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Welcome to Week 49 of 52 Healthy Habits 2020 Edition!
How are you doing on your healthy habits? Is there a week that you are still stuck on? Reach out to me if you're struggling and need help. Don't worry if you aren't ready to move on to this week's habit. Stick with the habit that you really need to keep working on until it becomes a habit.
It’s that time of year again—a time of cool breezes, colored leaves and holiday preparation. Fall and winter are exciting times… Unless you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you struggle with winter depression, this time of year is not filled with joy and anticipation. Instead, you probably feel like hiding under the covers until spring arrives in several months…
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Everyone has the blues now and then. But SAD is a depressive state that occurs seasonally, year after year, usually in the fall and winter. If you suffer from SAD, you may feel perfectly normal during the spring and summer months, but starting around October or November, symptoms begin showing up.
Because this type of depression come and goes with the seasons, you may wonder if it is all in your head. It isn’t. This is a real condition and can have a devastating impact on your life.
Researchers still don’t know the exact cause of SAD, but there are some factors that seem to be involved, and they involve the decreased amount of sunlight that fall and winter bring.
Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that impacts mood and sleep. As the seasons change, your melatonin levels can fluctuate and may cause feelings of depressions.
Serotonin: When the amount of sunlight drops, so can your serotonin levels. Since this chemical helps you have feelings of well-being and happiness, not having enough of it can cause your mood to drop.
Internal clock: Some scientists think that decreased sunlight disrupts your normal rhythms of wakefulness and sleepiness. The result is sad and depressed feelings.
What are the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
SAD will often manifest itself as feelings of sadness or depression. You may feel as though you cannot get enough sleep—struggling to get out of the bed in the morning, feeling drowsy during the day and going to bed earlier than you usually do.
Your energy and concentration may also run low, and this can affect your productivity at work and at home. Of course, not having the energy to ‘get things done,’ only leads to frustration and more feelings of depression. You may also notice weight gain. Typically, SAD sufferers will crave foods high in carbohydrates and can gain between 9 and 30 pounds each year.
Finally, your social life may suffer. If you are depressed, you just won’t enjoy being around others as much as you used to. This can turn into social withdrawal which makes your feelings of depression and sadness even worse.
Now for the Good News – Ways to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
If you think that you may be one of the millions of people who are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder, you will be happy to know that you have many treatment options available. Try experimenting with different treatments until you find one or a combination that works for you:
1. Light therapy: Up to 85% of winter depression sufferers are helped by simply sitting under a therapy light. The bright light stabilizes the out-of-balance chemicals in your body, helping you to feel less depressed and more like yourself. The best lights are those between 2,500 and 10,000 lux.
2. Vitamin D3: Vitamin D is frequently referred to as “The Sunshine Vitamin” because your body produces it when exposed to sunlight. In fact, just 20-30 minutes of sunlight will produce 10,000 – 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D. Why is this important? Vitamin D is actually a hormone that has important roles in supporting a healthy heart, cellular replication, immune system, mood & mental health, muscles, blood sugar levels, and more! If you can't get out in the sunshine daily I highly recommend supplementing with Vitamin D3. (always consult with your doctor before adding in any new supplements)
3. Exercise: Exercise is a powerful player in the fight against SAD. When you exercise, your body releases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals cause you to feel happy, confident and bring about a feeling of well-being. The elated feelings that endorphins bring are comparable to the feelings that morphine and heroin create. To release endorphins, you will need to sustain your workout for about 30 minutes.
4. Dawn Simulators: Unlike the spring months, in which the light of dawn and dusk changes gradually, the winter months bring a much more abrupt change of light. This may be one of the aggravators of SAD. Try a dawn simulator. These appliances can be programmed, much like an alarm clock, to gradually brighten your room each morning before you wake up. Some SAD sufferers have had great success with dawn simulators.
You are not alone if you are beginning to feel depressed with the shortened days that we are experiencing. Experiment with some of the treatment options and especially start exercising. Before you know it, the days will begin lengthening out again!
Reply to this email or post in our Facebook Group with any questions you have and I will gladly help.
Use Code: CARRIE10 for a discount on all your yoga, fitness, & muscle therapy equipment at ProSource
Get 10% off CBDMedic with code: cagmedic10
Carrie A Groff
Your Accountability Partner and 52 Healthy Habits Coach
carriegroff@gmail.com
P.S. Don't forget to share in our Facebook Group
P.S.S. Did you know that it actually takes an average of 66 days to form a habit (not the social media 21 days statistic) and some habits take even longer! There was a study done for 84 days and the quickest forming habit did only take 20 days, which was drinking a glass of water after getting up, but other habits like eating a piece of fruit with lunch took twice as long; and the habit of 50 sit-ups after morning coffee was a habit that one participant couldn't form even after 84 days. Walking for 10 minutes after breakfast turned into a habit for another participant after 50 days.
Previous Healthy Habits:
Week 1: Start with 1 Simple Healthy Habit
Week 2: Raise Your Heart Rate Daily
Week 3 - Take Your Vitamins
Week 4 - Eat Your Greens
Week 5: Staying Home is the New Going Out
Week 6: Laughter is the Best Medicine
Week 7 - Ditch the Processed Foods
Week 8: Benefits of Deep Breathing
Week 9: Taking a Tech Break
Week 10: Choose Organic
Week 11: Healthy Sleep Habits
Week 12: For a Healthier Immune System - Limit Sugar
Week 13: Poor Posture = Poor Health
Week 14: Portion Portion Portion!
Week 15: Walk for Your Health (and Sanity)
Week 16: Regular Meal Times
Week 17: Toxic Chemicals at Home?
Week 18: Stretching and Mobility
Week 19: Don't Drink All Your Calories
Week 20: Top 9 Reasons to Lift Weights
Week 21: How Healthy is Your Home?
Week 22: Always Be Prepared
Week 23: Power of Positivity
Week 24: Shh..Listen to your body
Week 25: Breaking Bad...
Week 26: Beat the Heat
Week 27: Stop Dieting
Week 28: Healthy Restaurant Eating
Week 29: Morning Routine Benefits
Week 30: Love Your Body
Week 31: Take a Tech Break
Week 32: Get Outside
Week 33: Declutter for Better Health
Week 34: Stop Weighing Yourself
Week 35: Healthy Snacking
Week 36: Learn Something New Today
Week 37: Take a few Minutes to Relax
Week 38: Adrenal Fatigue?
Week 39: Cold & Flu Season
Week 40: No More Guilt
41: Diabeties is Scary
Week 42: Gut Health
Week 43: Connect in Real Life
Week 44: Eat Your Apple Pie
Week 45: Fuel Your Body
Week 46: Holiday Survival Guide
Week 47: Turkey Day Eating Tips
Week 48: What is motivation?
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