Beat the blues when SAD...

It’s that time of the year again....The last blasts of Autumn fire are seen across the landscape, and with it a sense of increased cosiness, a sweet sensation at finding those comforting jumpers, warm spices and the mellow light that only Autumn can bring.... With the shortening of days however another feeling may pervade, and linger with us like a shadow... 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) may be experienced from autumn and into the winter season, and is characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, irritability, low mood, changes in appetite patterns (mostly an increasing of cravings as a need to eat carbohydrates, but the opposite can also be true) as well as sleep disturbances. 

The decrease in sunlight exposure has a direct effect on circadian rhythms, which is our day and night pattern. The photosensitive cells in our retinas may be under-stimulated by the lack of sunlight, which impacts messages sent to our brain and the production of hormones such as cortisol, which wakes us up in the morning. 

In this article I will share with you a few easy-to-follow tips to give your body extra support to keep your mood and sleep balanced during the winter season: 

Boost your Serotonin and GABA production 

These feel-good neurotransmitters can be enhanced through deep breathing and food, amongst others. Serotonin is also particularly important as the body creates melatonin (which regulates sleep cycles) from serotonin. The essential co-factors to serotonin and GABA are Magnesium, B6, iron, taurine, Vitamin C and zinc. You can follow my Stuffed Butternut recipe, which includes wholegrains and beans which are rich in B6 and zinc, plenty of magnesium and iron in the spinach. As a rule of thumb you can, in your daily main meals, add 2 extra handfuls of dark green leafy vegetables, on top of your usual vegetable. Green leafy vegetables are real power houses of magnesium, iron and folate.  

Immune Drink & the gentle power of Green Tea 

The Immune Drink will ensure you get a good shot of your daily vitamin C, and the cinnamon bark will not only add a sweet taste but will also regulate your blood sugar levels (which is also essential when managing mood!). It also combats the H. Pylori bacteria, which causes stomach bugs. Thyme is also highly antibacterial. Rosemary is lovely for blood circulation and will keep a healthy flow to your brain.  

Soothing green tea: if it's that time of the day where you need that extra something to boost you and you are thinking of another cup of coffee, why not get a cup of green tea instead? L-theanine component of the green tea will increase production of GABA, conveying a grounded yet focused state of mind, which will be great if you need to work on a specific task. Be mindful though not to leave the tea bag more than 5 mins in your cup, as it might produce the opposite effect, as green tea does contain a small amount of caffeine. 

Take the time to create your own sleep routine 

Get your new sleep routine: the process of getting to sleep is just as important as sleep itself. It will determine how you will be sleeping. When the chaos of the day is over, dinner and dishes are put away, that kids are now asleep, it’s ‘me time’. If you do have anything urgent to do before the next day do it straight away (such as paying bills or correcting the last papers of a test...). Be mindful that after this, it is the time for you to unwind, to be purposefully idle: you no longer need to be efficient, productive, multi-tasking. First thing would be to put your phone on the bedside table and forget about it: having a shower before bedtime is a great way to relax with the enveloping warmth being like an invitation to sleep. Pour yourself a cup of chamomile, lemon balm, lavender, or any night time herbal blend (stay away from coffee and black tea). Then allow yourself to have that window to take your minds off things: whether it’s a good book or a series (be mindful not to choose a type of series that may be upsetting or too dark/sad). Try not to go beyond 10.30 before turning off the lights. 

A little exercise gets a long way 

Exercise is also key to keeping a better mood throughout the autumn/winter season, with the natural endorphins it will produce! With the shorter days coming in it’s more difficult to get the daily walk summer offered. But you may be able to get out during your break and have that short walk, even if it’s only 15mins! Especially if you have it straight after your lunch, this will help with your blood sugar levels and resulting mood for the rest of the day. If you don’t go to a local gym, try practicing Yoga in the morning or evening at home, there are many great Youtube videos for all levels. Make sure you get that lovely long walk in nature at the weekends.  

Invest in a wake-up light-clock 

To help you get out of sleep in the darkest of mornings, you can invest in a light-alarm that will gently glow more luminously for half an hour before your wake-time, to imitate the effect of sunlight. It also fades away for sleep. See Lumie.

Don’t reject sadness 

A last point I thought was important to mention when talking about the winter blues is the fact that, even though they are ways to help uplift chronic ‘negative’ feelings that can disrupt our quality of life, we can’t erase them altogether or prevent them from happening in the future. Feeling sad or worried at times simply means we are human: it is very tempting to constantly numb any of these feelings, as if we feared we couldn’t manage life with them. But they remind us we are alive, what inspires us or pulls us down, they are our keep-safe to understand what to go towards and what to distance ourselves from. When an uncomfortable emotion arises, do not run away to protect yourself from feeling it. Instead, try acknowledging that it has appeared, while being aware that it will also glide away, as swiftly as it came. If life encompasses joy, it’s because it holds sadness; one cannot go without the other.