3 Tips for Beating Seasonal Affective Disorder This Winter

Seasonal Affective Disorder also called SAD is a type of depression that typically occurs during fall and winter months when the days start getting shorter, we see less sunlight and are (in general) inside more than we’re outside. Even if you don’t have a diagnosis of SAD you can still benefit from the tips I’m going to share below- because they work for everyone who needs a little pick me up in the colder months or who struggles with low energy in the wintertime.

Reduced sunlight exposure coupled with more melatonin production (given melatonin is produced when it is dark, and in the wintertime the nights are longer) causes us to feel sleepy, have low energy, eat more, move around less, and can even develop into serious depressive symptoms.

While I am no doctor, I am a Registered Nurse who has worked on a Mental Health and Addiction Unit on and off for 7 years, I also have the lived experience of someone who, at times, has struggled with depression throughout my life- so I know a thing or two about what helps prevent and deal with SAD.

This year I told myself I was not going to let the “sads” (as me and my husband call it), defeat me. In particular I have gotten VERY serious about my Vitamin D intake, use of a SAD lamp, and exercise routine because all 3 of those things have really pulled me out of the Seasonal Affective Disorder “rut” I normally find myself in by this time of year. The things I’m going to share with you today have given me more energy than I’ve ever had in years past. This blog is all about the tips and tricks you can try to help deal with SAD, or even just help your body have more energy and keep your mental health strong this winter. You do not need the clinical diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder to struggle from the winter blues, and the things I share below can help anyone increase their energy, motivation and mood. I cannot guarantee these methods will work for everyone, and this is not medical advice, but if you’re like me then I’m sure you’re willing to try just about anything to feel better.

My first tip is to supplement with Vitamin D3 + Vitamin K2

(usually comes together in the same supplement) as a way to combat the lack of sunlight which usually provides us with enough Vitamin D3 in warmer months. I actually wrote an entire blog post alone on Vitamin D because it is so crucial for our health and something we don’t talk about enough.

Instead of repeating that information in this post, I will link it here if you’re wondering why Vitamin D is important, what a healthy vitamin D blood level is, why you should take Vitamin D alongside Vitamin K2, etc. Website link: https://betterwithlexi.com/pillar-1-nature-sunlight/

What I do want to say is that if you’re struggling with SAD or even if you’re just having low energy and you’re noticing it coincides with this time of year, then I’m guessing your Vitamin D level is low. I would recommend getting it tested by your Primary Care Provider or Family Doctor, reference my blog post above, and then SUPPLEMENT! Make sure you supplement with a Vitamin D from a reputable company. I use FullScript Supplement Dispensary that offers supplements from trusted brands which undergo audits to ensure quality, but it doesn’t matter where you get it from. Please do me a favor and do NOT buy off of somewhere like Amazon unless you’ve done your research! I’d recommend using a verified brand like Pure Encapsulations, QuickSilver Scientific, Ortho Molecular Products, Thorne, etc. There are so many companies out there selling supplements filled with who knows what, so do your research and see what works for you.

What Vitamin D3 + K2 supplement do I take? QuickSilver Scientific Nanoemulsion D3K2

– this is a highly bioavailable, quickly absorbing supplement that you take sublingually (under the tongue). I prefer sublingual over capsules or tablets because studies show we only absorb about 80% of those we ingest due to our stomach acid breaking down the rest. I have been taking 5,000 – 10,000 IU daily for months now and it has made the biggest difference! I chose that supplement dosage based on my own lab work showing very low Vitamin D in the winter months. I will get my labs retested in the spring and then usually around that time when we begin to see more sun is when I stop supplementing and get Vitamin D naturally from walks outside and being in nature.

Tip #2 is move your body!

Did you know that in 2023 a meta analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine encompassing 97 reviews found that physical activity was significantly more effective than either counseling or common antidepressants in reducing depression, anxiety, and psychological disorders (Singh B, Olds T, Curtis R, et al). Now- as someone who is currently in therapy, and has previously taken antidepressants, I can tell you that both have benefits and this definitely isn’t a “one size fits all approach” BUT there is no questioning the science – we cannot deny that physical activity isn’t as important for our health as something like therapy. Our bodies were built for movement, when we sit around our bodies literally can stay stuck in whatever mental state we find ourselves in. I love the phrase “move your body, change your mind” because it’s true- if you’re feeling sad, anxious, stressed- one thing you can do right now is move your body and it will make you feel better, even just momentarily.

One thing I’ve done this year is set a very low bar for myself that this is my new standard and a non-negotiable in my day: at some point, every single day, I have to move my body. Sometimes that looks like weight lifting while I watch Netflix in my living room. Sometimes that means going to the gym. Most days it looks like me going on a walk with my husband on my lunch break, dancing in the kitchen, or doing calf raises at my standing desk while I type this blog. Doesn’t matter how it happens, it just needs to happen. Your body will thank you later. Shoot for 30 minutes per day, and ideally do something that increases your heart rate and gets you going enough to break out a sweat. If 30 minutes is too much, “set the bar low” and do 5 minutes, then work your way up to 10, and so on.

Tip #3: Use a SAD Lamp every single day!

SAD lamps (can also be called a light box), is a very bright light used to stimulate the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is also responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles and hormone production. Meaning, we need to see bright light in the morning to tell our bodies to “wake up” and get going for the day. Without that bright light, certain hormones are not released in the same ways that they normally would be (Cortisol being one of them) and so finding the energy to get through the day becomes much more difficult without the help from our bodies.

In my blog post about Vitamin D, I also mention Cortisol and explain the importance of why this needs to spike in the morning. If you’d like a more in-depth explanation, you can find that blog post here: https://betterwithlexi.com/pillar-1-nature-sunlight/

How to use a SAD Lamp and what brand I use:

I use the Happy Light by Verilux but feel free to use whichever one you’d prefer. I would recommend getting a lamp with 10,000 of lux that blocks Ultraviolet (UV) rays and sitting with it approximately 16-24 inches away from your face- making sure it is off to the side, not directly in front of your eyes. Do this for approximately 20-30 minutes in the morning. I personally use my lamp for about 1 hour, but please tailor this to your unique situation because we all have differing levels for how much sunlight or bright light we need to get going in the morning. I would also suggest you do NOT do this after 11am or 12pm depending on your schedule, a release of cortisol too late into the day can affect your sleep at night.