I have SAD. How Do I Deal With It?

Ariane, I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Every year once we have less sun I get quite depressed, want to sleep longer than is needed and have massive cravings for anything sugary. I always put on at least 5- 10 lbs every winter and then have to work so hard to get it off. I heard that there is more I can do than just get light therapy. Do you have any ideas what I can do to deal with it?

Thanks, Erin

Hi Erin,

Seasonal Affective Disorder is no joke if you’re affected by it. People tend to slow down quite a bit, overeat, crave carbs and want to sleep more than during sunny months.

The cause of SAD is lack of full-spectrum natural light, which affects the production of melatonin and cortisol, two key hormones that affect your mood and weight. Supplementation with melatonin often relieves the symptoms and it can also suppress cortisol secretion (a stress hormone, which can lead to fat storage over time). St. John's Wort extract at dosages of 300 mg three times a day has also shown relief, especially when combined with light therapy.

While you may still crave carbs in the darker winter months, you can avoid weight gain by eating a small amount – just to take the edge off your cravings. High-carb foods and limited sugar provides emotional comfort because they help you produce serotonin – the feel-good neurotransmitter – in the gut. It’s really about satisfying your cravings the right way, without overdoing it and stretching your big winter sweaters out.

Add some of the following foods to your diet whenever you feel the blues:

Tryptophan: found in turkey and milk/dairy. It boosts serotonin production and balances your mood.

High-protein foods: fish, turkey, chicken, eggs, protein powders: Protein enhances dopamine and norepinephrine, - both help with your concentration.

Bananas: A banana here and there can help you boost your serotonin and dopamine production.

Good fats: Add avocados (raise dopamine and increase endorphins. Almonds are high in fiber and good for brain health and they also increase dopamine levels). Omega-3 fatty acids, whether from wild fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring) or from walnuts and fish oil supplements support a healthy brain and balanced mood. 


The following are excellent high-quality fish oil brands: 

New Chapter Wholemega Fish Oil

Carlson Labs Omega-3 Gems, Fish Oil Concentrate

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega

Dark chocolate: Buy 85% or darker dark chocolate. You’ll find it is low in sugar and high in fiber and has lots of antioxidants. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar and the less the chance you’ll crash your blood sugar if you overdo it. My favorite brand is Green & Black 85% Organic Chocolate. 

Green tea: boosts l-theanine levels, which improves your mood and promotes relaxation. Additionally, it gives you a more balanced boost than caffeine from coffee. I'm a big fan of Yogi Green Tea Super Antioxidant. 

Incorporate foods that energize you and produce balanced blood sugar levels: protein and vegetables paired at every meal. For example, turkey breast with roasted cauliflower will balance a person's blood sugar for about 3-4 hours, whereas high sugar/starch foods only satiate for 1-2 hour and then result in increased sugar cravings and fatigue again. 

Foods that are both warming and satiating are key in the winter. Stews that include a lean protein (fish, turkey, lean beef, chicken) with lots of veggies are comfort foods that fill you up for hours without causing a blood sugar crash. Hot chocolate made with low-sugar hot chocolate mixes and hot water can take the edge off. Hot teas made by Yogi Tea or Traditional Medicinals can have wonderful health effects. They make herbal teas that boost your mood, improve your digestion, increase alertness, or improve hormonal balance and they actually do work when drunk regularly. 

Nutritionally, SAD sufferers should avoid sugar and high starch meals as this leads to blood sugar imbalances, which are directly linked to mood, anxiety and depression levels. A diet that includes a lean protein at every meal (eggs. turkey, fish, chicken, lean beef, low-fat dairy) with plenty of veggies are ideal at balancing blood sugar. Should sugar cravings arise dark chocolate typically does the trick. Meals high in starch and sugar should be limited to 2-3 x a week. Alcohol should also be avoided due to its mood changing effects and impact on blood sugar levels. 

Sleep: The amount of sleep a person needs is very individual and it's up to the individual to figure out how much is appropriate. There's a big difference between being fatigued from too much sleep and too little sleep. One should experiment with various hours of sleep and note levels of alertness, hunger, energy throughout the day. Most people with SAD feel the need to sleep more and more and unfortunately the more sleep a person gets the more one can end up feeling fatigued. Exercise is a great way to boost sleep quality, as is a proper sleep routine. Going to bed at the same time every night, making sure the bedroom is a cool temperature, and there is no distraction from TV or noise is important for restful sleep. Also, taking 500mg of calcium right before bed is a good way to relax and fall asleep as calcium has relaxing properties. 

Working out: If working out outdoors in the winter months is not an option, then finding a good gym, fun group workout classes or challenging workout videos (hey, you might as well give the Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp DVD a go finally!) are the way to go. Making a workout effective is truly not about the duration but all about the intensity. It is by far more effective and energizing to perform 30 minutes of high-intensity interval training than walking for one hour or jogging slowly for 45 minutes on the treadmill. It's also a lot more motivating to commit to 30-minute sessions than having to make the time for 60 minutes. A workout that includes both cardio and strength training is ideal to produce fat burning, muscle gains and feel energized when done. 

For example, this quick and effective routine produces all the above effects:

• Walk on a treadmill at 3.3 speed while lifting dumbbells (5-10lbs) and performing 12 biceps curls, 12 shoulder presses, 12 upright rows. 
• Then, put the weights on the treadmill water bottle holders and run at 5.5-7.0 for 2 minutes. 
• Then, add an incline of 5-10 and walk for 2 minutes
• Repeat the cycle of weights and running/sprinting and walking for 30 minutes. You will feel energized and notice improved strength, endurance and energy. 

Herbal Supplements: St. John's Wort is the most thoroughly studied natural anti-depressant. It has been shown to improve depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, anorexia, insomnia, apathy and feelings of low self-esteem. It is much better than antidepressants with regard to side effects and cost. Take 300 mg 3x a day,which has been shown to relieve symptoms of SAD and is even more effective when combined with light therapy. Here is a good brand: Kira St.John's Wort.

Vitamin D: People living in our latitude are chronically deficient in Vitamin D. Especially people with darker skin are at risk because the melatonin in the skin filters out the sunlight. We need sunlight to make Vitamin D. Do yourself a favor and buy a Vitamin D3 supplement (cholecalciferol, such as this one: Carlson Vitamin D3 2000 IU) and take 1,000 to 2,000 IUs in the winter months. Your regular multivitamin likely only has 400 IUs, which is not nearly enough to give you adequate D3 levels. Make sure to ask your physician to test your Vitamin D levels with your next blood test. 

If all else fails, then get yourself booked for a long weekend in Florida. Go swim in the waves, walk along the beach, get away from it all and soak up the sun. I think I'm ready for Florida myself :-)

Insert SELF here. Don't you feel better already?!