navigating sad
Feeling down as the days get shorter? Many people (including myself) experience a seasonal slump, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can be exacerbated by the pressures of the holiday season.
Depression and SAD are common in Northern latitudes. The Canadian Psychological Association reported that 15% of Canadians experience mild forms of SAD and around 2-3% experience SAD severely. In 2022, 7.6% of Canadians aged 15 and older experienced a major depressive episode in the past year (and I sense that depression is severely under-reported).
As an LA girl living in the Pacific Northwest, seasonal affective disorder hits me hard most years, but this year feels different. As I’ve shared before, I’ve made significant lifestyle changes in the past year and I truly feel these have all come together to improve my mental health and emotional resilience.
Here are a few battle-tested strategies to combat the winter blues:
Get outside consistently : Take a walk, have lunch outdoors, or simply sit by a sunny window. Rain or shine, I take a morning walk with my dog and I’m convinced the early morning light exposure has completely shifted my circadian rhythm for the better.
Take Vitamin D: If you live in a northern latitude, work indoors, or don't get much sun exposure, consider taking a Vitamin D3 supplement like Thorne’s D3/K2 liquid supplement. Note: this combination of nutrients is commonly seen due to its action on calcium. Vitamin D3 helps your body absorb more calcium and Vitamin K2 helps your body transport it to your bones and teeth rather than letting it sit in your arteries and other soft tissues. Consult your healthcare practitioner for dosage guidelines.
Stay active: Regular exercise like strength training, brisk walking, or jogging can boost your mood and energy. If the weather's too harsh, join a gym, head to an exercise class, or try at-home workouts via an app like Peloton. Find me sweating in the name of wellness M-W-F mornings at Panthera, my favourite strength and conditioning class in Victoria.
Prioritize social connection: Spending time with loved ones can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Think about 3 of your fave people, and make it a point to schedule some quality time with them.
Cultivate mindful moments: We all know by now that mindfulness techniques like meditation or yoga reduce stress and anxiety. What I’ve been playing with lately is layering meditation onto other activities like listening to guided visualizations on my daily walks, or being extra present at while work, strength training, and writing (I’m doing it right now!).
Reduce inflammation: You’ll be surprised to find our that depression and systemic inflammation are linked, so it benefits our mental health to eat an anti-inflammatory diet (think berries, fruits, veggies, mushrooms, nuts, and fatty fish), limit processed foods, and be more proactive about managing our stress. Add anti-inflammatory herbs to your diet like turmeric, ginger, garlic, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and rosemary, or integrate an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement. I use Nordic Naturals’ Ultimate Omega.
Lean on herbal allies: Some of my favourite herbs to alleviate depression include holy basil/tulsi, wood betony, mimosa bark, and St. John's Wort, all summer-flowering herbs that bring the sunshine to the fall/winter seasons. It's best to consult with a healthcare professional before taking herbal medicine as they may interact with medications used to treat depression or other mood disorders, including tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, and MAOIs. Book an online herbal consult here.
Get acupuncture: Acupuncture is a relaxing, uplifting, non-pharmaceutical intervention to improve emotional resilience and help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Book acupuncture with me in Victoria at Nurture and Flo or Opal Wellness.
If you deal with seasonal depression, know you’re not alone. There are tools and strategies to help you weather the darker seasons with more ease and grace, and I encourage you to lean on them and your community for support.
