Daylight Fading

The days are getting shorter and the sky is darker during the day. I've been noticing it myself, but in the past few weeks so many of my clients have too. I've had many people sigh and say, "Winter is coming and it's SO long!". Last night at 5:00 it was dark, thanks in part to going off Daylight Savings time. The number of people that have commented to me recently about the winter, the cold and the lack of sunlight coming, make me more acutely aware of the anxiety some people experience related to the beginning of our "dark season". Thinking about this, I did some research recently. I wanted to present lots of helpful information for ways to combat the "winter blues". There are many treatments that have been tried and found to be effective for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder, but unfortunately, there have been some recent studies which have questioned the efficacy of them. What I'm referring to are: full-spectrum lamps and Vitamin D. Perhaps the fact that some studies find positive effects and others not, makes me wonder if there aren't more variables at play than the researchers have yet to isolate. Three of our major American holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's also fall during this period. The stress, both positive and negative of these may have a contributing effect. If you tend to experience what I call a "Seasonal Slowdown", ie: low energy, fatigue, weight gain and/or depression, these are some things which may be helpful for you:
1) Light Therapy. For this you need a special full-spectrum lamp, of at least 10,000 lux. You sit approximately one foot away from it for 20-30 minutes a day, typically in the morning.
2) Vitamin D. There has been lots of research lately to the role that Vitamin D plays in maintaining our health. We know that our bodies manufacture Vitamin D from the sun. The lack of exposure to sunlight and the wide use of sunscreen has contributed to many peoples' levels being too low. Research I've done shows that adding a supplement of 1,000-4,000 IU a day may be helpful.
3) Good Nutrition. Fast food, sugar, caffeine and alcohol are all stressors to the adrenal system. When our adrenal system is weakened, it's harder to tolerate physical and emotional stress.
4) Exercise. Exercise has been proven to boost brain chemistry and energy levels and promote better sleep.
5) Sleep. Maintain good "sleep hygiene": consistent sleep/wake cycles, moderate caffeine and alcohol consumption and limit the stimulation of TV & computer screens before bedtime.
Be sure to consult with your primary physician to address your specific concerns and what treatment method may be best for you. My hope is that this year, wintertime will be a new experience in wellness for you!