plenty of ways to get enough exercise to stimulate your brain into releasing these "happy chemicals." Try running up and down the stairs a couple of times, or doing jumping jacks. Crank up the stereo and dance your heart out, or even vacuum the living room. Any kind of movement will help lift your spirits.

Eat right

When our bodies are unhealthy, our mood can plummet. Stay away from the junk food on a rainy day - even though ice cream may seem like a good "comfort food," it does not supply the body with essential nutrients, and can actually lower your mood even more. Stock up on proteins and whole grains, and remember to take your vitamins. Avoid sugary snacks and caffeine if possible - these can be temporary mood boosters, but when the sugar and caffeine are filtered out of your system, you are likely to "crash," making your mood even worse than it was before.

Call a friend

Social contact may be the last thing we want to do when we're feeling down, but it is one of the best ways to defeat the blues. Call a friend with whom you haven't spoken in a while, or just go to a public place such as the grocery store. Depression is a nasty beast - it causes us to withdraw from other people, even though social contact is the single best way to eliminate depression. Even if it's just a five-minute phone call, that connection with another person can be the ticket to pulling you out of your funk.

There's no need to suffer through the rainy-day blues. Get moving, turn on the lights, eat healthy food, and get in touch with a friend, and you're sure to kick that sour mood in no time.