Once Christmas and New Year’s excitement has passed, many people feel flat, down, and a little irritable. You may even have food cravings. This is known as the winter blues, which happens to many people.
You could go as far as to say that the winter blues is another term for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression that occurs only at a certain time of the year, such as winter or spring. Amongst the various symptoms experienced during this time can include loss of appetite, food cravings (especially for carbohydrates), sleep issues, low energy levels, depression, lack of focus or motivation, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness. In other words, SAD is a condition that includes various mental health problems.1
The term ‘winter blues’ is not a medical diagnosis. Rather, it describes feelings during a certain time of the year. People may experience winter blues from autumn to winter or from winter into spring. It is also associated with changes in weather conditions due to the time of year.
SAD is a severe form of winter blues and can have a debilitating effect on our lives. This clinical diagnosis, related to shorter daylight hours, can interfere with your ability to function normally.
People living in areas far north are more likely to experience the winter blues or SAD. There are a few factors that could contribute to this.
A reduction in sunlight hours during fall and winter may disrupt your body’s internal clock, i.e., your circadian rhythm. The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus, found in the brain, regulate this internal clock. Considering the differences between light and dark, it plays a role in determining our sleep-wake cycle. Your eyes play a key role in this process as they help carry the information regarding light and dark changes to the SCN. The SCN, using neurotransmitters, i.e., chemical messengers, relays information about the changing weather to your body and thus sets in motion a series of events that influence your sleep patterns and certain changes in body processes to adapt to changing conditions.2
During winter, these changes last longer than they do during the summer months due to low light intensity on the one hand and longer nights on the other. This could lead to circadian rhythm disruption that could eventually result in mood issues that include depression.
Your brain uses chemical messengers called neurotransmitters to take instructions to various parts of your brain and body. The changes in light intensity during the winter can affect neurotransmitter production and function.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that shows a seasonal rhythm in its production3. This neurotransmitter plays a key role in numerous body functions. These include sleep, libido, digestion, mood regulation, blood clotting, and bone health. Low serotonin levels could result in both psychological and physiological health issues.
Melatonin is another chemical messenger affected by the longer duration of darkness during winter. Your pineal gland in the brain releases melatonin in response to dimmer light intensity to induce sleep.
You have significantly higher melatonin levels during winter, and its effect lasts longer. This could leave you feeling fatigued and listless and promote mood changes.
Your Neuroaffect Circuit consists of the autonomic nervous system, the brain, and the microbiome. It forms one part of your body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response. The NEM stress response is governed by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. All systems work together to ensure your body functions correctly when you experience stress. Prolonged stress, however, sees a constant NEM stress response activation that could have serious consequences.
When in a state of imbalance, your brain’s neurotransmitters could add to your body’s stress load. In the case of the winter blues, for example, you might experience a discrepancy in melatonin and serotonin levels in the brain. Both these hormones play a role in your ability to sleep properly and other physical and psychological processes. Both also play a role in your body’s circadian rhythm function. Circadian rhythm disruption can result in various health issues.
Fortunately, where winter blues is the problem, your symptoms may disappear once summer arrives. In other words, it does not last forever. But in some cases, where your winter blues result in SAD, it could cause health issues that could become debilitating for winter with its long nights and short days. Fortunately, you can do something to address winter blues.
The risk of developing the winter blues increases if you:
If winter blues have become a recurring theme, the following measures may help you deal with the situation.
Making small dietary changes may help reduce feelings connected to the winter blues. Some of these changes include:
Exercise may boost your mood and reduce your stress. This does not necessarily mean you must join a gym and start a strenuous workout routine. Rather, start slowly by doing a form of aerobic exercise or yoga. Go for a brisk walk or enjoy some time in nature.
Not only the number of hours you sleep per night counts. The quality of sleep is of equal, if not more, importance.
To improve your quality of sleep, consider doing the following:
Light therapy makes use of a lightbox. Standing in front of this light box first thing in the morning for 20 to 30 minutes may help. People suffering from SAD should ideally do this from fall to spring.
Because we tend to spend most of our time indoors during winter, we also tend to watch more television or spend more time on social media.
For many of us, it means constantly watching the news. Yet the news thrives on everything negative. And this constant exposure could negatively affect your mood. So, limit your screen time or watch something uplifting instead.
The same applies to negative people and situations.
Isolating yourself from other people will only make the winter blues worse. So, make sure to contact your friends and family regularly. Socializing with others has a beneficial effect on your mental health.
If making the changes mentioned here does not help, consider seeking a professional’s help. A therapist has received the training needed to help people with mental health issues. They can help you work through a difficult situation or help you learn new ways to cope with your problems.
Although meditation does not help you get rid of the winter blues overnight, it can certainly have a beneficial effect in the long term. This is because meditation promotes feelings of calmness and peace. And though it may not make your problems go away, it can help you stop the cycle of negative thinking often associated with depression and other mental health issues.
Conventional medicine will often see healthcare providers suggest the use of certain medications to help you with negative feelings when the winter blues or SAD. These include antidepressants. If hormone imbalances contribute to the issue, they may also suggest hormonal therapy.
Certain supplements may help with the symptoms of SAD and the winter blues. Vitamin D is a good example. You could also opt for a supplement called D3K2. This dietary supplement contains vitamin D3, K2, calcium, and black pepper fruit extract. The different components in the supplement may help promote mental health while supporting bone strength and boosting your immune system.
The winter blues and its close association with SAD can make winter something to fear. Feeling down, tired, moody, etc., is not something anyone looks forward to.
A proactive approach could, however, make all the difference. Taking a natural dietary supplement that not only helps with depression but also boosts your immune system while promoting bone health into the mix may help. Suppose you think your symptoms might be attributed to adrenal fatigue. In that case, you can call our team at +1 (626) 571-1234 to schedule a free initial phone consultation to help you understand how your body works and what options you have for recovering.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 14 Dec. 2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651.
Blume, Christine, et al. “Effects of Light on Human Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Mood.” Somnologie: Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin = Somnology: Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine, vol. 23, no. 3, 2019, pp. 147-156. doi:10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x.
Levitan, Robert D. “The Chronobiology and Neurobiology of Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder.” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, vol. 9, no. 3, 2007, pp. 315-324. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2007.9.3/rlevitan.
Akpınar, Şerife, and Makbule Gezmen Karadağ. “Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth?” Current Nutrition Reports, vol. 11, no. 4, 2022, pp. 675-681. doi:10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0.
Your risk of winter blues may increase if you, or someone in your family, has a psychological condition. Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel down during winter and suffer from depression, anxiety, etc. They are best able to determine whether genetics is a contributing factor.
