Many millions of Americans experience a change in mood during the Winter times: Seasonal affective Disorder or SAD affects around 3% of the population.
Lack of sunlight can trigger a change in mood and behavior and people who work long hours indoors are most affected.
Symptoms of SAD are:
- Feeling always tiered
- Craving of carbohydrate rich food like bread, past, chocolate and rice.
- Lack of motivation
- A desire to be alone
- Weight gain.
But it doesn’t need to be like that!
There are lot’s of things that you can do to effectively beat the blues:
- Exercise is known to be a mood booster.
- Try to get outside as much as possible. Even when it is cloudy, there is more light outside then inside.
- Get a good source of Omega 3 Fatty acids: Beneficial fats that are commonly found in fatty fish like Tuna and Krill Oil. These fats have been clinically shown to improve mood.
- 5-HTP: A precursor to Serotonin, the “happy hormone:. It is a supplement that you can get at any health store and it will give your body everything it needs to “assemble” Serotonin for you. I recommend a dosage of 100mg in the morning, and 100mg in the evening.
- Get plenty of sleep
- Get out and meet your friends. Isolating yourself will only make it worse.
- Light therapy: One very effective thing you can do is to get a special lamp designed to help with SAD. It has very bright full spectrum light and simulates natural sunlight in your home.
- Relax, do something for yourself and get a good massage.
Stay warm,
Katharina