Fight Winter Depression
More than ten million Americans suffer from depression each year. Some may experience symptoms that last only a few days or weeks to periods of six months or more. A common occurrence is winter time depression or seasonal depression. Seasonal depression occurs in the winter time and results from the persistent gloominess that sets in with the onset of longer nights, colder weather and the confinement to indoor spaces. The mood that one feels can be directly linked to the chemistry in the brain. Any imbalance of chemicals can cause a type of any number of types of depression.
A common chemical imbalance that causes depression is the low levels of certain neurotransmitters — particularly serotonin and norepinephrine. Due to the fact that serotonin is linked to B-complex vitamins, increasing B vitamins into the system, particularly vitamins B6 and B12 help to overcome feelings of paranoia, violence and depression.
Increasing B vitamins in the diet can help to overcome winter time depression. Besides foods that are rich in these vitamins such as eggs, bananas, liver, cheeses and wheat germ, many herbal remedies, such as St. John’s Wort, can also be beneficial. Getting outside and moving around will also help to take the mind off the fact that the weather is gloomy.
Other solutions that those who suffer from seasonal depression have found beneficial are natural sleep aids. Depression tends to not only affect the mood; it also can disrupt sleep cycles and diet as well. With seasonal depression, it is not uncommon to sleep for countless hours or conversely, not sleep at all.
How depression effects an individual can very from case to case. Some people may lose weight as a result of not eating, while others eat excessively. Weight loss tips for those who have put on weight involve getting off the couch. Getting the blood circulating is the best way to feel good and energized.
Tags: herbal remedies, natural sleep aids, weight loss tips, winter depression