Daylight, Depression and Your Diet

Dealing with seasonal depression

If you hate this time of year for how you feel, you’re not alone.

Many people struggle between the end of October when the days are shorter, to the end of February when the light finally starts to come back in the days.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD is a form of major depressive disorder triggered by changes in daylight and seasonal rhythms. It’s linked to disruptions in melatonin, serotonin, and your circadian clock, all of which affect mood, energy, sleep and weight gain.

Mood

Emotional issues like feeling down most of the day, being irritable, Increased anxiety, and losing interest in activities.

Physical

Having a lack of energy or fatigue, sleeping too much, avoiding get togethers and trouble with concentration.

Winter and Weight Gain

When sunlight drops, serotonin drops—and the body compensates by craving carbs and sugar, which temporarily boost serotonin.

This is one of the biggest reasons for winter carb cravings.

Why It Happens-

Reduced sunlight exposure reduces serotonin.

Disrupted circadian rhythm from shorter days confuses your internal clock, affecting mood and sleep.

Increased melatonin makes you more tired and sluggish.

Low sun exposure can lower Vitamin D levels, which also affects serotonin activity.

Heat Production Changes

Your body uses calories to keep warm—but in winter, we typically stay indoors in heated homes wearing warm clothing and we move less, burning fewer calories overall.

For this reason, the metabolic boost from cold exposure doesn’t actually happen for most people.

Holiday Eating + Grazing

Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, there are lots of days to binge with sugary snacks, rich party foods and alcohol.

Even increases of just 150–200 calories each day add up quickly over 2–3 months.

Angie’s Top Tips for Preventing Weight Gain:

Morning Light

10–20 minutes of outdoor light stabilizes serotonin, lowers carb cravings while simultaneously boosting morning energy.

This can dramatically reduce overeating.

Eat Protein at Breakfast

A high-protein morning meal reduces winter carb cravings all day.

Aim for 25–35 grams protein.

Regulating Mood and Cravings

Foods that support serotonin and lower inflammation that worsens winter sluggishness-

• magnesium: pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach

• omega-3s: salmon, sardines, chia, flax, walnuts

Walking 10 minutes after eating-

• stabilize blood sugar

• reduce cravings

• boost mood

This is enough to keep the blood sugar regulated!

Bright light indoors after 5 pm

• reduce melatonin surge

• improve mood

• reduce emotional eating

• maintain energy

Warm lamps + overhead lights help more than you’d think.

Build a “Winter Comfort Plan”

Instead of food as comfort, add a warm cup of tea, or hot epsom salt bath. Using a heated blanket or pad is nice too in the cold weather.

Keep your hands moving with hobbies like puzzles or crocheting to prevent the stiffness of arthritis or injury. These injuries tend to flare up in the cold and NOT MOVING only leads to an increase in pain!

When comfort is available, the need for comfort food decreases.

Structure that doesn’t feel like a diet-

• protein + produce at each meal

• eat every 3–4 hours

• hydrate

• warm soups, stews, and teas

• limit grazing

Warm, nutrient dense meals are key in winter.

If you want guidance on supplements and foods, contact me by text or email.

Many supplements at your local CVS, Sprouts or other chain are “FAKE”, acting as an anti-nutrient rather than a benefit to your body.

Remember we are all BIOINDIVIDUAL, what works for one does not work the same for another.

For all client offerings, visit Angie’s Real Food and discover your path to wellness.

Find the link to previous blog posts here: