In January and February, it can be hard to summon a positive attitude about winter. The holidays are over, but the days are still extremely short. The weather is frigid in most parts of the United States, and there’s isn’t another fun holiday until Valentine’s Day, which most people are conflicted about anyway. If you’re just feeling down because of the crummy weather, here are some little tips that will help boost your mood this winter.

Taking care of a loved one suffering from dementia is a selfless act. Caregiving is not an easy job as you have to reduce your working hours, see the mental state of your family member deteriorate, and deal with your own stress, isolation, and ill-health. Therefore, it’s important to equip yourself with tactics, so you can forge ahead with all the help you need.

It’s a no-brainer, choosing healthy foods and living an active lifestyle is not only good for your body, it’s good for your mind too. In fact, past research has indicated that there is a definitive link between what individuals eat and how their brain functions, especially when it comes to mood and mental health.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, affects millions of people every year as the seasons begin to change, the days get colder, and the nights get longer. SAD is a form of depression that occurs during the winter months, and doctors estimate that it affects a large percentage of the population – five percent of people studied say that their SAD interferes with their life on a daily basis.

Potlucks are a staple of the holiday season – whether it’s an appetizer party where everyone contributes a plate of tiny bites or a family holiday meal that’s gotten so large one kitchen simply can’t feed all the guests anymore. While potlucks may seem easy (“everyone just bring whatever you feel like!”), a truly great potluck requires people to make sacrifices.

From board games to video games to other creative pursuits like crafting and using new apps on the computer, people are putting in more effort than ever before to making sure that their brain stays young even as they grow older. Even if you don’t own a computer, there are tons of way to make sure that you stay mentally active. Here’s a list of a few activities you can engage in to help train your brain.