10 Natural Remedies for the Winter Blues

If you’re like me, living in New England or somewhere with long winters, you most likely have experienced the winter blues at some point in your life (unless you love the wintertime!). I struggle every year during the winter and I know a lot of people who do as well so I figured I would write a blog on all the little things I do and use (including some of the amazon links!) to help me get through the long winters 🙂 …

1. Get a Happy Light! The one I have is from Amazon and it is the Verilux HappyLight Touch Plus – UV-Free LED Bright White Light Therapy Lamp with 10,000 Lux, Adjustable Brightness, Color, and Countdown Time, and there are so many options out there. Light therapy has been shown to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing Seasonal Depression symptoms. It is so simple-you just sit near your light box while you are working, eating, reading, talking on the phone-anything! Place the box 16-24 inches from your face and use it for 20-30 minutes a day (the morning is the best time to use it). You don’t want to stare directly into the light box as that could damage your eyes and it is suggested you speak with a doctor first prior to using light therapy to make sure it is safe for you. I personally use mine every morning while I eat breakfast and I honestly saw improvement from using mine a few years ago which is why I made this #1! 

2. Move your body. This one could be more difficult to do when you’re feeling down and sluggish in the winter, but if you could find something that you enjoy and it gets your body moving, you’ll feel so much better! My mom hates exercising and finally ordered a small exercise bike off amazon (she got this exact one-ADVENOR Exercise Bike Magnetic Bike Fitness Bike Cycle Folding Stationary Bike Arm Resistance Band With Arm Workout Backrest Extra-Large Seat Cushion Indoor Home Use) and uses it while she watches her shows now for the winter, which I thought was a great idea.

3. Vitamin D. Most people are aware this is the “sunshine vitamin” and this is because Vitamin D is synthesized by the skin following sun exposure and is believed to play a role in serotonin activity which regulates our mood. People with Seasonal Affective Disorder have been found to produce less Vitamin D! I take Vitamin D3 + K2 | 5000 IU of D3 (as cholecalciferol) for Optimal Calcium Absorption | 100 mcg of K2 (as menaquinone-7) for Circulatory Health | Supports Bone & Immune Health | 60 Vegetarian Capsules every couple of days during the winter months. I am actually prescribed these from a doctor so speak with your doctor first to determine what is the best dose for you. 

4. Get yourself a Dawn Simulator. This is an alarm clock which gradually produces light to wake you up mimicking the sun. I have the HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock, A80S Smart Wake up Light Work with Alexa, Sleep Aid Digital Alarm Clock with Sunset Simulation, Snooze/FM Radio /7 Natural Sounds and 4 Alarms for Adults & Kids which gives you several different sound options and has a sunset option you can use in the evening when you’re going to bed which I love.

5. Get outside as much as possible. Any chance you can get to be in nature and soak up whatever sun there is, take it! Bundle up and take a walk or what I like to do is drive down to the ocean and sit in my car on sunny, winter days and soak in the rays while I sip tea or eat lunch etc. 

6. Take a vacation somewhere warm if you can. Obviously not everyone has the time or money to take a vacation every winter, but if you can, it helps break up the winters and allows you to get that vitamin d! I try to go away somewhere warm for a long weekend every March since March is usually the toughest month for me. I’m not able to do it every year, but when I can it helps so much to escape the cold for a little and be in the sun. 

7. Talk to someone. Whether it is a therapist, a friend, a family member, coworker etc. talk it out. Depression can feel so isolating and the cold weather usually does not help as people tend to stay home more. As much as I hate going out in the winter, I still try to force myself to be social periodically so I can stay connected with others, even if it is just a phone call to a friend or grabbing coffee with someone.

8. Eating a healthy diet high in Tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that’s converted to serotonin in your brain helping to regulate your mood. It is found primarily in high protein foods. Some examples of foods that are high in tryptophan are salmon, turkey, eggs, nuts and seeds, cheese, milk, canned Tuna, chicken, oats, peanut butter, beef, tofu, squash and dark leafy greens. 

9. Journal. I of course love journaling so I needed to include it on this list as I feel it can be so beneficial for many things, but especially good for any type of depression. Journaling can feel so relieving and also allow you to recognize your triggers and learn ways to better control them. It provides you with the opportunity to just sit with your thoughts and emotions and release them onto the paper. Journaling can also be a time you give yourself positive self-talk and identify negative thoughts and patterns you may have so you are able to become more aware of them and work on them.

10. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I wanted to end with this one because a lot of us who have Seasonal Depression or feel down during the winter months end up feeling worse when we don’t eat right, exercise, socialize etc. and it’s ok to be lazy, binge watch Netflix, bake your favorite cookies and stay in pajamas all day some days. We tend to be so hard on ourselves when we get off track, gain weight during the winter months, have unproductive days, feel depressed etc. but we have to realize it is OK and it’s good for us to relax and enjoy the lazy days as well. Cuddle up next to a fire, drink some hot coco and allow yourself to fully enjoy the little things such as these during the winter months to help you get through it.