HEALTHY LIVING
FACE THE WINTER BLUES HEAD-ON Take steps now to nourish your body and mind for darker months ahead. BY JANIS JOLLY | CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
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n the Coulee Region, we treasure summer. We hold precious the long days filled with sunshine, the bright, early mornings, the leisurely sunlit evenings. But the fact is, after a few months of these pleasures, we must let go. The days shorten after the summer solstice in June. Vacations are over, school starts, stricter routines begin. For many, this brings feelings of sadness, fatigue and general malaise. Those who struggle with the transition into fall and winter have many tools to fight off the seasonal blues: therapists, gyms, hospitals and clinics to provide help. But the main source of help is ourselves. We may be able to improve our mood if we plan Keely Rees, Ph.D., is a time for ourselves and make some professor at the University of intentional changes. Wisconsin-La Crosse and health educator.
20 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 www.crwmagazine.com
SUNSHINE AND VITAMIN D Local health educator Keely Rees, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and therapist Sheryl Gora-Bollom of The Therapy Place both treat clients with seasonal adjustment issues. One of the first things they each look for is the client’s vitamin D level. Depressed mood often indicates low vitamin D levels. D, “the sunshine vitamin,” is made naturally in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. However, in winter, there are fewer hours of sunlight, and the angle of the sun is less intense. Besides, when we go outdoors in the cold, most of our skin is covered. Other benefits of sunlight include the production of melatonin, needed for deep sleep, and serotonin and dopamine, both of which contribute a feeling of well-being. To get enough vitamin D in the darker months, we must supplement by taking it orally. Rees recommends approximately 2,000 IU daily for adults. Vitamin D levels can also be increased by using a light therapy box for 20 to 30 minutes per day. These provide full-spectrum light that mimics natural sunlight.
