Don’t Be SAD This Winter – How To Combat SAD.

Diet | Lifestyle

Posted on November 05, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder is technically a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern……. usually during winter! This blog looks at how to combat SAD and enjoy winter instead of wanting to hibernate!

Some of the most common characteristics of individuals with SAD are:

personal training how to combat sad

  • Low mood
  • Lack of interest
  • Less active
  • The want to sleep more
  • Feeling lethargic with lack of drive to do anything.

SAD can make us sound like we’ve become a hibernating grizzly bear!

What Causes SAD?

It’s not actually fully understood what causes SAD, the general consensus is that its caused by a reduction in sunlight due to the shorter days in winter. It is believed that light stimulates the hypothalamus, which in part is responsible for mood, sleep and appetite.  The lack of light is thought to affect numerous hormones including:

  • Melatonin– This hormone effects sleep, when it’s dark a small gland called the pineal gland produces melatonin. This makes you feel sleepy. During winter some individuals produce higher than average levels of melatonin… this leads to individuals becoming drowsy and sleepy.
  • Serotonin– This neurotransmitter affects mood, appetite and sleep. When there is reduced levels of sunlight less serotonin is produced. As serotonin helps transmit messages between nerve cells, when there is less transmissions between nerve cells the body may not be as efficient and you feel lethargic. Again this can lead to SAD.

How To Help Prevent SAD

A lot of the research around helping treat SAD disorder is related to Vitamin D supplementation. However the research is very inconsistent.  A recent review established the following points:

  • a lack of Vitamin D in the blood is linked with SAD
  • a lack of vitamin D in the blood makes it more likely that you will develop SAD
  • taking a Vitamin D supplement may prevent SAD

Overall it seems to make sense to try supplementing with Vitamin D, as long as you stick to the recommended daily doses what do you have to lose?

Other than supplementing with Vitamin D also ry the following strategies.

  • 30 minutes of outdoor exercises every day- this can be as simple as going for a walk on your lunch
  • Reduce alcohol intake, particularly in the evenings
  • Eat a meat and nuts breakfast, research is beginning to show that compared to traditional carbohydrate based breakfast meat and nut breakfast improve neurotransmitters

Apply these tip this winter and combat SAD for good!