Why You Are REALLY Depressed During Winter: NOT Vitamin D
Have you been hit by the winter blues, despite adequate vitamin D intake? Uncover the real cause of winter depression beyond your vitamin D levels and fix your winter mood problems naturally and effectively.
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Keep watching for more on the factors behind mood changes:
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0:00 Introduction: The real cause of winter depression
0:20 Sunlight and seasonal depression
0:52 What is depression?
2:06 Seasonal affective disorder
2:17 Causes of winter depression
4:21 Dopamine and depression
6:14 Your thyroid and winter depression
8:32 How to fix winter depression
If you’re taking vitamin D3 in the winter, yet still feeling depressed, this video is for you. The key difference between the winter and summer months is sunlight. Sunlight doesn’t just give us vitamin D; it’s involved in over 2000 genes, including those that trigger serotonin and melatonin, affecting the thyroid, microbiome, and more.
Depression is the inability to feel pleasure or a higher state of emotion. Fortunately, there are many ways to elevate someone’s emotional state without the use of medication.
Winter darkness pushes us inside and often exposes us to significantly more artificial light, which can affect our hormones and sleep. Colder temperatures also affect our physiology. Seasonal affective disorder is a condition that results from this misaligned circadian wave.
Morning light is one of the key ways to solve winter depression and properly start your circadian wave for the day!
Winter doesn’t just affect your mood; it desynchronizes your entire biology. Winter depression is often caused by a combination of factors, including:
• Lack of sunlight
• Imbalance of melatonin
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Artificial light
• Decreased serotonin levels
• Decreased melatonin levels
Vitamin D is vital for the proper function of serotonin and dopamine in the body. Adequate vitamin D levels reduce inflammation in the brain and protect you against mitochondrial damage.
The winter months can take a serious toll on your thyroid. The thyroid can’t always quickly adjust to the lack of sun and colder temperatures. This can affect your immune function and mood, and can also cause cold intolerance, brain fog, and weight gain.
The microbiome is also affected by cold temperatures and lack of sunlight. Pair this with dietary changes associated with wintertime and holidays, and the microbiome shifts. We are not meant to eat sweets during this time, even fruit. It’s vital to eat what’s in season for a healthy microbiome.
To fix winter depression, focus on the following:
1 Sunlight exposure (morning light)
2. Don’t eat or buy junk food
3. Stay active in the cold weather
Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.
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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
#health #keto #ketodiet #weightloss #ketolifestyle #intermittentfasting #lowcarb
Thanks for watching! I hope this helps you fix your winter blues. I’ll see you in the next video.
This is what I’m currently going through. I’ve been canceling and rescheduling appointments for nearly two weeks now. I haven’t even had the desire to leave my home.
So sorry. I know how you feel. I too get this way. I have to just force myself since I have a grandson.
Same! 😢
God Bless you I’ve been dealing with this myself. It can be crippling at times. I find that if I force myself to go out I feel better afterwards isolation makes things worse. I will be praying for you. 🙏♥️
find a friend, change life
Braai every night lekker Boere Wors.
Because the weather is completely miserable in Scotland in winter
But you have deep fried Mars Bars and Haggis to make up for it.
Same in The Netherlands, especially when everything is icy and frozen it’s just not enjoyable to go for a stroll
And Ireland
Germany too
Not natural
@marco_cee_ aye a haggis supper wi’ salt ‘n sauce walking along the road in the freezing cold when yer pished in order to deal with the winter blues is pretty good like!
I live in a cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Snow for over 6months. There is a thing called cabin fever. I build motorcycles in the winters now and workout. Occupy Your time. I don’t get depressed anymore.
That’s a blessing. Glad that keeping busy is working for you.
@thinkforyourselfjohn3163thank you.
Wow you are living a dream! 🙏
I love the cabin life and the snow ❄️☃️⛷️🏔️
I love the cabin life best life ever 🏔️⛷️☃️❄️ go build a snowman I love every time it snows I go out and build the biggest snowman..
When a Dr Berg video pops up my depression is literally cured 😊
I agree 👍
He’s like a god to us all.🙏🏻🌞
Simp lol
Lol
It’s 11.30am in London and I am still in bed. I have no desire to go out into the darkness
I’m also in London. Haven’t gone out of my room since the last 2 weeks, except to get groceries from time to time. Ended up cancelling all my meetings and classes.
Right am in central London looking out the window is not bringing any joy to me whatsoever so I’m just gonna get on my treadmill with the window open. I think I need a red light thingy.
@Luckyone1111luckily you have a treadmill!
I hear you. I force myself though. Even in the freezing cold, (but not lower than 20°). I look at the sky to get more light into my eyes & walk uphill. Yesterday, I bought some flowering plants & added lighter/brighter colors around the house. I’m bringing spring inside even if it’s snowing outside. It’s a battle. Good luck!💚💛
@dhruvgautam3015🙏🙏🙏💝
One thing missing here is the very low level of humidity in winter. That can be hard on your lungs.
Nasal passages too
And your overall body.
Just buy a humidifier
Id disagree. We have very high humidity here in Scotland and many are becoming unwell. Its so cold and wet that nothing is drying. Colds are turning into bronchitis and even I noticed a little build up on my lungs. I feel much better in a dry environment.
@kernow1273 To settle the dispute: The human body thrives in a RH (relative humidity) of 40-60%. Now remember folks, that’s RELATIVE humidity, which means it’s relative to the temperature. This is exactly why your indoor humidity is too low (sub 40%) in winter, because when you heat up the outdoor air (which is cold), the relative humidity drops and the air can become extremely dry.
As for the more humid, coastal climates, you either need to increase the temperature inside your house (lowering RH), or buy a de-humidifier (which absorbs the moisture of the indoor air). SOLUTIONS FOLKS
This can go the other way. In Australia recently we had heatwaves of close to 50 degrees Celsius. Had to stay inside with the window shutters down, fan on and in the dark… Extremely stressful and exhausting…
I can relate. I live in south Florida and summers here are becoming increasingly brutal! I leave and go north as much as possible. When I have to stay in Florida in summer, I have to stay inside, shades drawn, lights off, sitting still, just to try to stay cool enough that I don’t overheat. 🥵
Yep, Perth scorchers here atm 🥵
Ouch. Our summers in Massachusetts are becoming more hot, but nowhere near that
Yep! Arizona too. Summer is the new winter ❤
You could still go out for 15 minutes and get a days worth of Vitamin D and sun exposure
Just so you know, my full line of high-quality supplements is available on Amazon — search Dr. Berg Supplements.
Thanks Doc. you are a treasure.
Dr. Berg,
Will you recommend a full spectrum light that you consider high quality, and worth the expense? Possibly one, that you would purchase or have purchased?
We sit, all day, because our work requires constant use of our computers.
Thank you!
Are your supplements available on iHerb ? Thanks
We bought them 😊 👍 We have a grow light in the kitchen to grow veggies, we keep it on and that does help…
No, not at this time. Check out my website or Amazon!
It’s hard to get sun when they keep the skies full of chemicals
When I see the x’s in the sky on my way to work, I want to turn around and give up.
@cjlive5182same! They poison our water and our air!!!
@lke4907and food
That’s true, too
I wish Dr. Berg would do a post about this and how dangerous it is.
this video is so important for people living in Canada, specially this year winter is harsh and came much earlier than usual
I totally agree with you! It sure did come earlier with bitter winds and cold!
I shut down and go numb in the winter. Then spring comes and I am like a little kid, I can’t wait to get outside in my garden. I literally dread winter. I grew up in sunny California lived there til 30 now I live in the North East and I am anti winter.
The whole of uk is absolutely miserable from November to march
Same here in PA.
And that’s not even counting Keir Starmer
Go back in the comments and read my suggestions on what you can do to help you get through this time period. Vitamin D sunbeds go to a greenhouse walk the mall wear colored clothing. I’ve been miserable for years in the winter time. Yeah I have no desire to visit London during those months just because of the weather.
The demons cloud seeding is causing havoc and sickness
Thank you!!! Im telling everyone!!! No one believes me
Exactly.
Can you message me I’m currently under attack from demons
@Maria-t3b1otell them to look up stratospheric areasol geo engineering
The chem-trails are covering AM – PM & most of the people think they’re nothing! 🤡🤬🤦♂️
Absolutely true, the weather is a huge factor in a person’s over all well being
I started to locate my old incandescent light 💡 bulbs based on your earlier videos on this. Literally replaced two LEDs light bulbs so far.
Lucky you for having an old incandescent light bulb lying around. They’re nigh impossible to buy now because they’ve been withdrawn from retail and “replaced” by LED crap . 😠
Thankfully, I don’t mind the winter and I love a dreary day no matter the time of year.
Thankfully. Glad for people like you. Sick of everyone moving to FL & stealing our sunshine. 😅
You would not like 5 weeks of rain! That’s what we’ve had. Trying to walk dogs twice a day and muck out horses in this is awful. Turning out and bringing in through knee deep mud is horrendous. I am thankful that at least Im physically very active and get out in the (currently damp, musty) air😂 x
You’re a rarity on that front, that’s for sure.
I struggle with this. I take Vitamin D and it never worked. I need sun!!!! I have figured out I am tremendously affected by the sun. I am a person that has to have sunshine.
I’m the same way, do you take vitamin D3/K2 with magnesium? You need the magnesium to activate the vitamin D! Also the 10,000 light lamp definitely helps! They have them available on Amazon for $30.00. It’s definitely worth it, it truly helps! 😊
Same. Sunshine is everything.
I always say I am like a flower, I NEED sun! I also LOVE flowers & growing them. Keeps me grounded. ❤😊🌺🌷🪻🌸🌼
I lay out all winter long. Even if it’s 45 degrees outside of there is no wind, I’m out!
I also enjoy the Sun .. especially when the Sun comes out in these
Cold months.. 😂😅❤
That is why i always feel bad every winter. Sometimes it feels like there is no light at all the entire day because the sky is so grey
We’ve forgotten what the sun looks like in England!☔️
Thanks alot drberg 🙏.The winter is so comfortable for me, since I have learnt from you I haven’t got
sicked in winter time.