Managing winter blues

Every winter, I get a bout of the winter blues, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In the past, I tried to manage this by planning a tropical getaway for mid-February. That burst of warm weather and sunshine can usually get me through to late March when the weather improves in the northeastern US.

This year, due to COVID restrictions, I stayed at home. However, I have felt better than in past years due to a combination of supplements, light therapy, exercising outdoors, and engaging in generally healthy habits. Now that the end of winter is in sight, I can almost declare victory against SAD for the 2020-2021 season.

In terms of SAD supplements, I take 5,000 IU of vitamin D-- daily? I aim for daily, but sometimes I miss a day here or there. I also take calcium, magnesium, B12, and iron, but not specifically as part of my SAD regimen.

In the mornings, around 7am, I sit in front of my SAD light therapy lamp for 20-30 minutes. I purchased this Verilux HappyLight with 10,000 lux about three years ago. I use it on the lower setting.

I also strive to get some natural sunlight during the day while engaging in light exercise, preferably in the morning. When I can, I go on a short walk in the woods, which has sunlight shining through the trees in the winter since there aren't any leaves. The place I go is a seven-minute drive from my house. I also go snowboarding twice a week with my kids, although this occurs in the afternoon.

Other than that, I try to live an overall healthy lifestyle. I don't drink much alcohol-- maybe a glass every couple of months. I limit junk food and focus on including fiber, in the form of fruits and vegetables, protein, and fat in every meal.

I'm not big on exercise, but I do stay active through shoveling snow, hiking, snowboarding, cleaning the house, and also spending a few minutes most days on my portable elliptical from Stamina InMotion. It's marketed as an under-the-desk strider, but can also be used standing upright, which is how my kids and I prefer to use it.

That's pretty much it. These are recommendations that you would find on mainstream health websites through a Google search, and they have worked for me this year. Hopefully, next year we can return to our mid-winter travels!