Attention Mainers and other cold-weather dwellers- it’s now officially mid-November! This is the time to develop your SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) prevention plan. Let’s face it, SAD is a real problem for us living in the dark and cold for months out of the year. Yes, you can always move south, but for those of us who prefer this way of life- I recommend a few tips for keeping up your SAD resistance:

1. Sun. Find it. Sit in your car or under the atrium window at the mall. Take cues from the felines in your life- they’ll show you where all the sunny places are.
2. Talk to your doctor about supplements. Vitamin D can be a particular problem for Northerners.
3. Exercise. I know you won’t feel like it, but you really need to in order to feel okay. I just don’t think you can make it through the winter without physical movement. Walking, yoga, Zumba…get out of your comfort zone and find something you like.
4. Socialize. Isolating yourself will be an open invitation for SAD. You must reach out to others, social networking online is not the same thing! Talk to people face to face. Bonus points for walking and talking.
5. Embrace the season. People spend good money to come experience New England in winter. Find something to love about living here in winter. It can be an outdoor activity or an indoor one that just feels more special in the winter.

How do you keep SAD at bay?