Evergreens & Vitamin D
Born in the Pacific Northwest, specifically Portland, I’d say I qualify as a native on gloomy weather.
Don’t get me wrong-- we are SO fortunate when it comes to beautiful weather in the summer and even the spring. And to top it off, everything is green almost all of the time. But, with beautiful greenery comes a lot of rain, and a lot more gloominess during the cold winter months.
This year, weather across the nation was unusually cold. Like really really cold. During the months of January and February, it seemed as if everyone was in the midst of a snowstorm. Take a look at this video: https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000006355610/snow-storm-weather-us.html?emc=edit_nn_p_20190213&module=inline&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=73039518ection%3DbackStory§ion=backStory&te=1
But, what kind of impact does gloomy weather have on our health?
According to the New York Times, for millions of us, winter brings on a series of challenges like depressive and sluggish feelings, along with a withdrawal from physical touch and sex-- all symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Google defines Seasonal Affective Disorder as “depression associated with late autumn and winter and thought to be caused by a lack of light”, and millions of us are hit by these feelings every year.
According to New York Times,
“Researchers have noted a similarity between SAD symptoms and seasonal changes in other mammals, particularly those that sensibly pass the dark winter hibernating in a warm hole. Animals have brain circuits that sense day length and control the timing of seasonal behavior. Do humans do the same?...There might have been a survival advantage, a few hundred thousand years back, to slowing down and conserving energy — sleeping and eating more — in winter. Could people with seasonal depression be the unlucky descendants of those well-adapted hominids?”.
(To find out more on the NYT take on SAD, check out this article: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/health/18mind.html
This was exceptionally intriguing to me upon learning just why so many humans experience seasonal affective disorder. So, what do we do to combat it?
Forbes magazine provides advice and help for those with seasonal affective disorder. Some basic tips from Forbes include:
Dawn simulators-- gradually wake you up with light that increases in intensity to simulate morning sunshine.
Essential oils-- use the purest form of a plant to influence mood and promote restoration in the body.
Exercise-- release endorphins and neurotransmitters to the brain.
Go outside-- try and get some natural vitamin D from the sun to improve energy.
Create a schedule-- try and make your body wake up at the same time every day, and be consistent in the times you eat and receive sun exposure.
Take a vacation (if you can!)-- even small, give yourself something to look forward to and mix it up!!
Meditate-- learn how to quiet the mind in chaos.
Speak to your doctor-- seek a mental health professional to find the treatment that’s best for you.
Forbes communicates with its audience by providing a guide to a common problem. Also, note that this article was published November 30, serving as a proactive guide right before winter begins. Here’s the article for more info: https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/11/30/8-ways-to-fight-seasonal-depression/#3ee7f35b7a83
Do what you gotta do this winter, and do what’s best for YOU. Let’s make the most out of this particularly gloomy winter.
XO,
Sarah
Photo Credit: http://www.fitturf.com/blog/winterize-your-evergreens-from-winter-burn-with-winter-guard/