Beat the Summertime Blues

Your baby is keeping you up at night. The days are a bit of a blur. You’re going through the motions of caring for your child but you feel out of it. Or maybe you’re having a terrible week at work or at home. Whether you’re going through a tough transition or just feel blasé about your life – you’ve got a case of the summertime blues.

When you feel down, it’s easy to turn to food for comfort. But then of course, there’s the vicious cycle of gaining even more weight. Just one more reason to feel depressed!

Life naturally will ebb and flow. Some days will be all sunshine, and others you just trudge through. On those down days, here are a few things you can do to lift your mood:

1. Exercise. The benefits of exercise are numerous from releasing muscle tension, helping you sleep better, and reducing the level of your stress hormones. “Increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression and anxiety," says Kristin Vickers-Douglas, Ph.D., a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Do exercises that you enjoy. If you hate the gym, skip it and join a tennis club instead. If you love being outdoors, take up hiking, biking or rowing.

2. Eat smart. The temptation is to dive into that bag of cookies, stop by the donut store, or splurge with a “Death by Chocolate” type of dessert. Sure, at the moment, you will be loving life. But afterwards, your blood sugar will come crashing down and you’ll be left feeling tired, irritable and worse than when you started.

Instead, choose power foods that will satisfy your hunger and boost your mood. Try blueberries or strawberries with yogurt for your sweet tooth.

3. Encourage. When you take time to reach out to a friend, guess what happens? You will be lifted yourself in the process. Think of a person who could use a boost and give her a call, plan an outing together, or write a note or email to say you care.

For more about beating the summertime blues, listen to my podcast titled “Beating the Summertime Blues" by visiting my website.

Arlene Pellicane, mother of a toddler and infant, helps women lose their baby weight and thrive as wives and mothers. Visit Arlene's website for free articles and podcasts at www.losingweightafterbaby.com or blog at losingweightafterbaby.wordpress.com

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