Health Hacks: Fight the winter blues with these tips

Welcome to Health Hacks with Doctor Mike, a weekly video series to learn the latest tips and tricks to ensure you're as healthy as can be.

As the temperature drops, the days get shorter and sunlight disappears, a lot of people may realize they are struggling with what has been deemed the winter blues. Although it's not officially recognized as a medical term, this gloomy state of being is fairly common, according to the National Institute of Health. However, there are many ways to ensure your energy and overall happiness are not compromised by the changing of the seasons.

Read on to discover more of Doctor Mike's hacks on fighting those winter blues.

1. Vitamin D: Low levels actually go hand-in-hand with winter blues and exacerbate those symptoms. While foods such as salmon, eggs and mushrooms naturally have higher levels of vitamin D, supplements are also a good source of the vitamin -- make sure to talk to your primary care physician first!

2. Get moving: Beat those winter blues by moving and getting those endorphins circulating. Whether it's yoga or cycling, there are plenty of indoor exercises you can do to make sure you stay active.

3. Sunlight: Try to spend at least 30 minutes outside. Sunlight can help boost your mood, but it will also reset your circadian rhythm, so you can fall asleep faster at night.

4. Avoid random snacking: Especially with holidays right around the corner, make sure mindless snacking and social grazing are done at a minimum to benefit both your mind and body.

5. Disconnect to connect: While it may be called social media, social media is actually not the best social activity. In-person social interaction, whether it be over meals or sports, is great for our minds.

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