You might be SAD.  SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) affects many individuals during the short days of winter when vitamin D stores in the body are low.  Vitamin D is synthesized by the body during exposure to sunlight…but how many of us spend our winter days in a cubicle, leaving for work in the morning before the sun and returning home after it has set? 

Symptoms of SAD include sleep disorders, overeating and/or carb cravings, feelings of despair, misery, guilt, hopelessness, anxiety, lethargy, and joint pain or stomach problems.

There are a number of ways to combat SAD, all aimed at increasing vitamin D levels in the body.  Foods with naturally occurring vitamin D are usually animal derived, so vegetarian and vegan SAD-sufferers can ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D by eating fortified milk or soy milk, breakfast cereals, or taking dietary supplements.

Phototherapy has been suggested as a treatment, but according to this study, supplemental vitamin D appears to be a more effective treatment for SAD.  Speaking from personal (unscientific) experience, I have experienced SAD symptoms in early November for the past few years.  I took supplementary vitamin D this year and avoided symptoms almost entirely.

Better than supplements, though, is getting out and enjoying the winter sun when you can!  Snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, ice climbing, or simply sitting in a sunny window all help your body synthesize vitamin D, and may help you stay in shape and enjoy the winter months as well!

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 11th, 2007 at 5:29 pm and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.