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When the cold weather begins to set in, some people may become gloomy or wish the weather was warmer, but others can develop what is known as seasonal affective disorder. Also referred to as SAD, seasonal defective disorder takes on many of the same symptoms as depression and can result in fatigue, trouble concentrating, insomnia, and weight gain.
Increase Your Vitamin D Intake
During the summer, many people receive their vitamin D through sunlight exposure, but this obviously becomes difficult when the colder months come around. This often leads to a chronic vitamin D deficiency during the winter months that will affect everything from blood pressure to the balance of hormones. While nothing beats vitamin D that is developed from the sunlight, taking a daily supplement of this vitamin could help to offset some of the issues with an ongoing deficiency.
Up Your Exercise Regimen
Colder weather outside and comfort foods inside will often result in people putting off their exercise plans until the spring. This will almost always have a huge impact on one’s overall health including mental health and happiness. Instead of backsliding with a workout routine, the winter is a great time to increase physical activities to promote hormonal balance, keep the weight off, and relieve stress. One of the best options is to consider a winter sports league that will keep participants socially active with goals to strive for.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids have been on the receiving end of many studies and been proven to help with a variety of mental and physical health issues. This includes recent research that shows humans with more omega-3 in their system experience fewer symptoms of depression. In order to maintain the correct dose of this essential fatty acid, some of the best foods to consume include walnuts, flax seeds, and salmon. If it is difficult to regulate your diet even further, a supplement may be all that is needed in order to reach a daily total of around 500mg.
Control Your Sleep Schedule
One of the most common symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and many other forms of depression is an erratic sleep schedule. Many of those struggling with these disorders will begin to deal with bouts of insomnia while others will find themselves sleeping longer and longer each night. This can wreak havoc on the body as the circadian rhythm, or natural schedule for sleeping and waking, is responsible for energy levels and one’s mood. While difficult to get out of bed in those cold mornings, sticking to a strict schedule will begin to show some amazing benefits.
