Seasonal changes can have a range of effects on the mind and body.
Some people experience physical symptoms like changes in appetite or fatigue, whilst others may experience emotional/behavioural changes affecting concentration or mood.
These changes can be due to the body's natural response to changes in weather and daylight, or they can be related to conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which includes symptoms of depression that typically occur in the winter months.
Back to the quick-fire tips to mitigate the effects of seasonal changes:
1. Stay active and get stuck into an exercise program in 2023. Boosting your mood and energy levels!
2. Consume a diet that is rich in nutrients and low in processed foods; keeping your gut healthy which supports both anxiety-depressive behaviours and the production of neurotransmitters in your body such as serotonin and GABA.
3. Maintain structure through similar sleep-wake and eating times - I personally use the app "Sleep Cycle" that wakes you up in your lightest period of sleep within a 30 minute window; avoiding groggy alarm wake-ups! You may also like to use a light alarm if you are in a location with limited light exposure in the morning.
4. Supplements such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and St. John's Wart are of those suggested to support the negative affects of seasonal changes.
5. Stay social! The more experience I gain in the health and well-being space, the more I understand the importance of social connections. Specifically how both they and what comes with them (laughter, physical touch, etc.) activate your parasympathetic nervous system which is in charge of winding you down into rest-and-digest mode where hormones are regulated, inflammation is reduced, and more!