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My first winter in Germany
Here in Germany, we are in the thick of winter. Being a Texas girl, this is the LONGEST winter I’ve ever experienced. We go days, even weeks, without seeing some good sunshine. A full day of sunshine is a rarity indeed. When I first arrived, this part of Germany was having an excessive amount of precipitation, mostly rain. It was always wet, gloomy, and cold. Not my cup of tea.
I tried to push through it, but I realized that the winter gloom was having an impact on my mood. And, it was only the beginning of this season. How was I to manage? As with anything, I wanted to do it as naturally and safely as possible.
If you’d like to learn via video, check out the new video I did on this topic!
Seasonal Affective Disorder
While I don’t believe I’ve experienced true seasonal affective disorder (SAD), many in Germany do. To give some geographical context, my location in Germany is around the same latitude as Newfoundland, Canada. That is really far north. During the shortest part of the year, in mid-late December, it would get dark before 5:00 PM. At 10:00 AM it felt like the sun had just risen (which really, it just had a couple hours ago). The sun would never fully rise and basically just hug the horizon all day.
Now that we’re into February, the days are a little longer and the sun isn’t so low in the sky. But it is colder and almost just as gloomy most of the time. According to BMC Psychiatry, “2-8% of the total population in Europe experiences SAD.” [1] It also is a recurring illness, with around 80% of SAD sufferers experiencing a relapse the next season. [1]
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), 4-6% of Americans experience SAD during the winter. [2] Both in Europe and America, SAD affects women more than men. [1, 2]
What’s a SAD person to do?
As I mentioned above, I wanted to address my seasonal mood swings naturally. I believe that even if you have clinical SAD, it is not a given that you need to go on medication. (But of course, check with your primary care practitioner.) As with anything, it’s important to nip it in the bud. Don’t let yourself drag on feeling depressed for weeks. The deeper the hole you fall into, the harder it is to dig yourself out.
One of the first things my husband and I did was to buy ourselves a sun lamp. We went to Saturn for this, a German equivalent of Best Buy. So check your local electronics store or Amazon. The one below is what we purchased here. It is the size of a tablet and is easy to travel with.
It’s important to expose yourself to this artificial sunlight as soon as you wake up in the morning, to mimic circadian rhythm. Try not to have it on after the sun goes down, or at least turn it off within 2-3 hours before bedtime. You don’t want to keep yourself up! If it’s your lucky day and the sun is out, expose yourself as much as possible. What I do is sit near a window where the sun is streaming in, letting the sun hit my face and skin.
Vitamin D – a game changer and a caution
Additionally, because of the lack of natural sunlight, you may not be getting enough Vitamin D. This “vitamin” (it’s really more like a hormone) is necessary for life and a deficiency can cause low mood, lack of energy, and even depression. Some people, like myself, also have a genetic polymorphism where it makes it difficult to make Vitamin D from sun exposure. Supplementing with Vitamin D is the solution to lack of sunlight and/or the genetic issue, but you want to get your levels tested FIRST. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means that you don’t pee out excess (like with Vitamins B or C). If you consume too much, especially in supplement form, it can cause toxicity. I personally take 4,000 IU of Vitamin D3 in liquid form, but again: PLEASE check with your doctor first! Vitamin D can be a game-changer but you also don’t want to put yourself at risk of overdosing.
Other natural aids to feeling gloomy
Exercising is another way to beat the winter blues naturally. It doesn’t have to be a particular type of exercise, and it can even be a simple walk – preferably outdoors. (Yes, even if it’s freezing!) I love taking our German shepherd for a walk. It gets me away from the house and allows me to breathe in fresh air, even if it’s cold. More high-impact exercise like running or HIIT (high intensity interval training) will produce endorphins which are feel-good hormones and give you that “runner’s high” which will help boost your mood.
Essential oils are another way I bolster my mood. Any of the citrus oils are perfect for the winter blues. (Note that citrus fruit are also in season during this time!) The ones I have in my arsenal are bergamot, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, tangerine, and wild orange. A great way to use these oils to lift your mood is by aromatic use or diffusion. Put a drop of essential oil into your hands, rub them together, and breathe in deeply. Or, put 4-6 drops in a diffuser with water and run that in your home. The diffuser in our living room is very similar to the one below. doTERRA also carries their own diffusers.
Eating healthy is always a good idea
Of course, maintaining a healthy diet during the winter months goes a long way toward keeping your mood elevated and warding off SAD. When we feel down, we tend to default to our “comfort foods,” like chips, cookies, and anything easy like microwaveable meals and sugary snacks. Eating junk food may feel good in the moment, but in the long run it will wear you down physically and mentally.
While having extra carbs during the winter can be beneficial, especially if we’re active, it’s important to eat the right ones. Healthy starches like organic potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and even organic rice and quinoa should be a part of your diet. Don’t be shy about lathering them with grassfed butter and sprinkling Himalayan sea salt!
Try to keep cooking simple yet healthy with adequate amounts of protein. A hearty beef stew made with grassfed beef, carrots, red potatoes, celery, and onion makes a great dinner and can stretch for days. Put a healthy spin on your favorite casserole. Instead of pasta, try spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. (Check out the spiralizer I love using!)
Concluding random thoughts
Sleep is so important. Keep a regular schedule and while it’s important to get enough sleep, also try to avoid sleeping in too late. That circadian rhythm is important! Get your “sun” in the morning, and wear blue-blocking glasses at night especially if you’re watching TV or looking at a screen of some sort. I’ve also found that having houseplants and fresh flowers helps with the winter blues. We recently bought a lemon tree from IKEA. It quickly began blooming and the smell of the flowers is heavenly! I can’t wait to have homegrown citrus.
Finally, if you have tried the above remedies and are still feeling blue or are even getting worse, please visit your doctor. Depression is a legitimate illness and shouldn’t be brushed aside. Natural options are usually the first place to start, but sometimes we need more than that. Especially if you’re a health nut like me, remember that there is no shame in seeking professional help and getting on medications if you need them. Or you may need help with balancing your hormones, which could require specialized herbs or supplements. Even if you do need temporary medication, you can and should still practice healthy habits like nutrition, exercise, and a sun lamp.
What home remedies have you tried with beating the winter blues? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
References
[1] https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-017-1403-2
[2] https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0301/p1531.html