The Centre For Balanced Medicine
Home » Articles » Beating The Winter Blues
Beating the Winter Blues
by Dr Rowena Nicholson MBBS MRCGP DRCOG DipPCouns DipNSpH DipTHY&R BSEM member
In general, most people feel happier on a warm sunny day than on an overcast winter's day, and like most mammals we have a seasonal variation in our activity level, sleep pattern and appetite. There is a continuous spectrum from just feeling fed up sometimes through to having the ‘winter blues’ or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The symptoms of SAD are similar to depression, and include: low mood, low energy’ irritability, fatigue, lethargy, feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, oversleeping or early morning awakening, and reduced libido. SAD occurs in the UK from September to April and is thought to affect half a million people every winter, although estimates vary from 1% of the population to 25%!
It is thought that SAD is caused by a reduction in melatonin levels in the brain. Full spectrum light falling on the eye increases melatonin production, as well as reducing cortisol (steroid) production. However, vitamin D may also be partly involved, as this is produced through the action of sunlight on the skin, and low levels of vitamin D have been linked with depression.
There are many simple steps which we can take to improve our health through the winter. For example, ensuring that you spend plenty of time outside, to make the best use of the available sunshine and light can really help to lift your mood. It can be a good idea to take a vitamin D3 supplement through the winter months. In addition, taking a multivitamin and mineral can help to ensure that you do not become deficient in key nutrients, as even minor deficiencies can affect both your mood and your immune function. A viral infection will also obviously affect your mood; nutritional and herbal supplements can be very useful in preventing or treating such infections (for more information please see ‘Strategies for the Cough and Cold Season’). Stress also plays a big part, so whatever the time of year, it is important to try to balance your lifestyle or find ways to manage stress, for example through yoga or meditation. Also make sure you are exercising regularly, as the endorphins produced also help to lift the mood.
It is important to consider at what point a low mood is a health issue that needs addressing. If your low mood is persistent and is beginning to impact on your lifestyle, work or relationships, or your sleep is significantly disturbed, it is time to consider professional support or help. Interestingly, the peak time for people to present to their GP with depression is the spring, as this is when it becomes obvious that it isn’t just the winter blues.
A GP may arrange counselling, and/or offer an antidepressant. However, there are in fact many mainstream, natural and complementary options which can benefit SAD and depression, depending on the individual as well as the severity of the symptoms experienced. Examples include: using a full spectrum light box; nutritional supplements (such as vitamin D3 and omega 3 fatty acids); natural anti-depressants such as 5-HTP, SAMe and St John's Wort; melatonin; natural healing or acupuncture; relaxation or meditation techniques and more. However, remember that drugs and supplements may interact with each other, and it is particularly important not to mix prescribed and natural antidepressants. It is also important to remember that a low mood can be a presentation of many other health problems, from a food allergy to an under active thyroid for example, which is another reason to seek professional advice and not simply ignore your symptoms.
Please note that this article is not a substitute for individual medical advice and that some supplements interact with medication or can be contraindicated in particular medical conditions.
Dr Nicholson has trained in General Practice, Allergy, Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and in Complementary Medicine. She is a partner at The Centre for Balanced Medicine in Chudleigh and can be contacted on 01626 854743 or via this website.