Have the winter blues suddenly got you down? In the beginning of winter, with all the holiday cheer, excitement and joys of the holiday season, our mind tends to refrain from any type of winter blues. This comes as no surprise, as most of us are in the midst of spending time with family, opening gifts, traveling, listening to gleeful Christmas music and chowing down on some delicious ham and sugar cookies. But, sadly, holiday cheer, as we know it, is shortly lived and in comes the infamous “winter blues”, notoriously welcoming many of us.
What is the “Winter Blues” and how do we get it?
If you’ve experienced the winter blues you know the feeling: You’re extremely exhausted, slightly irritable, wanting to eat your feelings and to perfectly sum it up, you’re feeling quite ‘blah’. According to The National Institute of Health, “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer.” This is known to many of us as the “Winter Blues”. There is not just one specific reason that some of us experience SAD, there are actually environmental, biological and psychological components, which are:
- Lack of Sunlight, which interferes with our internal body clock
- Lack of Vitamin D due to the lack of sunlight. Vitamin D helps the body maintain high levels of serotonin.
- Overproduction of Melatonin hormone, which causes lower energy levels and influences mood
- Higher amounts of Sert (a protein that assists with transporting serotonin),which leads to lower serotonin activity that help regulate mood, energy and appetite.
How to beat the Winter Blues?
There are several ways to help prevent the winter blues. It’s best to think ahead, before winter arrives.
- Expose yourself to more sunlight in the summer and this could potentially help store more Vitamin D for you in the winter time. Also, it’s important to remember that the more sun exposure you have in the summer, the more it could positively affect your serotonin levels in the winter. A few other tips that could help beat the winter blues are:
- Having a regular pattern of sleep can help. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night too! When waking up the next day, try to wake up early, so you’re able to maximize your exposure to sunlight.
- Exercise regularly; it can help increase serotonin levels. If you’re anything like me, the last thing you want to do is bundle up, face the cold temperatures and head to the gym for a daily workout. So, on these frigid days, I pop in a workout DVD or jump on my treadmill, while I watch some Netflix. On days where it’s not too cold, take a long walk outside or get out and embrace other types of outdoor activities like: sledding, skiing, tubing or ice-skating (it won’t take long to warm up).
- Light Therapy is also an option, if you’re willing to spend a couple hundred bucks for a special type of fluorescent lamp. You would only need exposure to this about 30 minutes a day. Set it up on office desk while you do some work, pay some bills or play on the computer.
- Control your cravings as much as possible! I feel like I tend to hibernate in the winter time, which can lead to boredom and mindless eating! Watch what you’re eating, count your calories if you need to and stick to healthier options. Also, cut down on the carbs, as this can lower your serotonin levels.
- Take a multivitamin which includes Omega 3 fish oil (fights mild depression), Vitamin C (helps keep immune system intact), B-Complex (helps convert our food into fuel, allowing us to stay energized) and Vitamin D (which helps maintain high levels of serotonin). There are also mood stabilizers such as, SAM-e, which is a natural compound that helps produce and regulate hormones that are associated with depression.
On a positive note, with December out of the way, that leaves us with only a couple more months to endure the winter blues. I just keep telling myself that spring is right around the corner!
Chantel Barber is a Social Media Recruiter for the Imaging division of Aureus Medical Group.