J'AIME February 2021

H E A LT H
Beat the winter blues
IF THE WINTER MONTHS LEAVE YOU FEELING DOWN IN THE DUMPS IT’S
GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT ALONE, WRITES AMY NORBURY
If you’re feeling down in the dumps after months of
short days and dark evenings, you’re not alone - the
winter blues is much more common than you might
think.
One contributor to the winter blues can be a vitamin
D deficiency.
Vitamin D is also known as The Sunshine Vitamin
because it can be synthesised by our bodies when
sunlight hits our skin. Despite the name, Vitamin D
is actually considered a pro hormone rather than a
vitamin and is extremely important in helping build
bone strength and keeping muscles strong.
It also protects us from gum disease, boosts brain
function and may improve heart health so it’s vitally
important to know that you are getting what you
need.
As well as being detrimental to bone and muscle
health, a lack of vitamin D has also been linked to
low moods, with people who are deficient in vitamin
D being more at risk of depression.
Between late March/early April to the end of
September, most people can get all the vitamin D
they need through sunlight on their skin and from a
balanced diet.
However, during the autumn and winter, you need to
get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not
strong enough for the body to make vitamin D.
But since it’s difficult for people to get enough
vitamin D from food alone, everyone should consider
taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms
of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.
And this year, the NHS says it’s more important
than ever to keep a check on our vitamin D levels
as many of us have spent much more time indoors -
and therefore out of the sunshine - than usual due to
Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
While many of us can suffer from a bit of a low
mood during the darker, colder winter months, for
some people it can have a much greater effect.
If the change in the seasons leaves you suffering from
a persistent low mood; a loss of pleasure or interest
in normal everyday activities, irritability; feelings
of despair, guilt and worthlessness; feeling lethargic
and sleepy during the day; or craving carbohydrates
and gaining weight, you make be one of the millions
of people in the UK affected by Seasonal Affective
Disorder.
According to the NHS, the exact cause of SAD is not
fully understood, but the main theory is that a lack
of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the
hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the
production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone
that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the
body may produce it in higher than normal levels.
It may also affect the production of serotonin – a
hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep.
A lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels,
which is linked to feelings of depression.
The body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) uses
sunlight to time various important functions
such as when you wake up, so lower light levels
during the winter may disrupt your body clock and
lead to symptoms of SAD.
It’s also possible that some people are more
vulnerable to SAD as a result of their genes, as some
cases appear to run in families.
If your feelings are interfering with your day-to-day
life, it is advisable to see your GP. There is a range
of treatments available, from lifestyle measures
including getting as much natural sunlight as possible
and exercising regularly to light therapy, cognitive
behavioural therapy and counselling.
36 www.jaimemagazine.com