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January 17, 2014

Fit Facts: Melt Your Icy Mood Even as the Mercury Drops

As if the post-holiday letdown wasn’t challenging enough, biology plays a few more cruel tricks on you during the winter months. With shorter days, your brain and body soak up fewer of the sun’s rays. As a result, your pineal gland doesn’t produce the sleep hormone melatonin on the correct schedule, throwing off your normal sleep routine and your mood.

Since humans don’t have the luxury of hibernating, we have to find other ways to bust through the winter doldrums. Consider these options:

Light Therapy
For some people, increasing daily exposure to sunlight provides relief. Try spending more time outdoors. Take a long walk outside at lunchtime or go sledding on the weekends. If you can swing it, a vacation to a warmer climate can give you a boost. If not, you may feel happier just by rearranging your home or office to face a window during the day.

For others, especially people with full-blown winter depression, structured light therapy resets the brain’s circuitry and restores proper rhythms.

Exercise
Working out does more than strengthen your heart and muscles. Moving your body sparks chemical reactions in your body that boost your mood. Pick an outdoor sport — think cross-country skiing — and you’ll double the benefit by soaking up more sunshine, too.

Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity four-to-six days per week. Even smaller amounts of exercise may help you feel better.

Vitamin D
Americans’ vitamin D levels peak in the summer and drop in the winter. It’s no wonder: Your skin produces the so-called “sunshine vitamin” when exposed to the sun’s rays. These dips in D may alter the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine in your brain, dragging down your mood.

Some studies suggest that vitamin D supplements improve mood. Your doctor can help you determine if this strategy could work for you. You can also get more vitamin D through your diet by eating oily fish or drinking fortified milk or orange juice.

Sources: American Dental Association; Eatright.org

 

 


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