Winter can be a tough time for anybody (which is why I live in LA!). However, this is especially pronounced if you have “a habit of suffering with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the winter blues,” as BeatTheWinterBlues.info put it. In a recent article they talk about how the TM technique can be an effective tool for keeping your spirits up during these darker, colder winter months.

“You’ve got a whole bunch to report from improving the brain response to stress (and pain) to reducing the chances of you getting heart failure. Plus, studies have shown that it can help to reduce the risks of post-traumatic stress disorders in serving soldiers, assist children so that they learn faster and for longer, helps to lower stress levels, reduce anxiety, and even lift the mood when depression has reared its ugly head. There have even been proven reports that this type of meditation can relieve the suffering symptoms of insomnia. Aren’t these a lot of the symptoms that you get with SAD?”

Norman Rosenthal, a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown Medical School and the first researcher to describe Seasonal Affective Disorder, also supports practicing the TM technique to help with the winter blues. And you don’t have to be practicing for years and years, or even weeks, to feel the benefits:

But how exactly can the TM technique help with the symptoms of SAD? Beat The Winter Blues explains:

“Now let’s get to the science-y stuff. TM or Transcendental Meditation can help you reduce the cortisol levels in the body. This is the hormone responsible for causing stress. […] When you feel really stressed out after a hard day at work, or are having a rough night because all you want to do is sleep and the kids are playing up, TM could be just the thing to help bust you out of those winter blues.”

If you’ve experienced SAD or the winter blues in the past, check out this infographic from Dr. Rosenthal’s site. There is no better way to get ahead than to start, so don’t wait until you’re in the grips of SAD to take steps to be happy!