The Dark Days are Coming: How to Support Your Mental Health During the Winter Months
by Dr. Brie Woodruff, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C
Living in the Pacific Northwest comes with many amazing benefits: the mountains, the Puget Sound, big trees, beautiful lakes and rivers and long, warm summer days. When winter comes, it can be easy to forget all the joys of living here, and we can find ourselves struggling to get through the short, dark, and rainy days.
Our brains help produce vital neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that help control mood, energy, sleep, and how you feel day to day. Some of the most important neurotransmitters for mood include serotonin (helps you feel calm and happy), dopamine (helps with motivation and pleasure), and norepinephrine (helps with alertness and energy). When these chemicals are out of balance, it can lead to feelings of sadness, low energy, or trouble sleeping.
During winter, many people get less sunlight, which can affect these neurotransmitters and lead to seasonal depression or feeling "down".
So, what can you do to help support these seasonal mood changes?
One way to help is with bright light therapy. This light helps to boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine and helps to regulate stress hormones to improve sleep quality. Research shows that bright light therapy can quickly improve mood, sleep, and energy in as little as one to two weeks. Here is an example of a bright light I recommend to patients.
In addition to bright light therapy, certain supplements can also help support neurotransmitter activity, especially in winter months when seasonal affective disorder is more common.
Here are a few key supplements involved in neurotransmitter regulation (check with your provider if you’d like specific recommended supplements):
B vitamins (B6, B9/folate, B12): Essential for the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Deficiencies are linked to depressive symptoms, and supplementation may improve mood in those with low levels.
Vitamin D: Regulates serotonin synthesis and function. Deficiency is more common in winter (especially in the Pacific Northwest).
Magnesium and zinc: Both are involved in neurotransmitter regulation and have been shown to improve mood and cognitive function when deficient.
Lastly, find activities that keep you active and bring you joy. Exercising for at least 30 minutes five times per week can help increase serotonin levels, and engaging in activities that make you feel happy and/or relaxed can help to increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels.
Before starting any supplements or bright light therapy, consider scheduling an appointment with a provider at Neighborhood Naturopathic to see what you can do to help support your mental health this winter.
See you in clinic,
Dr. Woodruff
References
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Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Tardy AL, Pouteau E, Marquez D, Yilmaz C, Scholey A. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):E228. doi:10.3390/nu12010228.
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Illuminating the Way: The Role of Bright Light Therapy in the Treatment of Depression. Kosanovic Rajacic B, Sagud M, Pivac N, Begic D. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 2023 Jul-Dec;23(12):1157-1171. doi:10.1080/14737175.2023.2273396.