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Welcome to Dream Vacations, a lifestyle column on traveling to amazing destinations with practical advice and my revelations about locales from years of personal experience. Did you know the ‘Winter Blues’ is an actual malady? You do not even have to be in an extreme northern climate to be affected either. It’s a good thing there is an easy fix to the winter blues: head to the sunny shores of Hawaii or Southern California.

What is the Winter Blues?  

In the winter, no matter where you live in the world, it is called winter, simply because your area of the planet is receiving less direct sunlight as the earth turns on its axis and is the furthest from the sun at that point. Up to 20% of Americans suffer from the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This reduced sunlight can actually cause:

  • dips in serotonin a regulator of our emotions
  • an altered level of the hormone melatonin, affecting our moods and sleep patterns
  • and disruptions to our circadian rhythms, which help control sleep patterns.

In the worst-case scenarios, you can actually be diagnosed with SAD a real form of depression. Remember, this is a chemical imbalance that is beyond your initial control.

 

Tips for Fighting the Winter Blues

I realize traveling south is not a solution for everyone, and obviously you cannot vacation in sunnier climes the entire winter, so here are some quick tips for fighting the winter blues at home, while you dream of your next vacation in Hawaii at a Westin, Marriott, Hyatt or other gorgeous property provided by Dream Vacations:

  1. Exercise: movement and exercise is considered one of the best ways to increase serotonin and other hormones that regulate our moods and emotions, keeping sadness and depression at bay.
  2. Sunlight: when the sun is out, get outside and enjoy its healing rays.
  3. Various Therapies: medication, light therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are options after talking to a medical professional.

 

Sunny Options

Those that travel during the winter can attest and I can personally vouch, that getting away for a week during the winter tends to rejuvenate your spirits. The simple act of relaxing on a beach, soaking up the sun is more than just the de-stressing part of a vacation but the sun’s rays can have a healing affect against the winter blues.

 

Want to get away from the winter blues? We currently have deals for Hawaii destinations. Feel free to call me about any of our other resorts for February and March 2020.

 

Tags: winter blues, seasonal affective disorder, winter getaway, family vacation,  beach vacation, Maui, Hawaii