You probably know it too - on cloudy and cold days you have problems getting up to something. Activities after work or at the weekend are more difficult for you and you really just want to rest - these are all symptoms that occur with what is known as winter depression. In this article we look at why we are more likely to have psychological problems in winter and what winter depression actually is.
That's why we miss sunlight so much in winter
There are two camps when it comes to opinions about sun rays - some believe that sun rays are only positive and others think that there are too many negative effects. Nevertheless, scientists and dermatologists were able to prove many aspects that are favored by the sun in summer. Only the UV rays can also become a danger if you are exposed to the sunlight for too long in summer without protection.
Vitamin D deficiency in particular has many negative effects on the body. Vitamin D is released whenever the body comes into contact with sunlight. Therefore, the lack of these rays has the following effects, especially in winter:
- Statistically, mental illnesses are more common in winter
- More frequent cases of depression
- Weakened immune system due to lower concentration of white blood cells
- Higher risk of osteoporosis
- Bacterial diseases and viruses can attack the body better
- Higher likelihood of limb and muscle pain
- Poor bone formation
Vitamin D deficiency is particularly bad for bone health due to the lack of sunlight in winter. The required calcium cannot be assimilated without the sun vitamin and is therefore lacking in important formation processes in the body. However, the psychological consequences are usually much heavier, especially for people who live alone and do not have many social contacts. There is often no improvement in sight in winter, since isolation is also a symptom of winter depression.
If you would like to learn more about the effects of different weather conditions and seasons on your health, then you are welcome to visit the cold bringer blogs . Here you will find a wide variety of articles on health topics of all kinds!
What exactly is winter depression?
The so-called " winter depression " is not a specifically diagnosed illness, it can essentially be compared with a normal depression. Many of the symptoms are the same for both diseases. Winter depression differs only in that it only occurs seasonally .
Among other things, you can expect the following symptoms with winter depression:
- listlessness and headaches
- Gloomy mood
- Constant tiredness, especially in the morning
- Few social contacts
- No motivation to do anything
- Let yourself go, lie around, etc.
- Aggression and high irritability
- eye pain and fatigue
The natural sleep rhythm is also enormously disturbed in winter, which promotes mental illnesses. Tiredness also stems from this problem, which increases in many people in winter. You probably know it too: If you want to get up in the morning in winter and it's still dark outside, it's incredibly difficult. If it is still cold in the apartment and there is rain and wind outside, the motivation is already in the basement in the morning. On the other hand, in summer, when the sun is shining and you can hear the birds, you also like to get out of bed.
In addition, our body is also dependent on various hormones for its natural sleep rhythm - because these control when you get tired and when it is time to get up again. The lack of sunlight in winter is therefore responsible for the fact that you get out of bed much harder.
The hormone serotonin is formed in the body when exposed to light and is responsible for waking you up slowly in the morning when it gets lighter. Together with the neurotransmitter dopamine, it can counteract depressive states in winter and is therefore particularly important then. For this reason, you will meet more cheerful people in the summer, while in the winter the lack becomes a problem .
If you have to get up in the morning and it's still dark, the body thinks it should actually still be sleeping - the relaxation hormone melatonin is produced, which actually serves to help you fall asleep. Due to the lack of light, no serotonin is produced and you remain permanently tired.
A daylight lamp or immediate walks after getting up can help you be much fitter in the morning. If there is any sunshine, you should also spend every moment in the fresh air. In the next few sections , we'll look at other things you can do when there's a lack of sunlight in winter.
These tips will help you get out of winter depression
There are some simple tips you can use to counteract the symptoms of winter blues . First of all, we also recommend that you do not resort directly to vitamin supplements or other medicines, there are often cheaper and simpler solutions without physical strain.
These are among the most effective methods against depressive mood in winter:
- Exercise in the fresh air: No matter what activity, fresh air always makes you awake and alert. The lack of light can also be compensated for a bit here
- Caffeine in measured amounts: In the morning, a strong cup of coffee may have an effect on your performance, at least for a short time
- Heat: If you subject yourself to great heat in your free time, for example in the sauna or in the solarium, then the body gets a similar feeling as in sunshine
- Daylight lamps: This technology is designed to replace the sun in the morning. For example, it can be placed in the window and controlled with a timer
In addition to the psychological consequences, the body also suffers from the cold temperatures and dry air. For example, the mucous membranes become dry and irritated, hence the well-known runny nose on cold days. Itchy eyes are also a symptom caused by dry air in winter.
You can counteract these side effects with a split air conditioning system , for example from Kaltbringer. Our devices also regulate the humidity in your rooms to a healthy level, which does not unnecessarily irritate mucous membranes and the like. You can find detailed information on our detailed product pages!
In general, winter depression is very common, especially among people living alone. However, thanks to this article, you can now effectively do something about it yourself or help affected people. With small changes and purchases, you can counteract both the psychological and the physical consequences of winter, and the products from Kaltbringer also help here.
