As the last few months of winter play out, you may find yourself looking forward to the spring and the sunlight, but also feeling a little “ blue”, Thus the term winter blues. After the prolonged periods of shortened daylight, the brain struggles to produce the right levels of serotonin, the chemistry that keeps us energetic, happy, content, and awake. We all can’t be like Mother Nature and retreat into our winter hideaway until the sunlight warms the Earth and the days get longer. So we have to find ways to try to make it through. In more severe situations, there is a clinical diagnosis called seasonal affect disorder. This is prolonged pattern of extreme changes in mood and energy, resulting in what mimics depression. Although some prescribed medications can help , the thing that the brain needs is serotonin. So how do you help your brain make the serotonin it needs during these winter months? There are several things you can do that will help. 

Purchasing a “happy light “made to manage symptoms of seasonal affect disorder, and using it at least 30 minutes a day, preferably in the morning, can boost serotonin levels in the brain and help the brain to wake up. There are many inexpensive types that can be purchased in stores, online, etc. and they are very helpful during these dreary sunless days.

You can also exercise. Exercise boosts Serotonin production, along with other mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain. 20 minutes of exercise a day helps boost the serotonin in the brain.

Oftentimes during these early dark days, we want to just cuddle up with a warm blanket and sleep. But that does not assist the brain with the production of serotonin. Things like listening to music, getting outside for at least 10 minutes a day (even if it doesn’t seem like there’s sunlight if it’s light, there’s sun out there somewhere and you need to expose yourself to it), sitting near a window, exposing yourself to plants in a greenhouse, or bring near water helps with the absorption of negative ions that aid the brain and body in energy production and reduces stress and anxiety.

Also doing things like limiting the amount of technology light, especially blue light, in the evening, so that your brain can cycle through the natural occurrence of the decline of serotonin and the increase of melatonin, which induces sleep at night, and then when it becomes daylight, the melatonin declines and the serotonin increases, and we become awake. Turning on lots of lights in the morning when you get up and stimulating those receptors in the brain can be helpful.

Also, check in with yourself, your doctor, or your naturopath to see if a supplement like vitamin D3 might be helpful in the winter months because of the lack of sunlight. Many people in longer winter climates are depleted of vitamin D3 and can have the same results as seasonal affect disorder. Also, B12 for energy is helpful during these dreary days.

The good news is, we only have a few weeks until the Spring Equinox, and sunlight is increasing every day. Think Spring!!