Does your mood lift when you see the sun? The warmth of sunshine on your face can banish your blues. It’s not just aesthetic. Exposure to sunlight provides benefits for your physical and mental health. And, as we shift into the darker autumn and winter months, your exposure to sunlight dwindles.
For many, the darker seasons of the year come with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This type of depression occurs when you can’t access the benefits of nature in the way that helps you the most. You may notice that you’re melancholy, grumpy, short of patience, or that you often feel tired or fatigued.
If SAD causes your symptoms, they’ll go away on their own once spring rolls back around and daylight hours increase. However, you have to get through the winter first!
Dr. Bryant S. Edwards and the team at Iconic Infusions, PLLC of Fayetteville, North Carolina, suggest that you use these five top tips for managing your SAD this year.
SAD can sneak up on you. One minute, you’re scrambling through the end of summer, and the next, you realize it’s getting dark earlier in the evening. If seasonal depression starts to impact you, and you’re not aware of the changing daylight hours, your symptoms may be confusing or even frightening. You aren’t sure why you feel so bad. You may end up coming to erroneous conclusions about the source of your symptoms and reacting incorrectly as a result.
To avoid this, people who know they tend to develop SAD in the winter should mark their calendars. Once autumn begins, know that your condition is likely to flare up. Don’t be surprised when familiar symptoms make their regular reappearance.
When you know you’re prone to seasonal blues, make sure your lifestyle supports your mental health, especially in the winter months. Eat a healthy diet that nourishes your body, and stay active with indoor and outdoor activities year-round. Maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol, as well. It’s easy to drink too much when you’re down, and alcohol consumption can actually worsen your mental health.
Your body derives vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. If you suffer from SAD, you may have a seasonal vitamin D deficiency that needs to be addressed.
Oral supplements have to pass through your digestive system, meaning that it takes time for them to have an effect. At Iconic Infusions, PLLC, Dr. Edwards offers IV vitamin infusion therapies that directly access your bloodstream. That means that you receive the benefits of vitamin supplementation more completely and rapidly than you would by eating a vitamin tablet.
If you can’t enjoy natural sunlight in the winter, you may be able to make do with an artificial replacement for a few months. Some specialized light bulbs accurately mimic the physical, mental, and emotional effects of sunlight. Many people who experience SAD benefit from purchasing a sun lamp or full-spectrum light and regularly spending time with it turned to face them, a type of treatment known as phototherapy.
Instead of just trying to power through your SAD symptoms, reach out for expert treatment and support. You might not have to endure worsening mental health for several months out of each year.
In addition to vitamin and nutritional supplementation, Dr. Edwards and his team offer IV ketamine infusion therapy for depression. Could ketamine treat your seasonal depression? Consult with Dr. Edwards and find out if this could be a good solution for you.
For holistic, compassionate support with seasonal depression, get in touch with Dr. Edwards at Iconic Infusions, PLLC today. Schedule your consultation appointment online or over the phone now.
