Beat the winter Blues

As the weather forecast heralds more snow and rain, it’s easy to feel a little gloomy. Jane Clapham shares her methods for staying happy – despite the weather!

 The winter months can become dark days inside as well as outside as the lack of light, cold weather, rain and snow all make their unique contribution to our experience.  It is now generally recognised that the lack of light during the winter months significantly affects the way we feel. Symptoms can include:

Depression – feelings of lethargy, feeling unmotivated irritably 

Overeating – craving carbohydrates and sweet foods, increased appetite

Sleep problems – oversleeping and feeling fatigued, or disturbed sleep

Getting enough light is one easy way to feel better. Light is measured in lux – and to give you an idea – indoor lighting is usually 50-200 lux.  At sunrise, with the first glimmer of light, the level is around 800 lux, on a cloudy day it’s 1000 -10,000 lux and on a sunny day, the light levels measure between 10,000 and 100,000 lux. Even on a cloudy or rainy day, the light outside is much brighter than indoor lighting. Our minds need 1000 lux for optimum concentration and emotional wellbeing.

So how can we overcome these challenging symptoms and rise above the darkness to stay bright and shiny inside and out?

Getting outside, even if it’s cloudy, helps to balance our natural internal cycles, and Vitamin D helps to prevent cancer. I find that in the dark winter months, it’s essential to schedule in a walk, either before work in the morning, or at lunchtime.

Bright, full spectrum light for half an hour every day has been found to be very effective in relieving all the above symptoms.  You may want to invest in some full spectrum light bulbs both at home and in the workplace if you really can’t get out much in daylight.

Now, what about the inside?

Essential Fatty Acids, which are said to put light into the cells of the body. When the cell membranes are healthy and open and contain all the right fats, they will have 'electron clouds' around them which will draw in photons or light cells.  This is why it is crucially important to make sure you are taking enough essential fatty acids into your system.  You can do this through:

Omega 3, 6 and 9 – flax oils

Sesame and pumpkin seeds

Unheated nuts

Amino acid and herb supplements, such as barley grass (order it here) can help to adjust the effect on the chemical imbalance in the hypothalamus created by shortening of daylight hours and lack of sunlight.

Tratak – and other meditation techniques focusing on a candle flame, can help to relieve some of the symptoms of winter blues. Order a Cd of light meditations from the Dru online shop here

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Jane Clapham is a Dru Yoga and Meditation Teacher Trainer from the Dru Yoga centre in Snowdonia. To find out more about Dru Yoga and Walking holidays in North Wales, meditation retreats and teacher training, visit www.druworldwide.com. Or join the group ‘I love Dru Yoga’ on Facebook.