Key Points
- Many people believe seasonal depression is โjust the winter blues,โ but itโs actually a serious form of major depression that has a pattern of seasonality, usually occurring during late fall through winter and subsiding in early spring.
- Fortunately, there are many natural ways to combat seasonal depression, including daily exercise, vitamin D supplementation, and using sunlight lamps.
- For many people, managing seasonal depression comes down to the consistency of their routines and self-care throughout the winter months.
For some of us, this time of year weighs heavily on our minds and even takes a toll on our physical bodies. Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), typically affects people starting in late fall and lasting well into the winter months. It typically presents as increased feelings of sadness and fatigue during the darkest months of the year.
Fortunately, there are many practical and natural (non-drug) methods to counter seasonal depression, which weโll discuss today. Even if you donโt experience SAD, these are still great practices to make the winter months a little less down and dreary.
What is Seasonal Depression?
Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a type of recurrent major depressive disorder that begins in late fall and typically lasts through winter until early spring. It is thought to be caused partially by a lack of daylight and colder temperatures, especially in northern climates.
Seasonal Depression Symptoms
Besides the typical symptoms of increased feelings of sadness and fatigue, seasonal depression symptoms may include:
- Increased cravings for sugar and carbs
- Weight gain
- Decreased physical activity
- Hypersomnia (feeling like you slept well but still feeling tired throughout the day)
- Brain fog
- Inability to focus and concentrate
- In severe cases, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts
Though anyone can experience seasonal depression, women are four times more likely to have seasonal depression than men, and women with preexisting mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder are especially predisposed to the condition.
Can You Have Seasonal Depression in South Carolina?
Where we are in Greer and Greenville, South Carolina, many people donโt think seasonal depression is a problem because we donโt have the kind of winter that people in northern states experience. But even though we donโt have bitter cold temperatures, we do have a winter season, and it brings a dullness and dreariness that can affect even the most positive people.
If you or someone in the local community you know is suffering from seasonal depression, know that it is 100% a real condition and should be treated with kindness and care. When it comes to mental health, we canโt always help someone directly, but support and understanding is always appreciated.
6 Natural Ways to Manage Seasonal Depression
So what can you do to manage seasonal depression naturally? Medications have their time and place, but there are other non-drug methods that can be as effective or even more effective without a prescription.
Vitamin D Supplementation
Letโs start with the basics โ vitamin D levels drop significantly in the winter time due to decreased sun exposure. We recommend supplementing 5,000 IUs of vitamin D daily as a maintenance dose, but if youโre vitamin D deficient (or insufficient, on the low end of lab ranges) you may start on a higher initial dose to rebuild your vitamin D stores. This dose should cater to the individual, but we often recommend 20,000 IUs daily for six weeks.
Optimizing your vitamin D levels alone can be a huge gamechanger for your mood and energy levels. At our clinics, we recommend a liquid vitamin D that is easily absorbed and can taken under the tongue or added to coffee, tea, or smoothies.
Use Light to Your Advantage
One of the instigators of seasonal depression is a lack of sunlight. To that end, you can opt for red light therapy and SAD lamps to bring the light back in the dark of winter.
Red light therapy uses a type of infrared light that stimulates energy production on a cellular level. It can also support better blood flow, regulate inflammation, and improve sleep quality.
SAD lamps mimic morning sunlight to help reset your circadian rhythm and improve mood. One study found that individuals who used a SAD lamp for one hour every morning had a significant improvement in SAD symptoms. They noted that light therapy is most effective when started at the early onset of symptoms and adhered to throughout the course of the winter season.
If you donโt want to invest in a SAD lamp or red light therapy, you can get more sunlight the old fashioned way. Set your circadian rhythm in the morning by viewing morning sunlight (outside, not through a window, otherwise you wonโt see all the necessary wavelengths) for 2-10 minutes. Doing this helps regulate the bodyโs cortisol (stress hormone) response and regulates other hormones such as melatonin that play a key role in the sleep/wake cycle.
Get Outside
Itโs important to get outside as much as you can, even if itโs cold. Feeling stuck inside and unable to participate in the outside world is a fast track to low mood. Go for a daily walk outside, even if itโs only for ten minutes. If you can, go to a park and admire nature before you head back to work or home.
Conversely, make your indoor space cozy and inviting. Use warm tone lighting, which simulates firelight to our brains, triggering feelings of warmth and relaxation. Try not to turn on bright overhead lights once the sun goes down to further support your bodyโs natural progression towards a good nightโs sleep.
Maintain an Exercise Routine
Exercise is one of our best natural tools to combat depression, seasonal or not, so itโs important to keep moving. You donโt have to go to the gym, although some people find community with other gym goers. But if you prefer, doing a workout in your living room is just as valid and effective to get your blood moving, break a sweat, and support your mental health.
As you probably know, exercise increases feel-good hormones like endorphins that boost your mood, and exercise can even help improve your cognitive health over time.
Work with your Bodyโs Natural Rhythm
If youโre feeling more tired earlier in the evening, lean into it! Go to sleep earlier so that you can get up a little earlier and practice a good morning routine. When you get up, have a good self-care routine that sets you up for the day ahead. Maybe you make coffee or tea and a healthy breakfast and go for a quick walk before your work day starts. Or maybe you free write in a journal for 20 minutes to process any anxious thoughts before you get ready for your day. These seem like simple actions, but they have a powerful positive effect when compounded over time.
Plan a Vacation
If you have the means, plan a vacation for January or February, during the height of winter. (Maybe somewhere warm and sunny?) Having something to look forward to after the holiday season can be a powerful motivator during the winter months. Plus, going on a mid-winter vacation can offer a powerful reset for your physical and mental health, and it feels like youโre breaking up the season into two smaller, more manageable pieces. Even if itโs only a long weekend, see if you can get away for a quick break.
Routine and Self-Care Are Essential for Seasonal Depression
If you or someone you know experiences seasonal depression, know that there are many resources available to you to get through this time of year. Of course, keeping up with your regular chiropractic care is also important to maintain structural alignment in the body, supporting your exercise routine and overall health.
References
Munir, S., Gunturu, S., & Abbas, M. (2024). Seasonal Affective Disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Jahan-Mihan, A., Stevens, P., Medero-Alfonso, S., Brace, G., Overby, L. K., Berg, K., & Labyak, C. (2024). The Role of Water-Soluble Vitamins and Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder in Adults. Nutrients, 16(12), 1902. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121902
Frandsen, T. B., Pareek, M., Hansen, J. P., & Nielsen, C. T. (2014). Vitamin D supplementation for treatment of seasonal affective symptoms in healthcare professionals: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial. BMC research notes, 7, 528. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-7-528
UC Davis Health. โSeasonal affective disorder, winter blues and self-care tips to get ahead of symptoms.โ Accessed December 13, 2024. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/seasonal-affective-disorder-winter-blues-and-self-care-tips-to-get-ahead-of-symptoms/2023/11
Reeves, G. M., Nijjar, G. V., Langenberg, P., Johnson, M. A., Khabazghazvini, B., Sleemi, A., Vaswani, D., Lapidus, M., Manalai, P., Tariq, M., Acharya, M., Cabassa, J., Snitker, S., & Postolache, T. T. (2012). Improvement in depression scores after 1 hour of light therapy treatment in patients with seasonal affective disorder. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 200(1), 51โ55. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e31823e56ca
University of Chicago Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. โWinter Weather Got You Down? Go Outside, Exercise To Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder, Experts Say.โ Accessed December 16, 2024. https://psychiatry.uchicago.edu/news/winter-weather-got-you-down-go-outside-exercise-combat-seasonal-affective-disorder-experts-say
de Sousa Fernandes, M. S., Ordรดnio, T. F., Santos, G. C. J., Santos, L. E. R., Calazans, C. T., Gomes, D. A., & Santos, T. M. (2020). Effects of Physical Exercise on Neuroplasticity and Brain Function: A Systematic Review in Human and Animal Studies. Neural plasticity, 2020, 8856621. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8856621