How Can Acupuncture Effect Your Winter Blues?

As I write, December 21st is right around the corner. The shortest day of the year. While we typically only experience around five months of the year with less sunlight, we often feel its effect more acutely at the onset of fall. This is because it’s those first few weeks of disappearing sunshine that are often the most difficult for us psychologically.

One of the most common seasonal conditions that people experience is Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which triggers anxiety, stress, and depression due to the shorter days in the winter. This condition is the result of less exposure to natural light, which can cause difficulties in regulating moods.

Though it’s usually linked to the cold winter months of January and February, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects people during November and early December too.

At its worst, Seasonal Affective Disorder can lead to near-emotional paralysis. Patients who suffer from SAD may find themselves unable to feel motivated or energized even for basic tasks.

SAD can have a significant impact on an individual’s work life. With more absences and a reluctance to be socially active, it may feel impossible to get ahead at work. Anxiety and stress increase and sleep quality reduce, putting a physical toll on one’s health.

But there is a significant number of people who suffer from mild SAD, which they manage to live with as close to normalcy as possible. These people often feel jaded, out of sorts, and mildly depressed because of their situation.

How can acupuncture help SAD?

Acupuncture can help with a number of symptoms related to Seasonal Affective Disorder, including helping to regulate the sleep cycle, improve mood and energy levels, and reduce hunger and weight gain.

• Acupuncture for depression – Acupuncture can be incredibly effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It does this by restoring natural energy and balance throughout the body. Acupuncture improves organ function and enables patients to find a calm place of confidence and optimism to work from.
• Improve lifestyle – We all have vices that impact our health. Some habits, like smoking or excessive drinking, are worse than others. Acupuncture can help you break bad habits because it helps develop inner resilience and willpower. Acupuncture treatments can’t change bad habits on their own, but they can help ease the symptoms of a habit-driven life by calming the habit brain. With acupuncture, stress levels are reduced, muscles are relaxed, anger is eased, anxiety is relieved, irritability is diminished, cravings are curbed, sleep improves, and circulation improves. The benefits of acupuncture don’t stop there – detoxification of the body helps your mental focus improve.
• Lead a more active and healthier life – The most common cause of winter depression is a Vitamin D deficiency. Sunlight triggers the production of vitamin D, so one way to combat symptoms of it is bathing in as much natural sunlight as possible. Some people, though, may have health problems or injuries that make this difficult. Acupuncture is great for people’s bodies’ healing processes. Acupuncture may not cure whatever ails you, but it can give you the chance to increase your fitness and get outside to soak up the sun’s healing energy.

 Here are some other tips to improve your SAD symptoms:

– Get 8 hours of sleep every night.

– Expose yourself to bright light in the morning.

– Eat healthy food.

– Exercise and get outside.

*This blog contains general information about medical conditions and is not advice. You must not rely upon the information in this blog as medical advice. Medical advice should always be sought from an appropriately qualified professional.