Winter depression is a real disorder that affects thousands of people on a seasonal basis. Many people who suffer from winter depression do not normally suffer from depression or other disorders, and others have a history of depression.

Winter depression is characterized by mild sadness, low energy and lack of motivation. It often starts shortly after the end of daylight savings time, when the days become shorter and it stays dark longer.

While winter depression can be difficult to deal with, there are ways you can prevent and treat it. Here are a few tips that might help.

Exercise More
If you want to fight the symptoms of winter depression, such as lack of motivation and low energy, try exercising more. Exercise will help give you more energy and improve your motivation as well. Walking, jogging and cycling are great options. If you don’t like being outside in the cold, consider getting a gym membership and trying a new sport like basketball or indoor volleyball.

#yoga Yoga For the Winter Blues – Yoga for Depression – http://t.co/jUPsjbjesr pic.twitter.com/zdnCTZRI8t

— Yoga HQ (@yogahqnet) April 29, 2014

Eat Better
Many foods can have an effect on your mood and happiness. If you really want to fight the winter blues, you need to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Drink plenty of water as well. Eating right will also help keep your energy levels up.

Wake Up Earlier
Since less daylight could be one of the reasons people get depressed in the winter, it is important to make the most of the daylight available. By waking up earlier you can spend more time awake during daylight hours and asleep during the nighttime. This will help improve your mood and could give you more motivation as well.

Find A Hobby
Some people associate winter depression with boredom. Most people are less active in the winter because they can’t get outside. If you find yourself bored this winter, find a new hobby that you can enjoy indoors. Consider learning to sew, cross stitch, do wood working or scrapbooking. Staying busy will keep your mind from wandering and fight depression and sadness.

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— ScienceAlert (@ScienceAlert) October 28, 2014

Winter depression may only affect people for a few months out of the year, but for sufferers, those few months can seem like years. Consider these tips to help fight and prevent winter depression from affecting you this season.