Get Extra “D” During Winter’s Darker Days

Last weekend, we finally got to make up for that hour we lost last March when daylight saving time began. And I’ll tell you what — that extra hour of sleep Sunday morning made me feel like a million bucks!

And I’m not the only one. Studies show that there are fewer heart attacks and car accidents during the week after we set our clocks back in the fall, which is a testament to the power of sleep! After getting a little more rest over the weekend, rush hour commuters are far more alert than they are in the spring, when daylight saving time begins.

But for some folks, the benefits of that extra hour are overshadowed by increasingly shorter days with less and less sunlight, and the thought of a long, cold winter ahead. If this sounds familiar, here are a few things you can do to lighten up the winter blues:

• Use as much indoor light as your budget allows. Try filling your sockets with full-spectrum light bulbs that include all the colors of the rainbow and look much more like natural daylight.
• Plan special events that will keep you happy. Make firm commitments now, so you’ll have something to look forward to when the blahs set in. And if you can, take your annual vacation this winter, rather than next summer, and head for the sun.
• Get 30 minutes of regular exercise a day to get your endorphins circulating and you’ll find it much easier to combat the depression of a long, cold, dark winter. 
• Help your body make up for what it’s missing when it’s not exposed to sunlight: vitamin D — a.k.a. the sunshine vitamin. Milk is loaded with D, so drink at least one glass a day.

If seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a problem for you, try what’s called a dawn simulator — essentially a bedside lamp that gradually glows from dim to more intense light, mimicking a natural mid-May sunrise. Just program the fake dawn to start one to three hours before you awaken, and your body will detect the changing light through your closed eyelids.

Suffering with SAD?

I’m as tired of winter as the next gal, and I’m starting to feel like there will be piles of snow on the ground forever. But earlier this week, as I drove to work, I was able to appreciate the beauty of winter.
 
It was foggy when I started out, and as the mist lifted and the sun started shining, I was struck by how beautiful the morning was. The low-lying clouds had left a heavy frost on tree branches and dried grasses along the side of the road and I only wished I had my camera with me so I could remember this stunning example of Mother Nature’s glory.

But I know there are plenty of people out there who are having difficulty appreciating anything at this point in the winter. No one is quite sure why some folks are troubled by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and others aren’t, but we do know what triggers it: The lack of light during winter’s gray days and long nights causes the pineal gland to turn the hormone serotonin into melatonin. The absence of serotonin disrupts normal sleep patterns and causes depression and a craving for sweets and starches. One of the best ways to alleviate those debilitating symptoms is to eat plenty of apricots, pears, plums, and apples. All of these tree fruits gradually raise serotonin levels and help keep them there—so you’ll lose your desire to crawl into bed and hibernate.

Whip up this Amazing Apricot Pick-Me-Up for a terrific rejuvenating treat:

Ingredients:

4 pitted, dried apricots

2 fresh apricots, halved and pitted

¾ cup apricot nectar

2 ice cubes

Immerse the dried apricots in hot water for 15 minutes or until plump. Drain, and combine the apricots with the rest of the ingredients in a blender, and whip until smooth. (Yield: 1 serving.)

And this good news might help you stay on the sunny side of life too: the official start of spring is only a month away!