(HealthScoutNews) -- If frigid temperatures are getting to you, the University of Washington advises you take some simple steps to beat those winter blues:

• Spend time outdoors every day and either don't wear any sunglasses or don a lightly tinted pair for at least 20 minutes. When your eyes are exposed to sunlight, serotonin, a feel-good chemical, is released.
• Eat foods with a glycemic index that's below 50. This will raise your blood sugar slowly and help balance your serotonin levels.