Feeling down? How to avoid the winter blues

The winter blues, also commonly known as winter depression, refers to the tiredness and low mood often felt in the winter months.

Although the word winter depression is often used, not every feeling of hopelessness in winter is directly a winter depression. In the following we will explain the difference between a winter depression and the all too well-known winter blues:

Winter depression is a seasonal depression. The symptoms only appear at a certain time of the year and   they occur repeatedly, typically in the cold and dark winter months. Doctors and psychologists also refer to winter depression as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a seasonal emotional disorder.  Winter depression is a special form of affective disorder and is classified as recurrent depressive disorder in the ICD-10, a globally recognised classification system. This means that the symptoms and depressive episodes occur repeatedly.

However, in comparison with other depressive disorders, winter depression is usually less prominent and occurs less frequently. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects around 2 million people in the UK and more than 12 million people across northern Europe. Since winter depression is a seasonal disorder, the symptoms of those affected usually subside again in the spring. In summer, the symptoms of winter depression are finally a thing of the past. 

The development of winter depression is genetic and hormonal. However, dealing with stress and stress management also play a role.

The symptoms of winter depression are characteristic and occur recurrently, at least two years in a row, during the cold season. Symptoms should subside within 90 days. Below we have compiled a list of common symptoms of winter depression:

• Extreme fatigue and even insomnia
• Increased appetite and cravings
• Lack of energy
• General tiredness
• Imbalance
• Depressed mood
• Irritability
• Lack of drive
• Neglect of social contacts and one’s own person

Many people suffer from an increased need for sleep and the desire for sweets in winter, the appearance of these symptoms does not necessarily represent a winter depression. Mostly it is the mitigated form of winter depression, the effects of the winter blues. Only when the symptoms get out of hand and become a burden, should a doctor be consulted. The doctor can then determine whether winter depression is present and initiate medical treatment.

The symptoms of the winter blues are similar to the symptoms of winter depression, but are less pronounced and stressful for the person affected and those around them. Most people are familiar with the symptoms of fatigue, increased appetite and even ravenous hunger. Who hasn’t experienced it on a cold winter’s day when all you want to do to feel better is snuggle up in bed, have a warm drink and something sweet?

About 17 % of the British population are affected by winter blues. Women are more often affected by the winter blues than men. Around one in three women and one in four men experience these symptoms during the cold and dark season.

If we consider the occurrence of winter depression or winter blues, it is apparent that people in northern countries of Europe are affected more than people in southern countries.

The winter blues, like the winter depression, appears from autumn to spring.

The winter blues is thus a mitigated form of the seasonal affective disorder (SAD), winter depression.  

The winter blues, in contrast to the winter depression, does not require medical treatment – but there are some tips and tricks that will help you through those low moods in winter!

Why is it that, in keeping with the cold and gloomy season, your mood suddenly drops and the feelings of hopelessness and hunger increase significantly? How does a winter depression or even the winter blues actually arise, which processes change in the body compared to the warm summer months?

In principle, it should be noted that the hormonal balance in winter is set up differently than in summer due to various factors. This is particularly noticeable for the hormones melatonin, serotonin and vitamin D. In the following section we explain how the hormone balance changes and how, for example, a vitamin D deficiency becomes noticeable in winter and affects your mood and performance!

The day-night rhythm of humans is determined by various hormones. An important hormone is melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone. The sleep hormone melatonin is produced by the body itself, mainly in a part of the brain called the pineal gland.

The secretion of the hormone is regulated by the eye. If the eye registers the incidence of light, i. e. daylight falls on the retina, melatonin formation is inhibited. In the dark, on the other hand, the hormone is released more.

The release of the hormone and subsequent binding to the target receptors causes energy consumption to be reduced and blood pressure to be lowered. It’s dark and the hormone melatonin sends signals that now it’s time to rest.

In winter, it is often cloudy and grey in the morning and in the afternoon it gets dark very early. The overall lower light intensity in winter thus causes an increased production and release of the sleep hormone melatonin. What are the consequences when there is a lack of light? – Increased fatigue and feeling down in everyday life, the winter blues sends its greetings.

Serotonin is another important messenger that transmits information in our nervous system.

Serotonin is involved in the control of numerous processes in the body and is formed from the amino acid tryptophan. Serotonin affects, for example, body temperature, appetite, state of consciousness and the sensation of pain. Since a large part of serotonin is produced in cells of the intestine, it also has an influence on the movement of the intestine, a deficiency can therefore also lead to digestive problems. In addition to all these aspects, serotonin also has an influence on emotions and mood.

But how does this relate to the winter blues, or even the winter depression? 

The involvement of serotonin in the development of winter depression results from the interaction with the sleep hormone melatonin.

For the production of melatonin, serotonin is necessary, the serotonin is converted into melatonin. Whilst melatonin production increases in winter due to the lower light intensity, the serotonin level in the body inevitably decreases.

A well-known symptom of the winter blues is the desire for sweets (sugar) and cravings. But how does this arise due to the low serotonin level, when serotonin is not built up from sugar but actually from an amino acid (tryptophan)?

In order for serotonin to be formed, the tryptophan must enter the brain. But since not every substance can get into the brain just like that, the body has a special protective mechanism, the blood-brain barrier. Only certain substances are allowed to cross this barrier, tryptophan is one of these substances. Tryptophan competes with other substances, such as amino acids, at the blood-brain barrier, but this changes as soon as a person consumes sugar and insulin is released as a result.

In addition to the rapid uptake of glucose from the blood, insulin secretion also causes the uptake of e. g. amino acids into the muscle cells. However, tryptophan is not increasingly introduced into the cells by insulin, but is retained in the blood. The competition at the blood-brain barrier is thus eliminated, tryptophan can pass preferentially and serotonin can be built up.  

This is why those affected by the winter blues or winter depression often feel ravenous hunger or an irrepressible desire for sweets, as the body tries to compensate for the serotonin deficiency.

Vitamin D also has an influence on the development of the winter blues. The body produces vitamin D on its own through sunlight on the skin. During the summer months, sufficient coverage of the recommended vitamin D requirement is therefore possible through the body’s own production. In the cold and gloomy winter months with little daylight, on the other hand, it is obvious that the vitamin D levels are too low. 

Taking vitamin D-containing supplements can help to lift the mood. Among foods, fatty fish such as salmon, eel or herring are the best vitamin D suppliers.

The winter blues are favoured by a vitamin D deficiency, as vitamin D also supports serotonin production.

Declare war on the winter blues with the right diet. Goodbye ravenous appetite and unrestrained craving for sweets!

The following four nutrition tips can be easily integrated into your daily diet:

Include foods with high levels of vitamin D in your diet. As the need for vitamin D cannot be covered by daylight in the winter months, it is important to ensure an additional supply. Vitamin D helps to increase serotonin levels and thus actively combat the winter blues and bad moods in winter.

The following table will show you foods and their vitamin D content in micrograms per 100 g

Use spices: Chilli gets the circulation going. Due to the spiciness, endorphins are released, these endogenous morphines make you happy. Ginger warms from the inside and has an uplifting effect, and also ensures a healthy and strong immune system. Since illnesses such as a cold do not make the symptoms of the winter blues more bearable, but rather worsen them, it is important to strengthen the immune system through food!

At least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables a day: vitamins are scarce in winter, but important for a strong immune system. The recommendation of the NHS is 5 a day! This figure corresponds to a daily consumption of about 400 grams of vegetables and 250 grams of fruit.

Serotonin production stimulates the body through food: Use foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan. The amino acid tryptophan is the precursor of the formation of serotonin. Tryptophan is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and thus be available for the formation of serotonin in the brain. It is best to always combine the tryptophan-containing foods with foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as wholemeal pasta, rice, millet or buckwheat.

The following table will show you foods and their tryptophan content in milligrams per 100 g:

There are a few different ways to successfully combat the winter blues and to lift your spirits in winter as permanently as possible. We have three tips and tricks to help against a bad mood in winter listed below:

In order to avoid the winter blues, sufficient outdoor exercise is also essential. At least one to two hours of daylight per day, even in cloudy weather, help the body to regulate melatonin production.  The positive effect: the feeling of inertia decreases.

An optimal combination is, of course, doing sports in the fresh air. Endurance sports such as jogging or Nordic walking get the circulation going and promote the production of happiness hormones.

Fight the winter blues with outdoor sports activities!

Avoid stress in everyday life. Stress not only has a negative effect on the mind in general, but also has consequences on the release of hormones.

In acute stress situations, the body produces and releases cortisol. Cortisol, in turn, has negative effects on tryptophan metabolism and slows it down. If there is no tryptophan, no serotonin can be formed. Since you generally can’t avoid stress, we have three valuable tips for you on how to better deal with stress in everyday life:

1. Planning: get into as few unforeseen problems as possible by planning ahead
2. Relaxation strategies: apply strategies such as breathing exercises, meditation or progressive muscle relaxation
3. Work on meaningful coping strategies: do you already have strategies for coping with stress? Great, then try to optimize these further

Since the lack of daylight already upsets the body’s internal clock and hormone production, it is helpful to follow a structured daily routine. Create a daily rhythm and ritual, so it’s easier for your body to get into a winter rhythm.

Despite a regular daily routine, leisure activities and hobbies should not be neglected, so plan for them. As well as the community with other people or good conversations in between. Even if this is not so easy to do – how about a phone call or video call?

The winter blues, often referred to as winter depression, occurs in the gloomy and cold winter months and is characterised by a drop in mood, tiredness and noticeably increased appetite.

The lack of daylight is mainly responsible for the symptoms. The generally lower light intensity in winter causes changes in the hormone balance of the body. In particular, the hormone melatonin, serotonin and the vitamin D.

However, with the help of a few tips and tricks, it is still possible to fight against the winter blues. It is helpful to change the diet a little, to consume more foods containing vitamin D, as well as tryptophan, and to make sure that the vitamins are covered by eating enough fruit and vegetables.

Spending time outdoors or exercising, having a structured daily routine, avoiding stress and maintaining favourite leisure activities are also effective ways to boost mood and avoid the winter blues.