Sunshine

I recently saw one of my daughter's friend's homes listed for sale. I knew that they were considering moving to California, since they have family there. I asked my daughter if she knew the friend was moving, and she said, "Yeah, Maddie said that her mom gets sad in the winter so they are moving somewhere warm". It made me think about how growing up in Wisconsin, I always accepted that I would feel fatigued for much of the winter. I've always been an active cross-country and downhill skier, so it's not that I hate the cold, but I do know that I feel different in the winter than I do in the summer.

When I was in graduate school, I did a research paper on Seasonal Affective Disorder. I think we're often most intrigued with researching things that we've experienced firsthand. I learned through my research about the effect of sunshine, or lack thereof playing a critical role in seasonal depression. The most effective treatment, according to my research at that time was the use of light therapy. Now this isn't just any old light, it's at least 10,000 lux, which is VERY bight. Treatment consists of sitting close to the light (usually within one foot) for thirty minutes a day. The best time for treatment is morning, since this relates to the body's natural circadian rhythms. So, after years of feeling sluggish most of the winter, I tried a light box two years ago. I purchased one through my physician, who's a very holistic minded gal. I sat it on my desk, next to my computer and flipped the switch. Now, you cannot imagine how bright this thing is. You cannot look right into it or I'm sure you'd have a pounding headache within minutes. But, you need to be within one foot of the light. It took a while to get the positioning right, but I found that if I set it perpendicular to my computer monitor, I'd get the light in my eyes (critical for effectiveness) but not be blinded. I'd work on my morning email, etc. for thirty minutes. I don't know if it was the placebo effect, but within a few weeks I felt more energized. I continued this most days until spring finally arrived.

I've also been reading a lot lately about the role of Vitamin D in our bodies. Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D when we are exposed to sunlight. There's also new research about the role that Vitamin D play in the body's ability to absorb calcium. Sometime after this winter trail of Light Therapy I had a check-up with my doctor and she recommended that I increased my level of calcium supplementation and then also take the same level of Vitamin D. I followed this prescription and began taking the supplements daily. All of a sudden one day last winter, it was about February, I believe, I came to the realization that we were right in the middle of winter and I hadn't had the usual energy slump. Why had I not realized that until that moment? I guess I was feeling too good! So, I thought, maybe Vitamin D was the "magic bullet" for me? I didn't need the Light Therapy that year. If you are someone who struggles with winter fatigue, talk to you doctor. There are a lot of options available to help: maybe a light box would work for you, or maybe for your it's vitamin D. Some people with true Seasonal Affective Disorder are helped most by an anti-depressant. Without a doubt there are options available to you, you need not accept that a seasonal energy slump is unavoidable.

For more information, see: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2005/10-things-you-dont-know-about-seasonal-affective-disorder/