Feeling glum? With summer vacation already a distant memory, kids heading back to school and the prospect of dark nights and cold weather, September can fill us with a unique kind of sadness.
Lance Workman, visiting professor of psychology at the University of South Wales and spokesman for the British Psychological Society, says: “There’s definitely a generalized slump in mood and an increase in anxiety at this time of year. “September is considered a major turning point because each day this month is slightly shorter than the day before, and we know from studies that shorter days are a factor in depression for many people.”
The Worker found that more than a quarter of us may suffer from “September” disease Depression”, whose symptoms include loss of freedom on sunny summer days, dread of routine work and the school run, and a generally overwhelming sense of what lies ahead (it’s not so long as falling temperatures, icy sidewalks and Christmas stress). . “I found that 28 percent of the population had significant changes in mood with the change of seasons,” says Workman. “That’s about twice the previously thought rate of experiencing it.”
This mood swing is not as severe as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is thought to affect around 1 in 15 people in Britain between now and April, but it is still unpleasant to experience and can be a precursor to SAD. According to the NHS, SAD is a persistent form of depression that is thought to be a result of lower levels of light and shorter days leading to reduced levels of the happiness hormone serotonin. “From September we all have slight fluctuations in the level of serotonin we produce, but for those with full-blown SAD these fluctuations are much greater than for the average person,” says Workman.
If September sadness doesn’t go away, or if symptoms get worse, the NHS advises talking to your GP. However, for most people, there’s a lot we can do to avoid the September blues and head into winter feeling happier and more energetic. Here are the top tips from the experts:
Best fruit for a seasonal boost: Kiwi
Adults aged 19 to 64 need 40mg of vitamin C per day, according to the NHS. This is easily achievable if you stick to your five a day, but according to a 2021 study by researchers at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, getting too little vitamin C is “more common than generally recognized”. Eating less food can make you feel tired, weak and irritable. Good sources of vitamin C are yellow or green peppers, black currants, watermelon, cantaloupe, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Try eating two kiwi fruits a day for super fast action. Not only do they meet your needs, but researchers reporting in the British Journal of Nutrition last year suggested they could improve vitality and mood within a week.
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Eat more chia seeds and sardines for a dopamine hit
Healthy omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in seeds and fatty fish, including canned mackerel and sardines. “There’s a lot of evidence that people who have higher levels of omega-3 in their diet are less likely to suffer from mild depression and seasonal affective disorder,” says Workman. “SAD levels are relatively low in Iceland and some experts think this is due to the large amount of oily fish they consume.”
Registered dietitian Eli Brecher says omega-3 fatty acids are involved in the production of mood-enhancing hormones like dopamine and serotonin. “The best sources are oily fish, but if you don’t eat animal products, chia seeds and flax seeds are great,” she says. Add a tablespoon of seeds to your porridge or salad. According to Brecher, two or three weekly servings are ideal for getting enough healthy fats.
Reduce starchy carbohydrates
“You may feel that unstable carbohydrates, and especially very sweet foods, can improve your mood because they release glucose. But any effect is very short-lived, so resist as much as possible,” says Workman. “Over the long term, too many of these diets can have negative effects on mood and health.” Research from the University of Reading, Roehampton University and King’s College London, published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience, has shown that foods high in saturated animal fat and sugar can alter brain chemistry and make our brains feel sad. The team’s brain scans showed changes in neurotransmitters and gray matter volume in the frontal lobes of the brain, both linked to depression and anxiety in those who ate these unhealthy foods.
Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables To support your brain and mood
Jenna Macchiochi, an immunologist at the University of Sussex and author Immunity: The Science of Well-BeingSince the mineral is important for immunity, eating green leafy vegetables rich in magnesium should be a priority at this time of year, he says. “Magnesium deficiency is common in the UK and we need to focus on eating foods that provide more of it,” she says. It can also lift our mood. “Magnesium supports neurotransmitters and promotes relaxation,” says Macchiocchi.
Fill in your diary
It’s tempting to cut back on plans as the days start to get shorter, but even the process of scheduling events to fill your diary can be enough to lift your mood, say psychologists. The results of a review by Cornell University psychologists in the journal PsyEcology show that anticipating a pleasurable experience has a more powerful effect on elevating our moods than the actual event itself. Jennifer Wilde, consultant clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oxford, says: “Establish a little bit of joy in your life every few days.
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Go outside for at least five minutes twice a day
The single most important thing you can do to boost your mood this time of year is to get outside again in the morning and evening, says Wilde. The amount of light entering our eyes has a direct effect on the brain structures that produce serotonin. A groundbreaking 2022 study of 85,000 people published in the journal Nature revealed surprising improvements in low mood and depression when participants were regularly exposed to natural daylight. If there is a blue sky above, five minutes outside is enough. “If it’s more cloudy, a 10- to 15-minute walk will still help,” says Wilde. “Research shows that you should be exposed to daylight. Looking out the window doesn’t count because sunlight doesn’t hit our eyes directly and doesn’t have the same effect.
Start taking vitamin D now
There are many reasons to follow government advice and take a 10mcg vitamin D supplement from October to March, when sunlight is the main source of the nutrient. If you’re already feeling down, it can be refreshing. Taiwanese psychiatrists who reviewed 25 published papers for a study in the journal Depression and Anxiety concluded that “vitamin D supplementation may reduce negative emotions.” In 2020, researchers from the University of Reading and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that a high-dose 25mcg vitamin D supplement had a positive effect on adults with winter depression.
Just a handful of mixed nuts can boost mood
“There’s no better time to start adding nuts to your diet,” Brecher says. A Spanish study of more than 13,500 British adults published in the journal Clinical found that a small handful of the equivalent of 10 walnuts, 20 almonds or 15 cashews, or about 30 grams of nuts per day, reduced the risk of depression by 17%. nutrition “The best approach is to eat a variety of nuts, each with specific benefits,” says Brecher. Walnuts contain a good amount of omega-3 fats, which have been linked to improved mood, while almonds contain phenolic acids, compounds linked to less depression in a study in the Journal of Nutrients.
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