Winter’s onset is all fun and games until we get past the holidays. From there, it’s a long stretch to Spring, especially if you live in Northern latitudes. Short days, cold weather and gray skies are all key features of winter, often made worse by snow and icy roads that keep you confined indoors. As the weeks wear on, less exposure to daylight begins to take its toll, and many people experience a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), marked by low energy, depression, and a generally grumpy mood.
Learn about seasonal affective disorder, why it makes you SAD, and proactive steps you can take now to feel better right away.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder is considered a mood disorder that occurs in some people during the fall and winter months. Although its exact causes are unclear, it is thought to be triggered by disruption of the circadian rhythm that regulates your sleep/wake cycles. Scientists suspect that SAD is related to changes in the melanopsin signalling pathway – a cascade of chemical reactions that occur when light activates melanopsin in the eye’s retina.
Symptoms of SAD include:
- Low energy and fatigue
- Difficulty focusing
- Increased appetite for sugar and carbs
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Physical aches and pains
- Depression and anxiety
- Feelings of hopelessness
SAD is more common in North America than in Europe, and its rate increases at more northerly latitudes. It is estimated to affect about 5% of adults in the United States, and symptoms can persist for up to 40% of the year. However, data is scarce because many people who experience SAD symptoms do not report them or seek clinical treatment. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to combat SAD symptoms.
7 Strategies to Fight SAD
Seasonal affective disorder is considered a mood disorder that occurs in some people during the fall and winter months. Although its exact causes are unclear, it is thought to be triggered by disruption of the circadian rhythm that regulates your sleep/wake cycles. Scientists suspect that SAD is related to changes in the melanopsin signalling pathway – a cascade of chemical reactions that occur when light activates melanopsin in the eye’s retina.
1. Increase your light exposure
Your circadian rhythms are regulated by a network of brain cells that respond to seasonal changes in natural light. During the shorter days of winter, reduced exposure to sunlight and increased exposure to artificial light can disrupt your circadian clock, causing sleep disruptions, reducing Vitamin D uptake, and causing changes in sleep patterns. In colder climates, light exposure is further reduced when people opt to stay indoors.
You can increase your winter light exposure by going outside daily, especially on sunny days, and exposing your skin and eyes to the sun. Beyond that, it is thought that infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) light therapy can provide many of the same health benefits as natural sunlight. Most tanning salons offer both types of light therapy, and many users report tangible improvement in mood after a light therapy session.
2. Optimize immune support
If you’re already vibing low, you have an increased risk of infections. Upper respiratory infections are rampant during winter months, and your immune system may be working overtime to keep you from getting sick. You can boost your immune function by giving it the nutrients it needs to perform at its best.
Immune-boosting nutrients include:
- Antioxidants like glutathione, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, to stimulate antibody formation
- Vitamin D3, to support total health
- Vitamin A, to support respiratory and digestive function
- Zinc, to protect against invading pathogens
- Amino acids, to boost T-cell function
- B-Vitamins, to support red blood cell formation and boost the lymphatic system
Nutrient IV therapy is a quick and effective way to deliver high-potency nutrients to your immune cells. Try an immune support cocktail, or opt for injections of individual nutrients to meet your specific needs.
3. Cryotherapy
Exposing your body to cold in the middle of winter may seem counterintuitive, but cryotherapy is known to be a mood-enhancing experience with a plethora of health benefits. You don’t need to do a polar plunge to leverage the benefits of cryotherapy – just 3 minutes in a cryochamber can give you all of the same benefits with a fraction of the discomfort.
Cryotherapy can help reduce SAD symptoms by:
- Triggering the release of endorphins, the “happy hormone” that boosts mood, enhances cognitive function, and promotes mental clarity.
- Stimulating neurotransmitter activity of serotonin and dopamine, to improve and stabilize your mood.
- Promoting relaxation and a sense of euphoria, especially after exercise.
4. Optimized hydration
Dryer air and constant indoor exposure to dry heat can quickly deplete your fluid levels. Yet during colder weather, people are less inclined to drink water and other fluids that help to maintain optimal hydration. Chronic dehydration makes you feel sluggish and lethargic, and less inclined to exercise or go outdoors. In winter, dehydration can increase your risk of upper respiratory infections as your mucus membranes and lung tissues dry out, making it easier for pathogens to enter your system.
Deliberately drinking more fluids during winter months, even when you don’t feel thirsty, can help you avoid dehydration and its symptoms. Be sure to add electrolytes to optimize your nervous system function. Hydration IV therapy provides a quick and easy way to fully rehydrate your body with fluids, electrolytes and nutrients. Rehydrating your body can significantly improve your mood and boost your energy levels.
5. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) subjects your body to an intense infusion of pure oxygen while relaxing in a pressurized chamber. HBOT helps the body to heal and fight infections by increasing the total amount of available oxygen in the blood.
Benefits of HBOT include:
- Release of growth factors that trigger cellular repair
- Enhanced immune function
- Reduction of systemic inflammation
- Improved cognitive function
- Enhanced of cellular respiration
- Improved mitochondrial function
Dry air and winter colds can dramatically reduce the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream, causing fatigue and reducing cognitive function. HBOT can give your body the boost of oxygen it needs to repair and normalize your body’s systems, and restore functional cognition.
One study of adults suffering from depression found statistically significant differences in the severity of depression and anxiety between an HBOT treatment group and a control group. The researchers concluded that HBOT is an effective treatment option for depression.
6. Exercise
During winter months it’s easy to go into hibernation mode, eating snacks and watching TV in the comfort of your cozy nest. But while it’s OK to slow down a bit in winter, adopting a completely sedentary lifestyle can contribute significantly to SAD symptoms. Not only do you become more lethargic, but you begin to lose your muscle tone, stifle your mitochondrial function, and possibly gain weight, further promoting depressive symptoms.
Exercise helps combat SAD by:
- Stimulating the release of mood-boosting chemicals like endorphins and serotonin
- Boosting mitochondrial function and improving energy levels
- Improving physical fitness and self-esteem
- Supporting cognitive function
- Increasing light exposure (when exercising outdoors)
Daily walking and 2-3 resistance training sessions per week can make a dramatic difference in your mood and overall health.
7. Sleep
Your body’s circadian rhythm operates on a 24-hour cycle that governs physical, mental, and behavioral changes. Circadian rhythms change with the seasons, synchronizing with sunrise and sunset. Throughout most of human history, people lived in harmony with their circadian rhythm, being active for more hours in spring and summer, and enjoying more sleep in fall and winter. But modern technology has short-circuited our natural circadian rhythm by providing artificial light and electronic devices that keep us going, long after it gets dark.
Sleep deprivation shares multiple symptoms with SAD, including:
- Irritability
- Moodiness
- Reduced focus
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches and pains
Biological night is when the body’s circadian rhythms are in their nocturnal state. In winter, the biological night is extended, marked by increased melatonin production, longer REM cycles, and extending sleep hours. Rather than fighting sleep to stick to your summer schedule, you may benefit from turning off your lights and devices, going to bed earlier in the winter, and sleeping in a bit later.
Boost Your Mood and Combat SAD with Invita Wellness
Don’t let the winter blues keep you down and out. At Invita Wellness, we have the natural health solutions you need to live your best life, all year round:
- Choose from a wide array of IV nutrient cocktails and injection therapies
- Enjoy whole body and focal cryotherapy
- Treat your skin to a cryofacial
- Boost your oxygen levels with HBOT
- Optimize hydration
- Support your immune function with potent nutrients
- Fight winter infections
If you’re feeling SAD, contact Invita Wellness today, and take charge of your health with evidence-based natural health and beauty solutions that really work!
Boost Your Mood and Combat SAD
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Resources
Galima, Samuel V., Stephen R. Vogel, and Adam W. Kowalski. “Seasonal affective disorder: common questions and answers.” American family physician 102.11 (2020): 668-672.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/1201/p668.pdf
Krzystanek, Marek, et al. “Whole body cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen treatment: new biological treatment of depression? A systematic review.” Pharmaceuticals 14.6 (2021): 595.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8235744/
Wescott, Delainey L., Adriane M. Soehner, and Kathryn A. Roecklein. “Sleep in seasonal affective disorder.” Current opinion in psychology 34 (2020): 7-11.
Sleep in seasonal affective disorder
