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How to Beat Winter Depression. A Doctor's Solution

As the cold New York winter closed in, Matthew, a Manhattan stockbroker, visited his doctor suffering from depression. He was diagnosed with a common problem caused by cold, lack of sunshine and constant exposure to artificial light.
The doctor's advice: "Go somewhere warm and sunny, now!

One major cause of depression is depletion of the body's stores of vitamin D, known as the "sunshine vitamin". The main source of vitamin D is sunshine.

Serotonin, the brain hormone associated with mood elevation, rises with exposure to sunlight, according to a 2002 report in the well respected medical journal, Lancet. Low levels of serotonin can also cause depression.

Matthew had not taken a holiday for 3 years. When he visited a travel agent with his partner Rebecca, the suggestion was immediate and definite.

"Go to Australia. It's warm and sunny at this time of the year and you'll just love it. Many of my clients have visited Australia from November to March to escape the Northern Hemisphere winter and they all regarded it as the experience of a lifetime."

I met Matthew and Rebecca on the holiday island of Rottnest, just a short ferry ride off the coast of Western Australia. They both looked happy and relaxed.

They even had a suntan and were following a 5 point plan suggested by their travel agent.

Here is Matthew's story.

1. "Our first stop after the long flight across the Pacific,was Sydney. It was a city we really loved. We had seen it on TV during the Olympic Games and it far exceeded our expectations.

We loved the warm climate, visited Bondi and Manly beaches and took a number of ferry rides across the fantastic harbour. We even climbed to the top of the famous bridge, took a tour of the Opera House and enjoyed some great restaurants around Circular Quay and Darling Harbor.

2. I am a train lover, so the idea of traveling by train from the east coast to Perth on the west coast, excited us. When we boarded the "Indian Pacific" at Sydney Central station, it felt like a real adventure. We were on the train for three days and the time passed so quickly.

The meals were superb and we really felt as if we were experiencing Outback Australia. When the train made a brief stop at the tiny settlement of Cook on the Nullabor Plain, the outside temperature was 110F or around 42C!

3. Perth was a real surprise. It is a city you don't hear much about in the US, but is very popular with travelers from Asia and Europe. It was not difficult to see why. It is smaller than Sydney and has a climate similar to San Diego.

We loved the warm sunshine, clear sunny days, relaxing lifestyle and the beautiful Swan River, right on the city's doorstep. The ferry ride down the river to the port of Fremantle and across to Rottnest Island was a trip highlight.

We plan to stay 2 nights at "Rotto" as the locals call it, enjoying the pristine beaches, cycling around the island and tasting the local seafood. What a beautiful spot!

Future Plans.

4. Hire a car in Perth and travel around the south west of Western Australia, visiting more beaches, sampling local wines, some surfing at Yallingup and enjoying the pristine Karri rain forests. There is a tree top walk at Walpole, we are told is a "must see" visit.

5. Flight from Perth to Cairns, stopping at Alice Springs to see Ayres Rock and King's Canyon. We plan to visit the rain forests near Cairns and Port Douglas and take a train trip up to the mountains at Kuranda.

Our final highlight before heading back to LA and then home, is the Great Barrier Reef. Our plan is to take a "Quicksilver" cruise from Port Douglas, just north of Cairns to the outer barrier reef.

We had been told that the Australian summer is not the best time to visit North Queensland. It is likely to be rainy and very humid. The Aussies call it the "troppo" season.

One thing's for sure. We know it will be warm. And that's why we came to Australia in the first place."

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