Dodging The Shorter Day Blues

Depression diagnoses are more common post Daylight Savings Time, according to a study by Danish and American researchers. Many more experience lowered moods at this time of year, without being formally diagnosed.

Given the epidemic of stress and depressive symptoms since 2019, and the Fall time-change/shorter days effects, I offer the following.

1) Take advantage of a free one hour Emotional Freedom Techniques therapy session to learn to manage and heal the root causes of stress and distress.  Stress drives both depressive symptoms and inflammation. Inflammation in turn, is a major driver of depressive symptoms. Appointments must be booked by Dec 15^th 2021 to qualify.

2) A free, safe, and healthy alternative for all, is to take a 20 minute walk first thing in the morning. The combination of early natural light, physical exercise and seeing/being seen by others is clinically shown to improve mood and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

Or:

Use a light box w/ a minimum 10,000 Lux intensity at the eyes every morning. Read the fine print re range. There are well documented benefits for those with SAD, but many with other depressive symptoms benefit as well. Use for 20-30 minutes upon awakening. Not recommended for those with bipolar due to the possibility of triggering mania.

3) Keep the same bedtime at first and only wake up a little later each day. Allowing your circadian rhythms to adapt. Going to bed no later than 11:00 every night, helps your mood, and research shows it’s highly protective of your cardiovascular system. If you suffer from disordered sleep, ask about a free 6 day trial of acupressure sleep patches. These are shown to optimize both REM and Deep sleep cycles.

4) Watch what you eat.  Every single chemical for both body and mind, is created from what goes in your mouth.  Junk food makes it harder for the body and mind to adapt to change.  Not just because of the junk, but because of the nutrient dense foods it replaces. Many get at least 50% of their calories from “highly processed foods,” which provide virtually none of the most important building blocks needed for healthy mind and body functioning. In addition, sugar/fructose and refined carbohydrates are all highly inflammatory.

5) Get some exercise; even if it’s only a 20-minute walk each day, – or 2 walks for 10 minutes each.

To book your free Fall therapy session via Zoom or in-person, call/text 613-981-9006 or email David@David-Gilbert.com

To view Google reviews, see   https://g.page/r/CTxsEa4oBZDpEAg/review

Here’s to a happy Winter!