DOVER -- Mary Ulinski's winters growing up in Dover were filled with activity.

Everyone in Ulinski's neighborhood took to the hills with their sleds, and she and her friends frequently would go skating on any patch of ice they could find.

They often used a small pond behind the Dover Library, or went to the Churchill Rink in Durham. Even if snow needed to be brushed or shoveled off the ice, they would skate.

"Back then, it seemed like there were always little areas where my friends and I could go skating," said the retired Foster's community editor, who lives now in Sanbornville.

"I grew up with a love for being outdoors in the winter. Those were special times."

For many, winter is a time to stay indoors until spring arrives. It can be hard to leave a warm room with TV and comfort food handy when outside temperatures are below freezing and the ski is gray or dark.

But for others, winter offers opportunities to stay active, outside and inside.

For people like Ulinski, 70, winter is a favorite time to get outside.

"I have more activities in the winter than I do in the summer," she said.

That's a good thing, because winter's dark days and lack of warm weather activity can lead to depression for some, even those who grew up with New England winters.

Sandy Rose, a psychologist with Goodwin Community Health in Somersworth, said there is no defined medical term for winter depression. Rather, it's just one variation of the general feeling of malaise known as depression.

Rose cites the holidays as a factor in depression in winter because there are more social obligations and financial stresses. But the driving force behind winter depression is the weather.

"Because of the weather, people tend to be more indoors and a little more socially isolated in some ways," Rose said. "They also have less energy and don't do as much, and that can affect your mood even more."

At this time of year, many people find it harder to find activities to do outdoors even though exercise is the best way to target a lack of energy in the winter.

It all relates to melatonin and serotonin levels, hormones in the human body that influence sleep and mood, especially depression.

Movement and light increase the levels of these hormones in our bodies, and in the winter inactivity and staying inside decreases them.

"It's a vicious cycle," Rose said.

Diane Levesque, 61, of Rochester, used to dread the winter and the cold. But ever since she discovered snowshoe running five years ago, she looks forward to snow.

"If I wasn't snowshoeing in the winter, I don't know what I'd do," Levesque said. "I'd have to move. It's what makes winter fun. It gives us something to look forward to."

It's an up-and-coming sport, she said, and there are national and even international championships and races. At the end of January, she will be racing in the World Snowshoe Running Championship in Quebec City.

She would never had tried it if her friends didn't convince her to do a race. It was at night in an open field, and she could only see the other competitors' headlights. This and the feeling of running through the snow was exhilarating and she said she was hooked.

"You can take your snowshoes and run anywhere," Levesque said. "That's such a cool feeling."

Snowshoe running makes the winter fun and gives Levesque something to look forward to doing with friends, family and pets.

For others who don't enjoy the cold, Levesque said staying active with others makes the experience more enjoyable and is motivating. The Acidotic Racing organization has a website she recommends that lists events, and hosts several races throughout the year.

"That can get you motivated for a goal to work toward," Levesque said. "When I know there's a race, I look forward to it."

Ulinski said she's never worried about winter blues, and she attributes her positive attitude to staying active.

She still skates, and she also skis, both alpine and nordic styles.

Ulinski runs and bikes in the summer; but the outdoor winter sports have always excited her the most.

"The cool air is refreshing," she said. "To be outdoors, I feel somewhat energized to be out in the cool air and moving. Later it's so nice (to) come get warmed up by the fire. There's a lot of ambience afterward."

Exercising outdoors is especially refreshing in the winter, she said, because it gets her out to enjoy what little sunlight there is during a time of year when it is limited.

That's why Rose, at Goodwin Community Health, also recommends light therapy during the winter months. Artificially increasing the amount of light in a day with lamps can lead to better moods and better sleep, she said.

Light is embraced and utilized at Lona Kovacs' Green Lotus Yoga Studio in Dover during the winter, which typically draws more students in winter than other parts of the year.

Located on 10 Franklin Plaza in Dover, Green Lotus' windows face south, keeping the studio sunny with natural light almost all day. Some yoga classes are held especially early enough to catch the sunrise.

"It's really uplifting for me to be here," Kovacs said.

There are a lot of customers trying to stay true to New Year's resolutions, Kovacs said, and others are desperate to get out of the confines of their homes.

While Green Lotus' classes are offered all year, Kovacs said they are especially helpful during the winter months.

In her yoga and meditation classes, Kovacs focuses on breathing, movement and minimizing distractions. Controlling one's breathing and improving one's strength and flexibility increases circulation in the body, reducing stress.

"It allows the mind to calm," Kovacs said. "And when we do that, the body calms."

That's particularly important in the winter, she said, because learning how to reduce one's stress can help with the winter blues.

She also tells students in the nutrition classes she offers to eat healthy produce and drink plenty of water. This can drastically improve one's emotional well-being when combined with exercise.

All of these things help with winter blues, something Kovacs said she also has dealt with some years.

"It's changed my life," Kovacs said. "It's enabled me to contain these winter blues."

While Ulinksi loves the outdoors, she's no stranger to indoor exercising and classes. Before she moved from Dover to Sanbornville just over a year ago, she used to take exercise classes at the Dover Senior Center year-round. Monday to Friday, the senior center offers cardio, chair yoga, and muscle strength classes.

Finding friends to go to classes with is a great way to start winter activities, Ulinski said. There are plenty of resources for those who really want to dive into a new sport or activity.

National Standard Race, or NASTAR, is an outlet for skiers who have a competitive edge. Once registered, members are added to NASTAR's ranking database where skiers can submit times and compete against each other.

For group-oriented experiences, she recommends the Seacoast Ski Club and the Rochester Runners Club, which hold races and group events all year.

Whether exercising indoors in a class or braving the elements outdoors, Ulinski said it's never too late to start something new. She was in her 50s when she started skiing and running, and now it has become a new way of life for her.

"I'd say just give it a try," she said. "Just do it ... and you may find that you'll like it ... getting out and doing things. It's an adventure."

(c)2015 the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.)

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(c) Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H.