Keeping a Positive Outlook through the Winter
Note: These articles are not meant as a substitute for proper medical advice. Please consult with your medical practitioner before using any type of remedy, herbal or otherwise.
By Anna Wiens, Wellness Buyer
As the days are getting shorter and the temperature drops, the wool socks, winter jackets, sweaters, and boots come out of storage. There is no doubt winter is coming. If you are wise, you have already started to prepare you home and body for its arrival, but what are you doing to prepare your mind and spirit for the long haul of winter? Here are some simple and helpful tips to start incorporating into your daily routine to help regulate your mind and body. Don’t wait for the winter blues to creep in! Take these proactive measures to keep your spirits high throughout the cold months to come.
Simple Daily Routine: First off, get enough sleep! The shorter days and less sunlight tells our bodies it is time to rest. Winter is naturally a time to rest and recover from the long and busy days of summer. Listening to the call for more sleep can be one of the best ways to regulate your body’s rhythms, hormones, and neurochemicals.
On top of getting more sleep, regular walks at a consistent time each day can help regulate your brain’s hormones, especially melatonin (the “sleep” hormone). It is important to take your walks at the same time every day so your body gets used to the rhythm and timing of light. Similarly, try and turn your lights/TV off at the same time each evening. And if you live a very busy lifestyle and don’t have time each day for a walk, incorporate a full spectrum SAD light in your office and use it at the same time each day. Since melatonin is regulated by light, you’ll be amazed at how effective this simple (and cheap!) solution to sleep and mood elevation may be.
And for further mood management, incorporate simple relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing or meditation. The breath/respiratory system is directly connected to the autonomic nervous system. Controlling and deepening your breath can lower your heart rate and therefore support relaxation.
Supplementation: Because our busy lives can get in the way and hinder our lifestyle changes, sometimes popping a pill or two in the morning is the most convenient and realistic approach. It is at least taking a step in the right direction. Depending on each individual’s lifestyle and constitution, one herb or supplement may help one person more than another. Consult with your healthcare provider before adding anything new to your routine.
The very basics of supplementation for mood support include a B complex, fish oil (or omega 3’s in general), and vitamin D (the “sunshine vitamin”). Most B complexes will have at least 8 B vitamins in the right ratios. Since the Bs work together as a team for maximum absorption and efficacy, it’s usually a good idea to take them together. B vitamins are also found in high amounts in dairy products, chicken, beans, and dark leafy greens. Fish oil can also be taken to support your mood as well as to help hydrate your skin from the inside out. Some fish oil, like Nordic Naturals, also incorporate a D vitamin into the same pill (since vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and needs to be taken with some sort of fat- like fish oil- to be absorbed). There has been a lot of recent research about vitamin D and mood. Vitamin D may play a role in the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that affect mood regulation. Especially in the darkest months of winter, if you do not get direct sunlight, you should probably consider supplementing. The standard recommendation is 1,000-2,000 IUs per day. Since vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and can be stored by the body (and therefore can build up to toxic quantities), make sure you consult with your healthcare provider before taking more than the recommended dose.
In addition to supplements, there are many plant allies that can help support mood throughout the winter. One of my favorites is lemon balm. Grown in the garden or in the wild, the lemon balm plant is bright, vibrant, and reaches towards the sun. It’s a nice metaphor to its actions in the body. It can support a calm, cheerful mood when drunk as a tea or taken in tincture form. It is the base of many mood-enhancing formulas. Another fantastic herb is tulsi, also known as holy basil. It makes a tasty tea - especially combined with another mood enhancer, rose. Both of these have a relaxing, calming, and soothing quality that makes it a perfect uplifting winter tea blend. A lesser known, but very effective herb is motherwort. Motherwort is especially helpful for mood changes related to hormonal fluctuation around menstruation and menopause. Because of its effects on the reproductive system, motherwort is not to be used during pregnancy.
Taking these proactive steps before the long, cold, grey days of winter set in can help to stabilize your mood and emotions. Especially if you have experienced emotional fluctuations in the past, these tips can be very helpful. It can be as simple as taking a walk each morning and sipping tulsi rose tea throughout the day. If you are prone to deeper depression-like symptoms, the herbal and vitamin supplements might be more powerful. And who wouldn’t benefit from turning off the TV earlier and taking regular walks? I hope these tips help to create a positive and enjoyable winter!
Cheers to the long haul ahead,
The Health Genie