I'm going to start this article with a little story so you can better understand what it's all about when it comes to the winter blues…
"A few years ago I had my first depressing winter… I was in a bad mood and didn't want to do anything. I had trouble waking up, and my efficiency at work dropped considerably. But the worst symptom for me was the severe chronic pain all over my body, which I have to endure every winter for several years now."
This is a piece of a recent conversation with a patient who confessed to me that he has been trying for years to find the reason why all this is happening to him, and a remedy to help him feel better.
To all this I said to him: "It sounds like you're being held hostage by seasonal depression. It's destroying your mood, your productivity, and it's even affecting your physical well-being."
For this patient, and for all people facing a similar situation, these 4 easy ways to beat winter blues will be very helpful:
1. Get tested for vitamin D!
Lack of sunshine during the winter months also impacts vitamin D levels in the human body. Vitamin D deficiency affects many body systems, including bone, heart, and blood vessels. It has also been linked to depressive conditions. Experts have found that people with low vitamin D levels have a 31 percent higher risk of developing depression.
It is very important to monitor your vitamin D levels in the winter and replenish them as needed. According to U.S. National Institutes of Health standards, the optimal amount of vitamin D is 20 nanograms per milliliter, if less than 12 – it is an extreme insufficiency, if more than 50 – overdose.
2. Buy a SAD lamp!
SAD lamps are daylight lamps designed to treat seasonal affective disorder, specifically winter depression. These lamps emit between 2,500 and 10,000 lux. By comparison, conventional incandescent bulbs have an output of up to 500 lux. The way to use these SAD lamps is very simple. If the lamp is "strong" and emits 10,000 lux, it is enough to sit under its light for half an hour a day. The lamp should be set at a distance of one meter, but it is not necessary to look directly at it. The best way is to put the lamp on the table at breakfast and eat quietly. If the lamp has less light, you need more time for light therapy.
Positive changes in the condition when using SAD lamps can be noticed in a few days. But it is best to carry out the therapy steadily for at least two weeks, and preferably up to four weeks.
3. Switch to a winter menu!
Getting ready for winter means, among other things, making menus appropriate for the season. In this sense, I advise you to include in your diet more fatty varieties of fish rich in omega-3: for example, tuna, salmon, trout. Such food will help you to keep a positive mood.
In addition, the menu should include green vegetables: lentils, broccoli, and foods containing complex carbohydrates: brown rice, quinoa, pearl millet, etc. These foods are quick and easy to prepare, helping the body to survive the winter hibernation. Do not forget about soups!
4. Sleep under a weighted blanket!
Even if you sleep longer than usual during the winter, it's important to make sure you sleep soundly and restfully. Have you ever tried sleeping under a weighted blanket? The practice has been around for decades, but research on its effectiveness is relatively recent. It is believed that a weighted blanket, which typically weighs between 3.5 and 22 pounds, evokes the association of a hug and thus makes you feel more comfortable and secure. Studies show that sleeping under a heavy blanket actually turns out to be stronger, and cortisol levels in the blood, the hormone responsible for the reaction to stress, decrease.
Have you ever struggled with winter blues? How do you fight it? Surely some of you have developed unique approaches and methods for dealing with it.
Let me know about them! If they are effective for you, they may be effective for others.