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How to Beat Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder Naturally?

Abstract

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can occur if one is having a family history of depression, bipolar disorder or any psychological disorder. Common treatments to this may include anti-depressants, counseling and allopathy medications but improving lifestyle, diet, and mode of living can manage this syndrome effectively and naturally.

Introduction

Welcome to the season when days have started getting shorter, less sunlight, 5 p.m. sunsets and plenty of snow all around. Some days can be worse if one is experiencing random mood swings, feeling more lethargic and low almost every day. What might be the reason?

Is it the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or Winter Blues?

Some people start feeling dump after the winter vacations, ending the festive season and Slump after the fun. Finding it difficult to get up out of the bed, irritated, sad and low energy levels are not uncommon. These are the manageable ebb and flow that come along with the every changing season and can be considered as winter blues. There is no clinical diagnosis for this condition but is fairly common globally. While a small percentage of people experience a severe medical disorder which is known as Seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Seasonal Affective Disorder

What is SAD?

Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD) is a depressive disorder with recurrent seasonal patterns which usually begins in fall and continues till winter ends. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), this starts in a specific season each year and ends in another. This disorder occurs more often in women than in men at an estimated age between 18-30 years. People living away from the equator are more susceptible to this disease.

Recognize the Signs and Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms

The Most Common Signs and Symptoms Include the Following

Excess sleeping
Overeating
The person feels down or depressed the whole day or nearly every day
Loss in interest in some activities which you enjoyed once
Preferring isolation and withdrawing from social gatherings
Constant feeling of fatigued and lethargic
Suicidal thoughts
Feeling of hopelessness and demotivated
Finds difficult to take initiative
Difficulty in focusing on work
Frequently crying
Lowered energy levels
Crave carbohydrates and sugars
Sudden weight gain

Symptoms Which Can Occur During Summer Are Given as Follows

Insomnia
Restlessness
anxiety
violent behavior
sudden weight loss
poor appetite

Causes

Some of the Major Factors that Trigger The Onset of The Disorder Are Discussed as Follows

The major and foremost reason which can be considered as the primary culprit for a seasonal affective disorder is the decreased exposure to sunlight which leads to an imbalance in serotonin and melatonin levels.

What is Serotonin?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that modulates all human behavior and is produced by CNS neurons. This hormone regulates the brain functions, helps to regulate mood, biological clock and body’s sleep-wake cycles. Lowered serotonin levels can be due to improper diet, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, etc. and ultimately leads to the onset of depression. (3)

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin hormone which is secreted by the pineal gland is a derivative of tryptophan (Amino acid) found in mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. In humans, it regulates circadian rhythm (24-hour cycles) and its secretion is enhanced by darkness while inhibited by light. (2)

Less sunlight causes a deficiency of Vitamin D which hinders the secretion of Serotonin and melatonin which ultimately causes depressive symptoms. But don’t let these winter blues hinder your daily enjoyment here are some of the home remedies which can put this winter illness off.

Home Remedies – Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Sunlight

To get a sufficient amount of Vitamin-D, you need to step outside whenever the sun is out. Exposing yourself to natural light and sun will trigger the serotonin production which will naturally lighten up your mood. So this winter takes a break with your kids, family or friends and tries indulging yourself in skiing, ice-skating or picnic, etc.

2. Exercise

Exercise tends to have a link with mental health so making exercise an essential part of our routine contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Daily exercise is beneficial in managing depression and anxiety effectively which acts as a natural antidepressant. It also increases endorphins which are secreted by the hypothalamus and lower levels may trigger anxiety and stress. Levels of serotonin and endorphins can affect mood which can be boosted by daily exercise.

3. Change your Diet

Some of the dietary supplements and altering diet can improve the condition and some of the supplements are discussed as follows-

1.Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Food items like walnut, salmon, tuna, shrimp, catfish, spinach, flaxseed oil, etc. should be added in the diet.

2.Berries

Berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. can help to prevent the secretion of cortisol which is a stress hormone.

3.Folic Acid

Food items that have high amounts of folic acid are Oatmeal, green leafy vegetables, cereals, soybeans, and black-eyed peas can be included in daily diet.

4.Vitamin B-12 and D

Food sources like oysters, crab, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk, cereals, etc. are rich in Vitamin B-12 while mushrooms, fish, etc. are rich in Vitamin D should be included in the daily diet for reducing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

5.Banana

It possesses tryptophan, natural sugars, magnesium and potassium which improves sleep and reduces anxiety which naturally symptoms of depression and enhances a good mood.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

1.Stress Support Capsule

Stress support from Planet Ayurveda has been formulated from enormous traditional herbs like Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) and Tagar (Valeriana wallichii). This product effectively manages various conditions like nausea, dizziness, tremors, sleeping disorders, and anxiety.

Dosage – 1-2 capsules daily with plain water after meals

2. Brahmi Chyawanprash

This is an herbal dietary supplement that contains many herbs like Jivanti, Punarnava, Jeerak, Brahmi, Dashmola, Bhumi Amla, Choti elaichi, Ashwagandha, Bala, Shatavari, Chandan, etc. This product pacifies Tridosha i.e. Kapha, Pitta and Vata which eliminates anxiety, indiscrimination, fear, grief, etc.

Dosage – 2-3 teaspoonful twice or thrice with milk after meals.

3. Brahmi Capsules

Brahmi capsules are an amazing herbal product that has been formulated from the standardized extract of Bacopa monnieri which is very beneficial in treating Neurological Disorders.

Dosage – 1-2 capsules two times a day with plain water after meals.

4. Gotu kola Capsules

Gotu kola capsules have been prepared from pure extracts of Gotukola (Centella asiatica) which Manages Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety effectively.

Dosage – 1-2 capsules two times a day with plain water.

References

What Are The Leading Cause of Depression?-How Ayurveda Can Help

Depression: Don`t let it dominate you.

Depression is a disorder that can affect your mood, as it can lead you to the feeling of loss, anger or sadness that can interfere with your daily life and it’s a worrying thing, so it’s better to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Depression leads you to lose your productivity that lowers your work`s output. Relationships, which are very important to us, can also be affected by depression and some conditions of health can also be affected, resulting in loss of time and lower productivity.

Depression can cause a feeling of sadness or loss of interest in activities, which you enjoyed previously.

It can lead to disturbance in a personal relationship and some other health conditions which can be chronic

Herbal Remedies to Treat Depression

It leads you to other conditions (diseases) as well:

1.Arthritis:

Inflammation of the joints is known as arthritis. It can affect one joint or multiple joints. Types of Arthritis are more than 100, but all differ from one another, they all break out with different causes and their treatments also differ. The most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These conditions of arthritis are painful hence can create hindrance in hinder in your daily routine.

Cancer:

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the whole globe. Nobody is spared of this deadly menace, whether old, young or kid, anybody can be prey to it. The function of the body is maintained for living by the cells of our body. The life cycle of cells unique as it depends on the type of cell that how long will it live and after how much time it will take to die, after older one new cells are produced by the body, the process is called apoptosis and this cycle goes on till our whole life in a healthy body.

Diabetes

It is a metabolic disease. Patients get his blood sugar level high, due to insulin hormone, which is responsible to transfer the sugar from your blood into the cells for energy or for storage purposes to use them later in the body. Diabetes hinders the process of making insulin in sufficient form, as per body requirement or in some cases the insulin produced by the pancreas our body cannot use it as it has to be. As most of the cells in the body use glucose with amino acids (the blocks used to build proteins) along with fats, hence its main source of energy for cells in the body, but its main source of energy for our brain, chemical messengers and nerve cells are the helping hands to process the information, without them your brain is not able to work properly.

The glucose which is used for energy is once used, and the remaining is stored in the liver in little bundles which are known as glycogen and some time they stored in the muscles, your body stores glucose for later use for energy.

As if we don’t eat for some time means for few hours, then pancreas stops making insulin, in that case, cells in pancreas known as alpha makes gly cagon a hormone, this is the signaling hormone it gives order to liver that it’s the time to break glycogen into glucose so that it gives energy to cells in body. This helps you to replenish your supply until you eat again till next time. The liver has the ability to make glucose on its own as it can make glucose out of waste products when combined together like amino acids, waste products, and fats.

Untreated high blood sugar due to diabetes can be very harmful as it affects the organs of our body directly as it can harm kidneys, nerves, eyes and even other organs of the body also.

4.Obesity:

When your BMI(Body mass index) is more than thirty (30), this term BMI is used for that means you are obese if your BMI is 25 to 29.9 it means that you are overweight but not obese. The factors which influence the relationship between BMI and body fat depend upon factors such as bone or muscle mass, age, sex or ethnicity.

BMI is the main indicator of excess weight and fat in your body. Obesity can lead you to various other diseases also like hypertension and blocked arteries. So to avoid obesity, your lifestyle changes are must for that you should include a healthy diet free from junk food and dairy products and other unhealthy diet and include exercises and yoga in your daily routine.

How to Overcome Depression

These above-mentioned conditions which can be the result of depression.

Causes:

1. Hereditary:

Your chances of developing depression can be higher if your ancestors (genetically) also suffered from this problem. So if you are having a family history of depression you should be very cautious about this (depression).

2. Brain:

The structure of your brain can also be one of the reasons for your depression disorder. The Frontal lobe of your brain has a problem of activeness it could also be the result of depression in you.

3.Medical conditions:

Certain conditions like chronic illness, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), insomnia, chronic pain, your habit of being sad at simple things of unnecessary means(without any reason).

4.Childhood:

Trauma in early childhood, events which affect you very early in your life as to lose some near and dear or some other unnatural event which makes you sad and which hurt you mentally in your childhood, they are responsible for the way body reacts to fear and stressful situations.

5.Dope:

People on drugs and dope or on alcohol depended are more prone to get in the net of depression.

Symptoms of depression:

Behavior:

No longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, drinking excessively, engaging in high-risk activities, reduction in sexual desire, sleeping disorder(insomnia).

Mood swings:

Aggressiveness, irritability, restlessness, anger are the signs which show the swings in the mood of the person.

Emotional:

Feeling of emptiness, sadness and hopelessness are the signs of emotions of a person suffering from depression shows.

Ayurveda can help in treating depression:

Depression according to Ayurveda comes in 3 types and treatment of each type is different.

Vata comes from the colon, Pitta comes from the intestine, Kappha from the stomach all these when enters into general circulation and gets enter into the nervous system they interfere functioning of the nervous system.

According to Ayurveda Treatment of Depression should be done with diagnosing the main dosha and treating it through, lifestyle changes and other procedures of Ayurveda like medication, Yoga and Panchkarma therapy.