Are you sad or is it Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

The weather gets colder, gloomier and the kids start to get colds that trap you indoors. You feel like you’re going insane with the monotony of everyday madness that leaves you feeling a low that bottoms out in hopelessness. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a seasonal type of depression, commonly worsening with the change of season in the Autumn and peaking at the depth of Winter with the reduction of daylight hours and consequently less sunlight exposure. 

With SAD, you may feel socially withdrawn, depleted and hopeless… a lack of concentration, no motivation with an increased appetite with sluggish weight gain and an overwhelming sadness that has you feeling irritable and self depreciating.

There’s a difference to the energetic winter retreat where you feel content with slowing down and withdrawing within to replenish and the depression that comes with SAD.

The physiological needs of the body to stabilise our mental health, metabolism and sleep quality has a close relationship with our energetic attunement with the seasons.

When we are out of alignment with the seasons we are not supported with the resources our roots need when we move into our winter state of being.

Time in Nature and Sun 

Our bodies are made to soak up sunlight in the seasons of light. We need it as an essential element of our vitality. 
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for mental health. We know that Sunlight stimulates Vitamin D production. Time in the Sun over the seasons of light builds stores of vitamin D that are meant to last our bodies through the darker times.

If you have been disconnected from nature and the light of the Sun then you have depleted your capacity to restore your roots in the darker winter months. Whilst it can be challenging to fulfil these needs with winter sun due to reduced UVB levels and less exposed skin, you can still access light therapy and supplementation to build your sources if needed. 

Being immersed in nature has also been shown to reduce stress and alleviate anxiety and depression with the production of mood boosting endorphins, even more so if you are moving your body and exercising outdoors, which is beneficial even in winter sun

Sunlight transmits to the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) within our Hypothalamus of our brain, which is essentially our body's circadian clock which regulates our sleep-wake cycles but also the release of certain brain chemicals like Serotonin. 

Nourishing your Winter Brain

Serotonin is our happiness neurotransmitter. It’s synthesised from the amino acid tryptophan found in foods like chicken, turkey and fish. So you can see how we need to have an adequate supply of lean proteins in our diet to provide these essential building blocks for our resources of mental wellbeing.

Vitamin D is supportive in the production of serotonin as well as being neuroprotective in its own right. Made from a type of cholesterol sourced from foods like, egg yolks, mushrooms and oily fish, that is then activated by sunlight to form Cholecalciferol, the active vitamin D3 that our body needs. We can look at our dietary intake of vitamin D rich foods to replenish our stores for the winter. 

Inflammation is another contributing factor in depression, ensuring you are consuming enough of your essential fatty acids like omega-3 found in oily fish like salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines but also in nuts and seeds like flax seeds, chia, hemp and walnuts. Adequate omega-3 can help to reduce the impact of inflammation and support brain health. 

The cold dreary weather can lead us to the pantry for a little something sweet to cosy down with & hey I’m not going to stop you! We can lean into the fact that Polyphenols in Berries as well as Dark Chocolate are a great antioxidant for lifting moods and fighting oxidation. Just make sure you’re choosing a quality dark chocolate, over 70% or cacao. 

Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries & Raspberries are high in antioxidants like anthocyanins and flavonoids that protect our body against the consequences of stress and inflammation. Helping to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression. They are also great at offering us some low sugar sweetness balanced with fibre to keep our blood sugars stable.

Polyphenols are also found in vegetables like broccoli, kale and spinach which are also a great source of B-vitamins and magnesium for stress resilience. You can also get polyphenols from green tea alongside L-theanine which has a beautiful calming action. Polyphenols are great for supporting gut health, modulating the gut microbiome and enhancing the gut barrier function. 

Gut health = Brain Health 

95% of Serotonin is produced in a healthy gut, first it’s converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) which is then converted to Serotonin. We need to have optimal digestive function to break down these proteins into their amino acid building blocks that our body uses to convert into chemical messengers as well as a healthy and diverse microbiome to facilitate the enzyme reactions to make it happen. Your gut health influences your stress response, inflammation and production of neurotransmitters and hormone balance. You can see more on the Gut-Brain Connection here.

Liver & Kidney Health 

When vitamin D first enters the body, either via sunlight or food sources, it is transported to the liver where the activation process takes place. The liver is where vitamin D levels are stored and regulated in their release into the bloodstream. 

The kidneys are the second site of hydroxylation of vitamin D precursors to transform it into its biological active form that can be utilised in the tissues at its active sites.

In situations of liver or kidney dysfunction there can be impaired conversions and therefore deficiency in vitamin D utilisation despite how much vitamin D has been sourced from diet or sunlight. This is something we review in a holistic deep dive supporting you if you are showing signs of depletion. 

Established Sleep Rhythms and Rituals 

The lethargy and depression experienced in SAD may be due to an oversupply of Melatonin. 

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles, its production is influenced by light exposure and with decreased light in the winter we may be influenced with more than we need.

We can support our regulation of Melatonin by maintaining a regular sleep pattern. Which will correlate to improved serotonin levels as well as better resilience to stress. 

Establishing a consistent sleep schedule with sleep hygiene rituals communicates safety to the body, improves sleep quality and regulates the body's circadian rhythm. 

If we can increase exposure to natural light especially in the morning and avoid artificial or “blue light” in the evenings, and sleep in a dark cool room, we are encouraging the balance of melatonin production. Aligning with the rhythm of the Sun in the daily cycle. 

Mental Emotional and Spiritual Connection

In order to maintain our mental wellbeing as we move into the darker seasons of the year we must have established rhythms that balance our physiological needs with our mental, emotional and spiritual needs.

It is clear that connection to nature, time outside and soaking up the sun throughout the light season is valuable to us on a holistic level. 

Often in the winter seasons the world retreats and it can feel lonely if you don’t have a network of community support around you. This can drive the self deprecating thoughts and separate you further from feeling content in the quiet of inner reflection. 

Another element that comes through with the hopelessness of SAD is our collective dissociation from our innate purpose. When we are isolated we feel alone when we don’t have an established connection to our deeper parts of self or to a passion that drives us to explore and find curiosity while sitting within. 

Naturopathically I want to set you up with the rituals and rhythms that guide you to nourish your vitality, but also if you have found yourself caught out and depleted then I am here to rebuild your capacity to heal and thrive on a holistic level. 

Supporting your nutritional stores with the right type of nutritional or herbal supplementation at adequate therapeutic dosages, restoring your gut health and optimising your body's detoxification pathways to build and replenish stores of resources the body needs.

But also guiding you with the energetic practices to establish connection with your deeper parts of self, with nature and a dedication to your purpose and desires. 

If you are called to reach out for support I encourage you to book an initial consultation with me or schedule a free connection call to ask me your questions and see how I can nurture you at this time.