Many people find that they don’t do as well from a mental/emotional point of view in the winter. This is especially true as winter drags on through February and March. During this time, a person can feel not only down but also get a bit of “cabin fever” and feel trapped inside their house. Luckily, you don’t have to shoot a bunch of holes in your freezer to rid yourself of the “winter blues” (often referred to as seasonal affective disorder or SAD) – here are a number of tried-and-true remedies that can help.
- Ramp up your vitamin D. One of the reasons often cited for decreased mental and physical health in the winter is the lack of sunshine and its effect on our vitamin D levels. While it is true that we can’t get enough sun in the winter (unless you are fortunate enough to move south until spring), we can easily increase our vitamin D levels through supplementation. Most experts now recommend adults take between 4,000-8,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and children get between 1,000-2,000 IU/day. If you have your vitamin D levels checked, ideal is between 45-65 ng/ml.
- Get moving. Exercise is not only a great way to improve your mood, it can get you out of the house. Research has shown that 30 minutes of exercise at least 5x/week can substantially increase serotonin levels in the brain which can improve your mood. While all forms of exercise are terrific to improve strength and flexibility and relieve stress, aerobic exercise that gets your blood pumping (brisk walking, running, biking, swimming and interval training) is the most effective at increasing serotonin in the brain. However, the activity must be intense enough to get your heart rate up to 70-80% of your maximum rate. That means walking at a casual pace around the block isn’t going to cut it; to get a boost in neurotransmission, you’ve got to really get your blood pumping and get a good sweat-on!
- Let there be light. Most of us are light-starved in the winter. Bright lights stimulate the production of serotonin and can dramatically improve your mood. The simplest way to get enough bright light (in the absence of sun exposure) is to purchase a light-therapy device. There are many to choose from on the market – just make sure that the device is ultraviolet (UV) light shielded, as UV light increases your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. This, of course, excludes tanning beds and lamps, as they emit a considerable amount of UV light. Bright lights also shut down the production of melatonin, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Because of this, you should use light therapy early in the day, and dim the lights at night to allow your body to make adequate melatonin.
- Use amino acid therapy. If the recommendations above don’t help, you may need some supplemental support to help rebalance your neurotransmitter levels. This is easily done using amino acid therapy under the guidance of a trained health care professional. We have over a 90% success rate with eliminating both seasonal and non-seasonal depressive disorders using amino acid therapy. If you’d like to learn more, simply contact us.
You can eliminate the ‘winter blues’ – get your vitamin D levels up, get some daily exercise, spend a few hours under full-spectrum lights and boost your neurotransmitter function with amino acid therapy and you’ll be well on your way to feeling better. And always remember, spring is just around the corner!