On the winter blues ...

​It's that time of year.  It's dark; it's cold; the bills from December's indulgences are rolling in.  It's a tough time of year to feel upbeat and energetic.  I want to channel a little black bear and just curl up in my cave until the spring.  I know I'm not alone.  We just passed "Blue Monday", apparently the most depressing day of the year.  Whether or not it's a PR stunt, a significant number of adults struggle in the winter with energy and mood that's lower than they want it to be.  There are many things that can sap energy and depress mood, but after obvious disease processes are properly ruled out and managed, we're left with what we call a "functional" concern:  there's nothing pathological, but the body just isn't functioning at its best.

In my experience - both clinically and personally - there are a few common contributors.  The first is inadequate sleep.  This might seem really obvious, but many folks simply don't get as much sleep as they need.  Sleep is when we rest, heal, regenerate the wear and tear of our waking hours.  Most people do not function well on six hours a night, and many people don't sleep well, even if they're in bed.  Inadequate quantity or quality of sleep increases our body's stress response, a known contributor to low energy and low mood.  The solution?  It can be as simple as getting to bed at a reasonable hour, and there are many effective strategies we can explore if there are difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep.   

The second issue is often a poor diet.  The body needs foods rich in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients - not from supplements, but from food.  We need adequate proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy oils to maintain blood sugar, and plenty of fibre to clear out waste products that can weigh us down and make us sluggish.  Abundant fruits and vegetables help protect our bodies from oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which sap energy and drag down mood.  It's tough to eat a good diet with a busy lifestyle.  I can help with simple strategies for convenience, meal planning and improving what's going down the hatch.

The third issue is physical activity.  It's not very often that the problem is too much exercise, although over-training can be an issue for some.  Most people tend to not do enough.  The minimum recommended for basic healthy functioning is 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity - that's 30 minutes, five times a week, of something that gets your heart going.  It could be skating, swimming, playing at the playground, shooting hoops, or dancing - ideally, it would be something you actually enjoy!  It's a particularly interesting one, because low energy and low mood are things that stops many folks from exercising.  However, energy and mood both tend to increase as activity levels do.  Exercise also improves the ability to think clearly, sleep quality, bowel movements ... all of which has the effect of improving energy.  Think of it as an investment.  Despite the cold weather, exercising outside might increase the benefits even more!

There are certainly other factors that can drag down energy ... stress, physical illness, pain, worry ... everyone has a different story.  Beyond the basics, there are a range of herbs and supplements that can address your unique needs.  Come on in and we can figure out what will work for you!