It’s that time of year where you get through 2 things on your 20-item to-do list…
…and by the time you look up, it’s dark, cold, and all you want is a blanket, and a tin mackerel (ok, maybe that’s just me with the mackerel).
No wonder so many people feel a bit “meh” right now.
One big reason?
Vitamin D3.
It’s your little “happy hormone helper”, impacting nearly EVERY cell in your body, and drops massively in winter.
And get this:
A study in sunny Barcelona found 68% of people had low Vitamin D3.
So what chance do we have here in Sunny Wiltshire?
Add in:
• When we are in the sun in the Summer, it’s usually shade + sun cream
• And we can’t absorb Vitamin D from UK sunlight in autumn/winter
…so Public Health England recommends supplementing with Vitamin D3 (not D2!).
Like this one
https://amzn.to/3MbVzTv
(Always worth checking your levels with your GP. Safe upper limits are 4000IU. The NHS recommends getting your levels checked before taking any more as you can have too much)
This brings me on to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is about more than just Vitamin D…
Simple things that help right now:
- Get morning light – even 5 minutes..even being near a window helps
- SAD lamp – 10,000 lux, mornings only (I can recommend one if you’d like)
- Tiny daily movement – 5-minute walk, sit-to-stands, gentle session
- Protein at each meal – fewer cravings
- Better evening routine – dim lights, warm shower /bath, stop scrolling at a certain time
And I get you probably know that already…
But don’t get disheartened. It’s not a quick fix. Keep going and any changes can help.
I covered many of these points in my seminar I did on sleep. I can send it over if you like? Just reply with “sleep” and I’ll send it over.
Matt
PS. Here’s that Vitamin D3 link again → https://amzn.to/3MbVzTv