Ler’s Fight S.A.D Together
With winter here we feel slightly more depressed. The shorter and colder days, and the longer and darker nights affect in ways we can’t even begin to explain. We feel more tired, hungrier for unhealthy food and have less physical excitement. We want to hide in our covers and sleep the months away. It is hard to focus on anything, and you never feel well rested. This is what is know as S.A.D. Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The Things We Can Do For Ourselves
Vitamin D
Go outside at lunch hour, talk a walk. Walk the dog. 10 minutes is all you need. Even in winter with the cloudy weather!
The Average amount of Vitamin D people need is:
- Age 1-70: 600 IU
- Age 71 and older: 800 IU
The best vitamin D is from the sun. When you need that extra boost you can eat foods found to be rich in vitamin D:
- Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
- Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
People prone to SAD should have 2000 IU during the winter months.
Helpful Lifestyle Changes
Do
Work in a well lit office with natural light if possible. Fill your office with plants and make your own wonderful forest of comfort.
Don’t
Work overtime- it may cause an increase in stress and make your SAD symptoms worse.
Do
Get outside the house and get outdoors-plan activities while the sun is still up and take advantage of the light during the day.
Don’t
Hibernate- while the pull of your warm bed is super inviting, Staying indoors all winter may make you warmer but it won’t make you happier.
Do
Get more sleep at night and take 1-1.5 hour naps
Don’t
Sleep the day away- you will become a night owl with no options for food from ubereats at 2am 😀
Do
Stay warm whether it is a sunny climate with lots of Vitamin D or the biting chill of the True North.
Don’t
Overdress or underdress for the weather. You want to stay warm enough to not turn into a human icicle, but not overdress and become a human burrito soaked in sweat.
Do
Stick to a realistic workout routine that you can continue all year round.
Don’t
Push yourself for a beach body-sometimes extra padding keeps you warm and toasty. Unless you are of the lucky few who can travel away to a warmer climate.
Do
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to compete with the candy canes and Valentine’s chocolates.
Don’t
Eat too many fatty foods no matter how inviting those cakes, chocolates and breads might be.
Do
Keep a daily “Attitude of Gratitude” diary. Write down 3 things you are grateful for on a daily basis. Do this at bedtime. You can refer to it when you’re feeling blue.
Don’t
Be a negative nelly. Fake it til you make it, trying to keep positive when it is tough might help you feel better even of it takes a while.
Do
Schedule 10 minutes everyday, at the same time to meditate, or listen to music that relaxes you.
Homeopathic Remedies to Cure the Blues;
- Ammonium carbonicum is for you if you are always tired and catch a cold easily. If you are sensitive to cold air and wet weather and feel better in dry weather.
- Arsenicum album-Are you better from the heat, and worse from wet weather and from the cold? This is the remedy for you.
- Aurum metallicum– Is the go to when you are worse in the winter when getting cold. Many of your complaints only come out in the winter, from sunset to sunrise.
- Ignatia- if you are sighing and sobbing, this remedy is for you especially if you are unable to communicate well and are moody
- Natrum sulphuricum- This remedy is for when you are worse in damp weather and feel the best in warm dry weather.
- Pulsatilla– This remedy is good for you if you are worse from the heat of the room, from eating rich fat food, and you feel better from open air.
- Sepia-This remedy is for you if you are overwhelmed and exhausted but feel better with exercise.
- Phosphorus-if you like cold, open air, and are worse in thunderstorms, this is the remedy for you.
- Rhus toxicodendron- are you worse during cold, wet, rainy weather, amd better in warm dry weather? Walking rather than resting? Then this is the remedy for you.
- Nat-mur- if you are an introvert, worse from music, warm rooms, the sea shore, and being consoled and are better from open air and going without regular meals, this is the remedy for you.