Does winter tend to get you down? For many it is more than a little cabin fever. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a very real problem. Luckily, there is a treatment that is all natural and makes a lot of scents–literally.

Have you ever thought seasonal depression and light therapy was a made up ailment? Not so much. SAD is a form of clinical depression that affects many people each year, mostly those living in the Midwest where winters tend to run long. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, lethargy, mood changes, food cravings, and sleep disruption.

Reduced light exposure is thought to be the main cause of SAD. Natural light affects everything from how we feel to our appetite and sleep habits. Those longer, darker days of winter can lead to chemical imbalance in the brain, resulting in SAD.

Light therapy is the traditional treatment for SAD and antidepressants are often prescribed. Other remedies are taking advantage of sunlight when you can, getting outside, and making sure to exercise regularly.

Before you go pitching a “for sale” sign in your front yard and heading permanently to warmer climates, get this: Research has found that scents may play a role in seasonal depression. Studies show that those who suffer from SAD have a more acute sense of smell than those who are not as negatively affected. Furthermore, natural plant oils may stimulate parts of the brain that control hormonal, immune, and emotional functions.

If what we smell affects our moods and other functions, aromatherapy must be the answer, right? Many people who deal with an annual bout of SAD have seen benefits from using essential oil aromatherapy. Certain oils are uplifting and energizing, while others are calming and help to induce a peaceful night’s sleep.

Ways to use essential oils for aromatherapy are through steam inhalation, massage, mists, and bath. When using essential oils it is important to remember that these oils are very potent and should not be applied directly to skin. If using on the skin combine a few drops with a tablespoon of carrier oil (like sweet almond or jojoba) prior to application.

Wondering which essential oils are best for you? Citrus and mint oils are best for reviving and energizing a lagging spirit. Try sweet orange, grapefruit, bergamot, rosemary, or peppermint. Need help getting to sleep? Lavender and chamomile should do the trick.

If you aren’t so much the DIY type, there are essential oil blends that you can purchase to use right away. Here are some of the best:

Aromatherapy for Energy and Refreshment:

Skinnyskinny Bergamot and Coriander Aromatherapeutic Organic Room Spray

“Bergamot is an excellent choice to use because it is great for helping to alleviate symptoms of depression. On its own, it is an uplifting citrus scent that can cut through the heavy, sometimes suffocating scents at this time of year (like cinnamon, clove, pine, and all those baked goods). Coriander is a fantastic complement to Bergamot and helps to instill some confidence and motivation, which is extremely important when seasonal affective disorder is making you feel down in the dumps.” ~ Clara of Skinnyskinny

Amala Aroma Apothecary Refresh Peppermint Room & Linen Mist

Lotus Wei Radiant Energy Energy Mist

Ila Concentrated Room Spray for an Essence of Joy

Aromatherapy for Relaxation and Sleep:

Amala Aroma Apothecary Relax Lavender Room & Linen Mist

Tata Harper Aromatic Bed Time Treatment

Lotus Wei Inner Peace Balancing Serum

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Image of woman using aromatherapy via Shutterstock

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It is not just a funk.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can be devastating, a yearly onslaught of anxiety, lethargy and hopelessness that is as predictable as the turning of the leaves, or the coming of the rain. Drugs are one of the last options, and no one should be judged for using whatever tools they have to escape what can become an unbearable situation. But before you ask your doctor for a prescription, you might want to try these ten alternative methods to help combat your yearly SAD.

Open the Blinds

If you can’t go outside due to rain, cold or snow, optimize your interior environment. Trade your heavy, insulating summer window treatments for lighter curtains or blinds. Trim trees that cover your windows. Take your laptop and work from your kitchen table or in a room with better light.

Absorb Some Negative Ions

A few studies have shown that an atmosphere rich in negative ions might be an effective, and specific, treatment for seasonal depression. If you don’t feel like shelling out the thirty dollars to purchase a negative ionizer, hanging out in warm, humid places, like a hot bath or a sauna, would do the trick.

Get Outside

Unless you live in Alaska or Antarctica, you will see some small amount of sunlight during the day, even if the light is obscured by clouds. A brief, brisk walk — preferably in the morning, to help set your Circadian rhythm — will stave off some of SAD’s symptoms. Additional studies show that exposure to nature helps elevate your mood.

Work Out Regularly

Your depression will only be exacerbated if you let yourself become rundown. Exercise releases endorphins and strengthens your immune system. It also has other, immeasurable positive side effects—for example, increased confidence if you meet your training goals. Planning your daily workout can also give you you a necessary distraction from your worries.

Meditate

Instead of being a source of joy and anticipation, the holidays are one of the biggest stressors in the colder months. Contemplating the travel, the cost and fragile family relationships can often drive even happy, stable people round the bend. Every day, take a few minutes to sit still, listen to your breathing and concentrate your attention on the present moment, instead of the future or the past. As Dr. Andrew Weil writes in his book Spontaneous Happiness, fragmented attention can lead to poor emotional health.

Eat Fish and Drink Milk

Omega-3s have been shown to have a mood-stabilizing effect. Researchers speculate that increasing omega-3 levels in your diet might make it possible for serotonin, a mood-affecting neurotransmitter, to pass through your cell membranes. If you can’t stomach the taste of salmon, increasing your tryptophan levels has also been shown to help alleviate depression. Try drinking a cup of warm milk before bedtime.

Fill Up Your Social Calendar

An unnecessarily cruel side effect of depression is that it causes you to want to withdraw from the world. It also makes you misread social cues and react to negative ones more strongly. But keeping up with your friends and family will also help lift your mood. Instead of trying to attend holiday parties, find the time to get coffee or watch a movie with a close friend.

Try Light Therapy

Light therapy is one of the single fastest ways to treat depression. With a light box, symptoms usually ease within four to seven days (antidepressants can take up to four to seven weeks to work). When choosing a light box, make sure that you’re buying one specifically for seasonal depression. Light therapy is also used to treat skin disorders, and those that emit UV rays can damage your eyes.

Get a Massage

Admittedly, the studies on whether or not massage is an effective treatment for depression, in particular, are a little crude. It’s impossible to create a “blind” study and give a massage to a test subject without him or her knowing it. Nevertheless, preliminary results are encouraging. Massage reduces stress and induces relaxation, as well as provoking the release of soothing oxytocin.

Take a Trip

If all else fails, schedule a vacation in February or March for a warmer, sunnier clime. Even a temporary lifting of your depression is better than none at all. And doesn’t travel solve virtually everything?

Images: lrargerich, Boris Mitendorfer Photography, e-wander.

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