Winter Blues - How to support your mood as the days darken

We have all heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) by now, and if you haven’t, then this is a little info on how to support yourself and/or your loved ones if you know anyone who is impacted by the darkness of our winter months.

The first thing we recommend is checking your vitamin D levels! Yes, even though we’ve just had desert levels of sun and heat in the UK for an unprecedented amount of time, most of us will likely have been 

a) hiding in the shade/indoors/anywhere we’ve found aircon or a fan, and 

b) we’d like to hope we’ve all been using appropriate SPF when we have been outside in it!

We recommend either your GP, if you’re lucky enough that they still offer

vitamin D testing, or the NHS lab. If you do take a test, make sure you stop taking any supplements which might contain vitamin D, 5 days before so you don’t skew the result. Once you’ve got your results back, we can help advise you on which (if any are needed) supplements will best support your needs for winter.

One of the things we’ve found to be most effective over the years is using a sun lamp first thing in the morning. Morning daylight on the receptors at the backs of your eyes is like a circadian master reset; it helps with regulating both your sleep cycle and your mood. The very specific wavelength of light that the daylight lamps produce helps to simulate daylight, which is why they're a really effective support in the absence of real sunlight. You only need to use them for 10-20 minutes in the morning whilst you’re getting ready, and they make a huge difference to most SAD sufferers. We have lamps for sale which we’ve personally tried and tested, and we now won’t be without them over wintertime!

There are also some wonderful herbs and spices, such as saffron, which can help to boost and soothe your mood. Saffron is a truly remarkable spice; just a few strands stewed as a tea, added to a smoothie, or even taken as a capsule (we stock Viridian Saffron and The Health Pharmacy Saffrosun) can make a wild difference to your day-to-day life. Please be careful with this one alongside SSRIs, and also if you are pregnant, please check with your GP or pharmacist before use.

Pop in and talk your options through with us, and we’ll help you find the best fit for your lifestyle!