Here in the Pacific NW, the last week has been dark, windy and wet. Did I mention dark? The forecast for the next week or so, more of the very same. It doesn’t typically bother me unless it continues on for a very long time. However, I’ve been conscientious of our weather because we have a lot of family here this week for Thanksgiving. And, all of them are from Southern California…

In talking about this, one of my friends mentioned that she’s been feeling the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) where she lives. She asked: “Any natural remedies for that?”

Setting out to find out what there is to do, naturally, to help counteract SAD, here’s what I found:

• Lightbox, or any bright light – flood your space for a time each day with, ideally, bright full-spectrum lighting. There are specialized lightboxes made just for treating SAD. It takes as little as 30 minutes a day of sitting in front of these boxes to make an impact on your “winter blues”.
  • If you work at a desk, you might consider a desktop lamp. That would be an easy way to get your light time in… while simply sitting and working as you normally would.
• Get Great Nutrition – Eliminate sugar and refined flours and fill your diet with dark leafy vegetables (rich in B vitamins and folic acid), Omega 3s and high tryptophan foods like bananas, avocados, legumes, quinoa, and nutritional yeast.
• Vitamin D – Vit D, the “Sunshine Vitamin”, is what our bodies produce when we are in the sunlight. It’s critical for optimum health. When we lose out on regular sunshine exposure, our Vitamin D levels tend to plummet. Take 1,000 – 3,000 IUs a day of D3 (cholecalciferol) and not only will you help support your mood, but you’ll be reducing your risk of cancers like colon, prostate, breast and more. Because Vit D isn’t found naturally in many foods and where it is found… it is in such small amounts, taking a high quality Vit D supplement is the best way to go. *Note: Many health professionals recommend taking a break from Vitamin D supplementation on the weekends (or two days a week).
• Get outside – take every chance to get outside, 30 minutes or more, in the sun if possible, but do it regardless.
• Exercise – do some kind of aerobic exercise… walking or other type that you enjoy!
• Yoga – Yoga creates an energizing effect as well as mitigating and relieving stress. Many yoga meditations are thought to act on the pineal gland which controls circadian and seasonal rhythms. Yoga is a great practice/discipline anytime, but especially during the darker, shorter winter days.
• Sleep – Get adequate and consistent sleep. Sleep is critical for cellular repair from damage caused by stress, pollutants, infection and so on. it’s also important for creativity, memory, mental clarity, maintaining a healthy weight and heart heath. Sleep isn’t something you should scrimp on.
• Essential Oils – Jasmine essential oil is anti-depressant and euphoric. It stimulates beta brain wave activity as measured by EEG. Also helpful are citrus oils such as lemon, bergamot, lime, neroli, tangerine, and mandarin. Citrus oils stimulate the autonomic nervous system which helps with alertness, mood support, reduced anxiety, relieving stress and creating mental clarity.
• Laugh! – Laughter relaxes the body, boosts the immune system, triggers the release of endorphins (especially helpful for helping reduce SAD symptoms), protects the heart, and more. The saying “Laughter is the best medicine” really is more than just a nice sentiment.
• Other methods that have helped SAD sufferers:
  • Spend time with family and friends
  • St. John’s Wort, SAMe
  • massage
  • hot baths
  • counseling/psychotherapy
  • more sex (really? cool!…)
  • short afternoon power naps

Bottom line, do what works for you. Everyone is individual and the reasons why you are affected by the shorter, darker days varies. So how you treat it may very well be different than a person next to you who is also affected.