With sunlight against the winter blues

Sufficient daylight helps prevent winter depression

12/20/2013

On the 21st of December is Winter Solstice and the days are getting longer again In the darkest time of the year our body turns over too. We eat differently, have a stronger need to sleep and our mood is affected as well. The reason for this is above all the lack of light. As a result, the body releases more melatonin, also known as sleep hormone, which is produced in the pineal gland and controls the day-night rhythm of the human body. At the same time, less endorphins are released, leaving us melancholy and impulsive.

A lot of fresh air can help
To stay fit during this time, you should spend as much time outdoors as possible. „are no longer enough outdoors and do not get enough natural light“, explains Til Roenneberg, professor at the Institute for Medical Psychology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich.„If you feel too melancholy, you can counteract this and go outside a lot“, the doctor continues. Long walks in the fresh air help the body to become active. Even when it's cloudy outside and a little snowing, the light in the open air is more intense than when we absorb the few rays of light inside. Lamplight reaches a maximum of 500 lux. Even on gray winter days with little sun, values ​​of 7000 lux are reached.

Staying outdoors is not only good for our psyche, it also makes us sleep better in the evening. Roenneberg recommends quietly to the needs of the body, to give up sleep and rest in the winter time. „In winter you eat more carbohydrates, in summer more proteins. The fact that we bake Christmas cookies may not be just traditional reasons, they are fast energy foods. "

Women affected more often
The actual „Stay relaxed, Germany!“ the technician health insurance (TK) on this subject has shown that in four Germans (23 percent) of the winter beats on the mind and to a „winter Blues“ leads. But there are clear gender differences. In every third woman, tendencies were observed, whereas only every sixth man suffers. The study also showed that people in rural areas seem to suffer more during the gray season than people in the big city. Stress can also increase the susceptibility to a winter blues. After all, this was stated in the TK study as one in five.

In some people, winter beats so hard that a winter or light-deficiency depression can form. According to experts, this should be the case with two to five percent of Germans. The disease, also referred to as seasonal or seasonally dependent depression (SAD) in psychiatric circles, is characterized by a seasonal change in mood and activity. Increasing mood swings, decreased energy, increased fatigue, increased need for sleep and increased appetite are often referred to by sufferers as symptoms.

St. John's wort against winter depression
Those who do not have enough time for a walk can also do something about lethargy with some of the science-recognized antidepressant herbal remedies. Especially in mild depression and especially in winter St. John's Wort is attributed a favorable effect. But even with herbal remedies, the application should be made only in consultation with a doctor, not because of possible side effects, but because of the incalculable risks of non-medical supervised therapy. This is especially true for depression. (Fr)