If every year around this time you start feeling down, depressed, or moody, sleeping too little or too much, if you feel irritable and unsociable, if your appetite has changed and you’re eve gaining weight, you might have Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.
The good news is it’s not permanent, and a few simple changes can get you in tip top shape again. If you just have a few symptoms of SAD, or usually experience it but haven’t yet, it’s still early in the season (and unseasonably warm) so there’s time to get ahead of those feelings.
You’re not alone, estimates of the number of Americans with Seasonal Affective Disorder range from an estimated 1% with severe symptoms, another 5% in the average range, and 10-20% with mild SAD symptoms. it varies by season, how far north you are, and even how bad cold and flu season is (we stay in more when it’s a virulent year).
That’s about 1 in 4 people, and this year, it could be you. So get familiar with the symptoms, then pick up some of these healthful habits that also take care of Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms:
-The number one thing you can do is get more sunlight. After lunch, during the warmest part of the day, go on a short walk (maybe even bring a cup of our Jiaogulan to keep you warm). Check out the neighbor’s snowmen, look for winter wildlife, or just daydream in the silence of snow, but try and get some sunlight into each day. If you’re struggling with short winter days, making it a morning walk will naturally help to wake you up and regulate your circadian rhythm.
-Fill the sunshine gap with a Vitamin D supplement like our Vita One daily multivitamin. Even with your best efforts shorter, cloudier days and warmer, more covering clothes mean we can all use a little more Vitamin D in winter, and a multivitamin is the best way to get that since it provides a number of other beneficial nutrients that work in conjunction with Vitamin D to exponential effect.
-Don’t discount the basics. What you eat and how much you exercise have a huge impact on how you feel!
If you pick all the low hanging fruit and still have symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, bring in some more mood targeted support with D.S.A. MGRx. Formulated with herbs and vitamins well known for their mood support, D.S.A. MGRx is a non-addictive and natural way to take another step to a better mood and brighter day.
Share your winter tips in the comments:
