By Peggy O'Farrell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

When the winter winds howl and the temperatures drop, it's easy to think of ways to warm the body: Layers of wool and flannel, a cup of hot cocoa or another log on the fire will all do the trick.

But this time of year, many of us are looking for ways to warm the spirit as well, and that's harder than just pulling on a sweater or turning up the heat. Good nutrition, yoga and other exercise, journaling and volunteer work are among the remedies for warming up a winter-weary soul, experts say.

For Aaron Everhard, a psychologist with St. Elizabeth Employee Assistance Program in Edgewood, warming the soul is all about human contact.

"We don't have the same interpersonal contact during the winter that we have during the summer months, when it's nice to go out walking with a friend," Everhard says. "We don't have the same sort of outdoor activities, and it limits our contact. If we can make the effort to go through the phone book and the little black book and call people and make plans to go out for lunch, that can make a big difference."

During the winter and through the holidays, especially, people might feel more isolated if they live away from their families. Adopting a new non-traditional family of friends and acquaintances - some call it an urban tribe - can give a sense of roots and ease the feeling of isolation, Everhard says.

He's also big on letting sunshine in.Opening the drapes or heading outside when the weather allows it can ease winter doldrums.

"There's a lot of research that suggest that ultraviolet light and the rays of the sun have a positive effect on our mood, and so often in the winter, we don't have exposure to the sun," Everhard says.

By mid-January, some of us slide into a post-holiday slump that lasts until spring. Everhard suggests scheduling a few activities to look forward to in January and February to fill the void "so you have things to look forward to to keep your energy focused."

Dr. Elizabeth Woolford, a physician-acupuncturist at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine, swears by exercise in the winter. She makes sure she hits the gym three times a week or more.

"I have a tendency to want to hibernate and be less active, and it's so important to be more active," Woolford says.

Her other suggestions:

• Keep a gratitude journal "that helps you look at the positive parts of your life."

• Helping others is a great way to feel better about life.

• Mind-body exercises like yoga raise serotonin levels and keep winter blahs at bay.

• Good nutrition can keep moods level. High-quality proteins like fish and chicken provide fatty acids without too many calories. Carbohydrates, Woolford says, "put us on an emotional roller coaster," even though they're what we often crave.

• Cutting back on commitments allows more time to reflect and just breathe.