As the cold days pass, some of us may find we are getting the winter-won’t-end blues. But Richard Winett, a professor of psychology at Virginia Tech, explains how we can ditch those blues and get healthy for the rest of the season.

Q: How long have you been in psychology?
A: I obtained my doctorate in psychology in 1971.

Q: Do you believe that exercise can affect your mood?
A: Yes, exercise can clearly affect mood through a number of different mechanisms, some physiological and some behavioral and psychological.

Q: What are the best exercises that teens can do if they want to boost their mood?
A: Given that people want to enhance their mood, there are a couple of things to consider that are often not part of the discussion.

Likely, what is important for elevating mood is finding the type of exercise and physical activity that you enjoy, and especially performing that exercise and physical activity in a way that best suits you.

For example, some people really like a lot of structure and goals for their exercise and physical activity.

Some people are just the opposite. So, exercise and physical activity can enhance mood, likely to the extent that what a person is doing is enjoyable.

If we like what we’re doing, exercise and physical activity can be exhilarating. If we don’t, it can feel like drudgery and have negative effects on our mood.

Q: Does it affect your results if you exercise in a gym as opposed to in the outdoors?
A: Again, this really is a matter of personal preference and enjoyment.