February 2025

Seasonal Living

• Contemplating The Energy Of Winter
• Love & The Earth
• The Medicine Of Bone Broth
• Seasonal Affective Disorder

Last month, I wrote about how the circadian cycle, the daily cycle of sunlight and darkness, affects sleep, mental function, metabolism, reproductive hormones, and mood.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

cortisol levels, metabolic rate, and glucose metabolism are higher. On the other hand, when the light dims in the evening, all life processes, including digestion, elimination and detox, body temperature, heart rate, and reproductive function, are slowed down.

This explains why, when the days are short in winter, all life forces are more sluggish, leading to sluggish mental capacity and mood disorders.

Vitamin D and your mood

When considering winter gloom, vitamin D deficiency is an important factor. We know that vitamin D plays a vital role in regulating mood.

Vitamin D regulates serotonin production and increases the sensitivity of serotonin receptors. Balanced serotonin levels are associated with a positive mindset or “feel good” mood. Lower serotonin levels are associated with depression.

At the same time, vitamin D manages dopamine, the neurotransmitter that elicits the sensations of pleasure and joy from food, art, nature, and fun activities. Vitamin D supports dopamine synthesis and regulates dopamine receptors.

By supporting brain health and enhancing nutrient availability to the brain, vitamin D reduces inflammation and oxidative stress and increases neuron growth and repair.

To synthesize vitamin D, we need direct skin exposure to UVB sunlight rays. The angle of the sunlight to the Earth needs to be above 50 degrees, which is typical of midday (10 am—2 pm) in the summer.

If you live above latitude 37 (north or south), your exposure to UVB sunlight is limited to the months between April and September, which means that between October and March, you hardly synthesize vitamin D. Moreover, during the winter, you probably bundle up with coats, gloves, and scarves, limiting the amount of skin you expose to sunlight.

Optimal vitamin D levels are 50-60 nanograms (weight) per milliliter (volume). Vitamin D deficiency is common in people above latitude 37.

The overall effect of less daylight combined with less vitamin D leads to the symptoms that we named seasonal affective disorder. These symptoms tend to return and then improve at about the same time every year.

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder

The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder reflect the slowing down of all life processes due to the shorter day.

• Increased sleep and daytime drowsiness
• Loss of interest and pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed
• Social withdrawal and increased sensitivity to rejection
• Grouchiness and anxiety
• Feelings of guilt and hopelessness
• Excessive fatigue
• Decreased sex drive
• Decreased ability to focus
• Increased appetite, especially for sweets and carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Physical problems, such as headaches

What to do about it?

If you are aware that winter always makes you feel doom and gloom, it’s important to start practicing preventative care in September when the days begin to shorten. Be very intentional and consistent with your care plan.

Sun exposure – Make it a priority to spend fifteen minutes to half an hour in the sun every morning.

Movement—Daily movement will help stimulate blood and nutrients flow to the cells and encourage lymph and toxins flow away from them, increasing vitality.

Create a routine – Daily meals and sleep routine time help your body regulate its circadian clock.

Make time for rest and sleep – Respecting your body’s need to rest more in the winter can ease your anxiety, guilt, and shame. Eight to nine hours of sleep in winter supports winter wellness; beyond nine hours will exacerbate your depressive mood.

Engage with a community – Being stuck at home because it is cold outside can add loneliness to your already depressed mood. Go out with friends and engage in activities you enjoy. Fake it until you make it.

I speak of connecting to nature not in a hippie way but instead in scientific terms. UVB light wavelength initiates many of our body’s life processes, including our mood. Winter is the darkest time of the year when our minds are called to slow down and reflect.

Respecting your body’s need to slow down without shame or guilt is important for your mental well-being. That doesn’t mean fully surrendering to the forces of darkness but instead finding the silver lining that allows you to emerge in the spring with new insights and energy.

The changes in sunlight exposure have two aspects:

☀️ Quntity – the number of hours you are exposed to sunlight in different seasons. The length of day.

🌞 Quality – The quality or length of sunlight waves.

I see so many notes here anticipating spring, but we are still in the middle of winter where I live. For many of my friends and neighbors, February and March are the hardest time because we are past the fun of the holidays, and winter feels eternal.

If you are struggling with winter gloom, I invite you to read and use the tips to improve your mood.