No one knows the exact number of people dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) on a regular basis each year, but some reports state it may be as much as 20%. Whether you’re actually suffering from SAD or merely have a case of the winter blues, you may be looking for natural winter mood boosters you can use. You may want to try some of these ideas to improve your mood during the colder months and see if they help you.

The brain uses neurotransmitters to allow brain cells to communicate with one another. An imbalance in neurotransmitters can produce symptoms of depression, obesity, carbohydrate cravings, migraine headaches, and anxiety. If you can build up the neurotransmitters such as melatonin or serotonin, you can effectively improve your mood during the winter months.

One way to increase serotonin is to take St. John’s Wort which has been used for centuries to treat depression, melancholy, or hysteria. Build up serotonin levels in your brain and you may notice a marked improvement in your sleep patterns, sex drive, and body temperature. St. John’s Wort, a natural winter mood booster, is used in some countries rather than prescribing Prozac or other anti-depressants.

Besides St. John’s Wort, you may also want to consider taking Gingko Biloba or Ginseng. Both of these are said to improve both mood and symptoms of depression. You may be able to find these herbs, along with St. John’s Wort, at discount stores or dollar stores, but you may want to visit a health food store to determine which the best choice is for you.

Another natural way to boost your mood during the winter months is to get outside as much as possible. Natural daylight is one way to increase the production of serotonin. Of course, with the weather being colder, you may have to bundle up and brave the cold to get the extra sunlight, but your brain and your mood will thank you.

Increase your intake of vitamin B6, a precursor to creating serotonin, which is found in fish, lentils, potatoes, spinach, carrots, and sunflower seeds. L-tryptophan, another amino acid precursor, is also great for boosting moods. You can find L-tryptophan in foods such as baked potatoes with their skins on, roasted pumpkin seeds, and kelp.

Despite the fact you may not feel like doing much, exercise is also a good natural winter mood booster. If you take up skiing, snow-shoeing, or some other sport which will get you outside, you’ll receive the benefit of the natural sunlight as well as exercise to help you feel better. Of course, any type of exercise will make you feel better, so if you can’t exercise outside, doing exercises indoors will suffice.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of winter blues or SAD, you may want to give one or more of these natural winter mood boosters a try. You may find using these ideas can help you look forward to the winter months rather than dreading them.