In the United States alone, depression affects over 16.1 million people and accounts for over 6% of the population. Worldwide, that statistic shoots to over 268 million. Although Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) doesn’t have the word “depression” in it, it is a type of depression.

Research shows several things that are linked to SAD, luckily there are several forms of therapy that can support you through it.

One of which is maintaining a proper vitamin D level. This, and the immune benefits of vitamin D, is one reason to make sure your vitamin D status is optimal during the winter months that coincide with SAD.

While I don’t have the peer reviewed data to support my next statement I do see this as a problem all year long, but especially around the holiday time that also coincides with SAD - blood sugar regulation!

You don’t have to be diabetic to have sugar problems. Many people are teetering with insulin resistance. When the holidays hit and we join family and friends for feasting the fragile system is insulted, and the mechanisms that hold our blood sugar in control are thrown into an all hands on deck situation. 

It may not even be the food that is a problem, it could be stress of the family environment or lack of sleep. Any time we’re dealing with the brain and neurological function, blood sugar regulation must be taken into consideration.

How can you regulate your blood sugar?

Realign your diet back to a more anti-inflammatory/Mediterranean/ Paleo and low glycemic index type of diet. This alone can help rebalance the blood sugar within a few weeks. 

There are also a ton of supplements to consider like Berberine, Bitter Melon, Amino Acids to encourage gluconeogenesis ( making your own blood sugar ) and several others. 

What can help your brain with seasonal affective disorder?

One of my favorite therapies for the brain is Color Therapy. How can color help my brain, you might ask? Well, it turns out that certain colors have different effects on the brain and how we feel. 

Color Therapy For Stress And Anxiety

For instance, The best colors to combat feelings of stress, paranoia, and anxiousness are Green, Indigo, Aqua, Magenta, and Baker-Miller Pink.

These colors are great for promoting relaxation and calmness when things seem overwhelming. Of these, my favorites are Aqua ( or Blue) and Baker-Miller Pink.

Color Therapy For Lack Of Motivation

Sometimes that passion we have for creating things gets swept under the rug because of SAD. It can be hard to motivate yourself to do anything, even though you know that doing these types of activities might make you feel better. If this resonates with you, Violet, Indigo, and Yellow might be the right fit for you. These colors promote feelings of creativity and inspiration!

Color Therapy For Sluggishness

People who get depressed in winter commonly feel like no matter how much sleep they get, they are still tired all day. It’s the feeling of dragging your feet throughout the day (metaphorically and literally) until you can go back to bed. What a vicious cycle. 

The color Red promotes power and vitality and is even theorized to produce feelings of warmth and excitement.

Color Therapy For Lack Of Confidence

SAD can feel like it is beating you down, and because of this, you can sometimes feel your confidence dwindling. Once your self-confidence goes, it’s hard to get it back, and it can affect your outlook on everything else in your life.

To help with this, try the colors Red, Orange and Yellow. These all promote confidence!

Color Therapy For Overeating

With depression, whether you are overeating or under-eating is just dependent on each individual. In the case of SAD, however, it is substantially more common to find overeating.

If you find yourself gaining weight, feeling sluggish, or feeling unhealthy because of overeating, Baker-Miller Pink or rose colored glasses are the best for you. 

Baker-Miller Pink is a color coined and found by Alexander Schuss and the name comes from the two military officers, Baker and Miller, who began the study. This pink acts as an appetite suppressant and promotes feelings of relaxation.

Color Therapy For Feeling Sad, Lonely, or Trouble Concentrating

Maybe you’re just overall unhappy. Yellow or Orange might be your color. 

Or what if you have a tendency to self isolate, then Orange or Blue might be your colors. And even people having problems with concentration could be helped by Yellow. The list can go on and on. 

In my practice, I use color therapy on my patients to help change neurological patterns and have seen it to be very helpful.

We are beginning to stock color therapy glasses in the office for you to purchase and use at home. So, if it’s something you’d like to try you can reach out (call or email) at any time to order.