Donna Torney: Bothered by the Winter Blues? It’s time to winterize your brain

With leaves starting to turn and the evenings cooling off, we know that the winter months are not far behind. In the Mount Washington Valley, this signals a time for enjoying winter sports and beautiful snow-covered scenery. For many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, however, this may also signal a dip in physical energy levels, low mood and irritability, trouble with concentration and decreased motivation.

Whether you are feeling a slight dread of the shorter days and longer nights, or you consistently experience full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder, know that your are not alone. The National Institutes of Health reports that as much as 18 percent of the population in northern parts of the country experience winter blues.