Try these 5 tips to lift your mood and get you into a happier state of mind.

Go and tan. No really.

OK not literally. However lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone melatonin, this can trigger a dispirited mood and put you into a lethargic condition.

Melatonin which is only produced in the dark lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish and tired. So being stuck in a dark room, would want to make you go to bed and sleep. This is the bodies' natural sleep inducing mechanism.

So the dark winter season is the reason why many people suffer from depression much more often in winter than when summer sunshine pervades. The nights are longer, so more melatonin is produced in winter, leading to a normally lethargic and apathetic state.

Brighter lights in your room, a walk outside during lunchbreak and just generally seeing more of the light of day can help here.Take frequent walks instead of driving in a car over short distances.

Just do it as Nike would say. Get Busy. Get Inspired.

When you are actively involved with something, you'll be more likely to overcome any feeling of depression if you are too busy to notice it. Actively live an inspired life.

Do what you love. Free activities, like strolling through the park, reading an inspirational book and the like will boost your feeling of wellbeing. Partake in sports, or watch something that you are passionate about. This will take your mind of your problems and allow other creative thoughts enter your mind.e.

Set a goal - a meaningful purpose in life. No matter how difficult or discouraging life can be, remain firm and have an unshakable belief that you are capable of doing anything you desire. With this kind of positive attitude, you will become excited about life and attain a cheerful disposition to beat the blues.

Stop doing it. Yes take a break I mean it.

Listen to soothing music. Soak in a nice warm bath. Ask one of your close friends to massage you. Take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around. In other words, have fun. Give your body and mind a chance to catch up and chill out.

A healthy body and a healthy mind. Eat right and Stay Fit.

Avoid foods with lots of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol. Sugar and caffeine may give you a brief moment of energy; but they would later bring about anxiety , tension, due to the sugar level instability they cause in your system. Alcohol is actually a depressant. Drinking alcohol to "forget your problems", won't make them go away. They will usually be even bigger when you sober up. You are just aggravating the condition in the process.

Exercising regularly is a tremendous depression buster because it raises your bodies endorphin levels. Endorphins are sometimes called "the happy chemicals" because of their stress-reducing and happiness-inducing properties. This is why you often hear runners talk of a high they get during running a long race.

Get out and about.

Human beings are naturally gregarious creatures. We all want to be surrounded by caring friends. Your circle of friends are there to give you moral support. Spending time and engaging in worthwhile activities with them could give you a very satisfying feeling. Few things are as powerful as having group support.

Never underestimate the power of touch. Doesn't it feel so good when someone pats you on the back and gives you words of encouragement during your most challenging times? Hug or embrace someone today. You'll never know when you have saved another life.

Get intimate.

Establish close ties with your family and friends. If nothing else, the love and care expressed by others could tremendously boost your immune system and help to fend off illnesses. Best of all, you'll live a more secured and happy life. The feeling of being cared about, was proven to be more highly regarded than money in many tests.

So, decide to get to grips with your life. Stop wallowing in self pity, and get on with it. Inspired action of any kind will take a huge chunk out of the power of a depression