Feeling those winter blues? January is the time of year when people are recovering from the holiday rush, detoxing from their overly-rich holiday diet, and feeling the pressure of fulfilling their New Year’s resolution.
In Chinese Medicine there are 2 universal energies that create balance in life: one is Yin and the other is Yang. January is the Yin time of year with energy being more passive, inward, and resting — all elements related to darkness. Yang is the opposite — being more active, aggressive, energetic, and full of light. During the winter, people stay inside, are not as active, often curling up due to the cold weather outside and experiencing more darkness in the morning and evening, as well as more cloudy days. Yang relates to the summer time where people are more active, energetic, happy, feeling on fire, and experiencing the sunlight more often.
Due to the passive nature of Yin, many people begin to experience the winter blues following the holidays. We start settling into winter, slowing down, sleeping more and as a result feel more stuck or stagnant in our lives. Because of this excessive yin, there isn’t enough yang energy to balance it. As a result, people can experience sadness, depression, and lack of motivation.
At The Herbal Kind, we help many people overcome these winter blues feelings with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and guidance for improving your health and wellness. Please check out our tips for help overcoming the winter blues as well as the herb of the month, He Huan Hua (Flos. Albizziae Julibrissin) which is helpful in alleviating depression.
Tips for Overcoming the Winter Blues:
Light — Try to make time to get outdoors in the sunlight in the middle of the day. If weather doesn’t permit, try some light therapy.
Mini Vacation or Stay-cation — Try a change of scenery; get out of the house and do something different.
Acupuncture — This therapy helps release certain neurotransmitters in the brain to alleviate depression.
Herbal Medicine — Try this natural alternative for alleviating depression before trying prescription medication.
Supplements — The right nutritional supplements can help boost your health and your outlook on life.
Exercise — Get moving. Start an active exercise regimen 2-3X per week to revitalize the body.
Meditation and Prayer — Either of these two spiritual activities can bring positive energy to you. Research shows that regular meditative practices can help treat depression and anxiety.
Watch a comedy series — If you are curled up on the couch, laughter is the best medicine!