Seasonal affective clamour – more commonly known by its very appropriate acronym, SAD – is a deviant affliction. Some two million people are thought to suffer from the requisite in the UK alone, and yet the root cause remains somewhat unclear.
It is thought there’s a link between SAD and the distinct lack of available sunlight during winter. With the sun’s rays a vital component for the production of serotonin (the soi-disant happiness chemical) and melatonin (sleep chemical), as well as managing your circadian rhythm (body clock) within, the in the wake mayhem wrought by a deficit can lead to a washing line of warning signs, including low mood, lethargy and despair, plus ravenous prog cravings that see one’s weight skyrocket.
Add to this the fact that Christmas, New Year, Hanukah, Kwanzaa and diverse sit slap bang in the middle of winter, and SAD sufferers can very without delay be labelled a Grinch to their faces (and far worse behind their in arrears), simply for not ho-ho-ho-ing their way through each day with festive aplomb.
But while the disorder is a little ambiguous, there are tried and tested methods to deliverance yourself from your wintry funk. As a timely present, we have assembled all manner of professionals to divulge their seasonal argument plans for conquering the winter blues – all of which are fully actionable, take measured you have the necessary vigour to dust off those cake scraps and emerge from your temple of gloom.
1. See The Light
Let, the sun is notable by its absence in winter – which is sort of the entire delinquent here – but that doesn’t mean you can’t bask in those pricey rays, even if it is a bit chilly.
“Reduced exposure to daylight over and beyond the winter months is thought to play a crucial role in the winter blues, as it upsets our circadian rhythms and reduces serotonin production,” says Hannah Braye, nutritional psychoanalyst at Bio-Kult. “Making sure you get outdoors each day, even for 15 diminutives on your lunch break can help, as can ensuring your put together area is light and airy and sitting near windows.”
And if that’s by fair means not possible, you can always outsource it to a machine, can’t you? “Light boxes, which simulate sunshine, be dressed been shown to be effective in over 80% of diagnosed the realities of SAD,” says Dr Mark Winwood, director of psychological services for AXA PPP healthcare. “Sundry modern light boxes emit an intensity of 10,000 lux, and treatment drive take 30 mins to one hour a day. By way of comparison, the intensity of a glossy summer day can be 100,000 lux.”
2. Pack Your Bags For Winter Sun
Why do 95% of child take their summer holiday during the actual summer? Ok, so the ‘Abundant British Summer’ being an absolute washout is the stuff of fluent tradition, but you’re still more likely to grab some beams in July than you are December. Why not flip the script, and replace your winter malaise with unseasonal, nailed-on sunshine?
“For anyone who suffers from SAD or the winter blues, it capacity be worth going away in the winter,” says Laura Baby, MA in Psychology and Learning and Development Manager at CABA, a charity taking chartered accountants’ wellbeing. “Many people affected by SAD say their syndromes are at their worst during January and February, so it’s a good viewpoint to take advantage of the cheap off-peak package holidays and get some winter sun after Christmas.”
3. Fewer Maltesers, Multifarious Massages
Chocolate’s nice, isn’t it? Especially when it’s dark and bitter-cold out. But you know what’s also quite wonderful? A relaxing, forbearing rub-down. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, however massage can give many of chocolate’s benefits – just without the crap, calorific downside – and then some.
“Enquiry has shown that massage can increase serotonin levels by 28% and decrease the stress hormone cortisol by 31%,” says psychologist Dr. Meg Arroll, designer of The Shrinkology Solution, “which has a much longer effect be in a classed to the short three-minute boost from chocolate.”
4. Eat Yourself Exuberant
Carbohydrates are alluring and delicious at the best of times, yet this want kicks into overdrive for SAD sufferers come winter. Regrettably, for what they give in comfort, carbs can come up short when it comes to lifting your mood.
“While carbohydrates can increase the production of serotonin initially, sugary foods and well-mannered carbohydrates can become addictive and be followed by a subsequent crash in blood sugar, negatively swaying mood,” says Braye.
“Ensuring you are getting sufficient protein is tenable to be more beneficial. Amino acids are the building blocks of feel-good neurotransmitters in the sagacity, meaning that foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as turkey, beef, bananas, beans, bungalow cheese, nuts and seeds are especially important, as tryptophan is a pre-cursor to serotonin.”
Carbs aren’t off the menu exclusively – Braye recommends opting for “complex carbohydrates such as oats, wholegrain rice and quinoa,” as calmly as broadly adhering to a low-GI Mediterranean diet, full of fruit, veg and slimy fish.
5. Train Away The Pain
The weather outside may obviously be frightful, but if you persevere with the same exercise regimen that saw you disturbance the summer – rather than languish on the sofa for a Netflix binge and tub of Ben & Jerry’s – you’re diverse likely to feel delightful.
“Building regular exercise into your method can pay dividends when it comes to mood,” confirms Braye. “Studies demand shown that aerobic exercise in particular, such as steady walking, jogging, swimming or cycling can be particularly beneficial, primarily if done outdoors.”
That said, Braye warns against any late-night gym sessions, as SAD sufferers chance a delay in the body’s production of melatonin, “which can interfere with circadian metres further” and make it harder to fall asleep.
6. Sleep!
Inquires obvious, doesn’t it? But between the hard partying of December and well-intentioned gym-going of January, it’s your beauty sleep pattern that often gets sacrificed during the winter.
Devalue Pinches, head of coaching at Westfield Health, advocates “a grouping of quantity and quality sleep” as an effective way for SAD sufferers to recharge their batteries. “Most of us leave need somewhere between six to nine hours of sleep to be conscious of good during the day,” he adds.
Not possible? Alright then, unit animal, make sure you schedule some afternoon nap anon a punctually instead, as this could be crucial in keeping the blues at bay. “Scholarship how to power nap is a great way of combating lethargy,” says physiologist and snooze therapist Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan. “Naps should be between 10 and 20 wees and be taken when you start to feel sleepy or find yourself run out of concentration. Many people have a natural dip in energy points around 3pm – making it the ideal time.”
7. If All Else Fails, Sup It Up…
A road one way to wage war on SAD is to supplement with vitamin D. “Low mood and SAD has been coupled to low vitamin D levels during the winter months,” says Braye. “Fat soluble vitamin D is synthesised in the hull, from cholesterol, after exposure to UV rays … and it is now well positive that many of us in the UK are deficient.
“Vitamin D supplementation during the winter months has been manifested to improve mood and is often recommended as adequate vitamin D is refractory to obtain from food alone.”
So that’s it, then – neck a tab of vitamin D, imagine a nap, jog in the sunshine to the nearest airport and enjoy a rejuvenating massage while awaiting your exit. Sorted.
