If you are a Canadian, or live in a northern climate, you are accustomed to frigid temperatures and long hours in the dark. As a Canadian, we are born to accept winter as part of our heritage. However, for some of us, it never becomes a welcome piece of ourselves.
The ill-effects of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) can be felt from late autumn throughout the winter months. Symptoms may include increased appetite, increased desire for sleep, lethargy, social withdrawal and unhappiness. For these reasons, SAD can mimic more severe depression and should be investigated by a health care provider.
As with other forms of mood disorders with depressive-type symptoms, there are some natural options.
*Keep it Moving– Exercise (including walking, running, aerobics, yoga) can increase endorphins and boost mood. It has been shown over and over to decrease depression. Take walks outside to expose yourself to natural sunlight. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a regular habit. You may even enjoy side-effects including increased metabolism, promotion of regular sleep cycles and increased energy!
*Light Bright- Certain lamps are designed to mimic sunlight. These can be especially helpful in SAD. Just be careful not to use these lights in the evening, since it will inhibit your body’s ability to respond to natural decrease of light, and thus compromise the production of your sleep hormone melatonin. Although SAD may cause sleep disturbances, maintaining regular bedtime routines is crucial.
*Don’t Worry, Eat Happy- Serotonin, the “happy hormone,” is often decreased in people with low mood. To boost serotonin, consider increasing tryptophan (which gets turned into serotonin) through diet by consuming foods like turkey, nuts and seeds, bananas and soy. Starchy foods are often sought as a way to increase serotonin in the short-term but is usually an ineffective long-term strategy. Adequate nutritional status is important and includes maintaining balance of many other nutrients such as vitamin B12 and iron, which are implicated in energy and mood. Be sure to focus on a whole foods diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and low in starches, to promote emotional health.
*The Sunshine Vitamin– Some sources say that a deficiency of vitamin D (the “sunshine vitamin” that also acts as a hormone) is related to SAD. Talk to your doctor about supplementing throughout the winter months if you are prone to SAD. This can also be done preventatively.
*Staycations– If you can’t get away to a sunny destination to synthesize some of your own vitamin D and get away from it all, then take a “staycation.” Sometimes just getting away from routines of daily life can be enough to recharge your batteries. Just be sure to treat this time as a vacation and avoid falling victim to every-day duties at home or work.
As the transition of winter into spring occurs, the time change poses new challenges, but also signals the upcoming summer. It may take some time to become regulated to the new schedule, but soon your body will recognize the increased hours of sunlight and this may be all that’s needed to end another season of SAD.
***As always, contact a health care practitioner if you experience severe mood disturbance or for prolonged mood changes. Other conditions such as thyroid conditions or nutritional imbalance may be complicating or contributing to mood changes. See your health care practitioner for proper intake and testing to rule out these concerns. Dietary recommendations are general guidelines and should not be applied to every case. Proper intake and assessment is required for an individualized plan.
