5 strategies to banish the blues

Whether you're overworked, going through a harsh winter or dealing with life's lows, the following strategies will help you maintain good mental health and prevent depression from settling in.

• Many people with depression also have insomnia.
• Changing your sleep location can help.
• You can also reduce insomnia by getting up at the same time every day, never napping for more than 20 minutes, shunning caffeine after three p.m. and relaxing for an hour before bed.

• Sometimes being stuck in a rut is just that. Get out of it and your mood may come along with you.
• Book a day off from work to explore a town nearby. Go out to a restaurant for dinner – even though it's a Tuesday night.
• Take a different route as you drive to work, wear something that is totally "not you," or take your camera and go on a photography walk.
• For a major blue mood, it might be time for a vacation.

• Many people feel depressed during the winter months, when they travel to and from work in darkness and don't get enough natural sunlight.
• Physical exercise, however, encourages the release of hormones and neurochemicals that boost mood.
• Walking outside during the day will give you a few short doses of sunlight, also shown to improve mood, particularly in winter.

• When something goes wrong, resist the urge to beat yourself up mentally.
• When you catch yourself berating yourself for some supposed failing, replace your negative thoughts with the phrase, "I am doing the best I know how to do. When I know a better way and can do it, I will."

It could be hiking, canoeing or cycling. Let the combination of nature and physical activity work their magic on your mood.