For many people, the winter months can bring on bouts of seasonal depression disorder. You can't change the weather or climate, but you can take some steps to alleviate those gloomy winter blues.

Also known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, winter depression can affect people in varying degrees of severity. Some individuals feel only mind symptoms of depression; for others, SAD may be extreme enough to require hospitalization.

And in a number of people, seasonal affective disorder affects not their mood, but their energy level. They are unable to successfully do the things they want to do because of lack of energy.

Well, guess what. Life is too short and precious to waste even one single day on dreariness and depression. If you are suffering from seasonal depression disorder, you might find the following tips helpful.

1. Get yourself some SAD lights. Health experts believe that exposure to additional light helps improve the moods of people suffering from the winter blues. SAD lights are devices specially designed to simulate the brightness of natural sunlight, but with no side effects.

2. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can contribute to feelings of anxiety, tension, and gastrointestinal system problems. Alcohol can make mood swings even worse, something you don't want if you are at risk for SAD or are already suffering from it.

3. Escape winter -- literally. If you can, move away for a few weeks or months to a warmer climate where there is plenty of natural sunshine. A beach vacation somewhere with temperate weather will do wonders when it comes to eliminating your SAD symptoms.