6 ways to beat the midwinter doldrums

The season of frigid temperatures and ice-encrusted everything is now upon us: Winter, with all its attendant gloominess, is here.

But that doesn't mean we're powerless against seasonal mood slumps, according to Dr. Michael Dansinger, MD, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. In fact, there's a whole slew of strategies proven to favorably adjust our internal cocktail of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin - better known as the brain chemicals most integral to happiness.

Here are Dansinger's top six strategies for fending off winter blues the science-backed way.