This time of year is filled with holidays and events but, as we roll into the new year the days are shorter, colder, and at times uneventful. For me January and February become monotonous. The daily, gray sky and the darkness tend to affect my general mood. I want to sleep more and hibernate. It’s a struggle to go to and from work in darkness. In the past I have continued with my usual workouts, my supplement routine, adding some immune boosting supplements to ward off the flu and colds, but I couldn’t kick the gray, blah feelings. 

There are a couple of theories behind why we get SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or just the winter time blues. Light and the exposure to it affects your hormones. It is believed that those with SAD have elevated melatonin levels making you sleepy. Lower amounts of sunlight can leads to lower serotonin (your happy hormone) resulting in depression. Finally your circadian rhythm or internal clock can be disrupted with less light time hours. Yes, it’s important to workout and eat right during the winter months, not just to elevate your mood but also to ward off infections. There is one key change I made to my week that has helped me tremendously with my SAD, and it’s red light therapy. 

Red light therapy is being used by estheticians to athletic trainers for reduction of acne, inflammation, and anti-aging but there are many additional uses. Natural light therapy is currently showing promise for treating SAD and depression. It effectively balances and naturally increases the body's melatonin without creating dependency like supplementation. Trials have also shown light therapy can improve serotonin levels, and antioxidants while decreasing cortisol levels (stress) and inflammation. 

So where does one get red light? Well, I have several red light devices I use. I love my red light mask from HigherDOSE, but I consider that a part of my skincare regimen and use it 3-4 times a week. We carry them at my office but you can also visit their site to purchase. For athletic soreness and to treat my mood, I rely on my more robust red light from Fringe Heals. I personally use the red light therapy panel at least once a week for 10 minutes. But if I am feeling particularly blue, I may add 1-2 days. This hack of course is not a substitute for medication or therapy but it’s definitely worth a try! 

Happy New Year, and reach out to Back 2 Health if you would like to schedule an appointment.

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