Beating the "Winter Blues" - Seasonal Affective Disorder

This post is dedicated to Marilyn, who asked me to write on this topic so others can discover the strategies that have helped her (and more!)

The dark season is upon us here in North America, the time of year when I look out the kitchen window as I clean up the dinner dishes and declare, "Well, I guess it's midnight!"

The time of year when we go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. When the Winter Solstice approaches, bidding us hunker down for the longest night of the year.

Yes, there are festivities and holidays, cozy fireplaces and warm mugs of tea to be enjoyed, books to cuddle up with and soup on the stove. 

But for some (myself included), this darkness is draining. It's exhausting. It steals motivation, dulls our joy, and makes everything harder. And this year it's on top of the lingering chronic stress from a pandemic that simply won't quit. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (appropriately nicknamed "SAD") is a subtype of depression that affects an estimated 10 million Americans (with women being 4 times more likely to be diagnosed than men) and the symptoms range from mild to severe. Fatigue, feeling hopeless, oversleeping, weight gain, cravings for sweets, difficulty concentrating, and irritability are all considered indicators of SAD, all occurring at the same time of year.

These symptoms overlap with many other disorders, deficiencies, and imbalances, so a Functional Medicine approach to SAD is much more comprehensive than simply prescribing an SSRI or a light therapy lamp.

And because every individual responds differently when it comes to challenges involving the brain, moods, and hormones, I want you to have many options to try.

So, here's the list:

Vitamin D3 - This one might seem like a no-brainer, but I often find that folks don't know how much to take, or what their blood levels of Vitamin D should be for optimal function. My minimum acceptable level for adults is 50 ng/mL (which, you'll notice, is a bit higher than most standard labs would tell you). Since it takes 5000IU of oral Vitamin D3 daily just to maintain your current levels, those who fall below this level need to take 10,000-15,000IU per day. If you experience the winter blues, the first place to look is Vitamin D - ask your doctor for a test or shoot me an email and I'll help you find one you can do at home!

Get a Massage – Massage therapy and bodywork has been known to boost dopamine and serotonin, two key neurotransmitters in the brain that are associated with positive mood. You'll find that many therapeutic strategies for depression, including SAD, involve encouragement of neurotransmitter production, signaling, and regulation.

SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) - By far my favorite, most effective, fast-acting nutraceutical for SAD, mild-moderate depression, acute stress, and emotional overwhelm, SAMe is a compound that's naturally made in the body from methionine (another amino acid). SAMe helps increase serotonin levels, but uses a different pathway which helps avoid some of the negative side effects of meds like SSRIs. It also helps regulate other hormones in the body, especially when combined with B-vitamins.

Probiotics - Did you know that 95% of serotonin is made in the gut? I know, I used to think it was mostly made in the brain, too. But the enteric nervous system is responsible for waaaay more production of neurotransmitters than once thought, leading to our new understanding of the gut-brain axis. Folks have written entire books on the topic, but the gist is that you can't have a happy brain without a happy gut. And a happy gut requires a happy microbiome. If you're not taking a probiotic and you have any form of depression, it's time to start.

Tryptophan - a precursor for serotonin and melatonin, this amino acid is most famous for being the reason folks are sleepy after Thanksgiving turkey. But more specifically, research shows that depletion of tryptophan in patients whose SAD is in remission (during the summer) causes a return of symptoms. Foods high in tryptophan include whole milk, tuna, chicken, turkey, nuts, & seeds. 

Rhodiola rosea - In a small study of patients with mild-moderate depression, Rhodiola extract significantly decreased depression, insomnia, and emotional instability. It may also help patients with high perceived stress, anger, and confusion. This herb is one of many well-researched adaptogens, and is excellent for stress-related fatigue, along with Ashwaghanda, Cordyceps, and Panax ginseng.

 One more word of advice from someone who knows: pick a strategy or two and start now. Don't wait until you've slid down the gradual slope of apathy til you're sitting in a puddle of despair. SAD is a sneaky bugger, and if you don't do something about it now, you'll regret it when February rolls around.

If you want to know which products I like that contain some of the above micronutrients (at therapeutic doses), I've compiled a list for you HERE. Just sign in with your name and email, and it will take you to my faves!