Oct 22, 2017

Seasonal Affective Disorder: 5 Tips To Prevent It Completely

I had a reader question come in a few days ago that I found interesting enough to respond to in full, and I’ve decided to share it publicly so that others may benefit.

“Hey Jordan,

I suffer from seasonal affective disorder. I live in the Pacific Northwest and I definitely feel the winter time blues. Do you have any advice on how I can circumvent this tricky time of year? Thanks!”

I also live in a place that is rainy and cloudy for at least half of the year. I’ve developed a few simple, high leverage tricks that help keep my head straight through the gloomier months.

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Light Box Therapy

For 10-30 minutes per day, I sit in front of a bright light that mimics sunlight and tricks my brain into thinking that it’s still summer time. Hashtag life hacks.

I use this particular brand. Check it out. It helps me out a ton and I can immediately feel the difference when I use it (more energy, happier, more productive, etc.).

seasonal affective disorder

And this is what my setup looks like while I use it.

2. Vitamin D3 Supplement

I also take a liposomal vitamin D3 supplement every morning with water.

Since vitamin D deficiency is the main culprit in bringing about seasonal affective disorder symptoms, I get my vitamin D from multiple angles.

Vitamin D outside (light box), and vitamin D inside (supplement).

3. Regular Exercise

Getting out of your head and into your body is necessary if you’re going to thrive during the cloudy months in your city.

Find a form of exercise that is genuinely fun for you, and do it at least 2-3 times per week. Better yet, do it with your friends.

In my life, that means dancing, doing yin yoga, and going to infrared saunas on the regular.

4. Eat Healthy

If your brain is missing certain micronutrients, then you’ll be more prone to seasonal affective disorder.

Eat a wide range of nutrient-dense, easily digestible whole foods (especially ensuring consumption of vitamin D and omega 3’s), and you’ll be fine.

For a quick cheat sheet of what I recommend as a baseline diet, read this article.

5. Ample Connection Time With Friends

Seasonal affective disorder (and depression and anxiety in general) tend to take hold when we’re eating poorly, not moving our bodies, and isolating ourselves socially. Human beings are a social species… which means that we don’t thrive when we spend too much time alone.

Make sure that you’re spending a lot of time with your nearest and dearest to fend off any unwanted sadness.

seasonal affective disorder

Don’t have any friends? Read this. Want to go deeper in your friendship? Read this.

That’s it! Nice and simple.

Get your sunlight, eat well, move your body, and allow yourself to be deeply embedded in a community of people who love you, and you’ll have a handle on your seasonal affective disorder symptoms in no time. Best of luck!

Dedicated to your success,

Jordan

Ps. If you enjoyed this article, you’ll also love checking out:

7 Simple Tips To Beat Anxiety Naturally

How To Overcome Depression Naturally

How To Manage Stress Effectively (Or How I Weathered My Shit Storm Of A Year)

Jordan Gray
About Jordan Gray

Jordan Gray has been a sex and relationship coach for over 15+ years, with his work reaching over 200 million people worldwide. His writing has been featured in Vogue, GQ, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, and countless other publications around the world. When he’s not working with 1-on-1 coaching clients or writing a new article, he’s most likely to be found reading, chopping wood, or spending time with his wife on a little island off the west coast of Canada.

Blog

Related

See All
How To Ask Someone To Be Your Cuddle Buddy
Dec 13, 2015
Jordan Gray
How To Ask Someone To Be Your Cuddle Buddy
A first-of-it's-kind question landed in my inbox a few days ago... Here it is in its entirety (shared anonymously with permission from the sender): "I got out of a relationship a few months ago (okay, six months ago) and I've been doing pretty well. My life is going well, I like what I do, and...
Continue Reading
7 Supplements That I Take Every Day
Aug 5, 2017
Jordan Gray
7 Supplements That I Take Every Day
Standing back and looking at the shelves of nutritional supplement sections can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed out pretty darn quickly. There are hundreds of different vitamins, nutrients, and compounds to choose from, each with thousands of producers and different label variations. To cut away...
Continue Reading
5 Types Of Compliments That Melt A Man’s Heart
Feb 11, 2024
Jordan Gray
5 Types Of Compliments That Melt A Man’s Heart
Men need compliments too. And yet, most men were more-likely-than-not raised in a way where they were fairly compliment starved. Think about it... It's easy to imagine a woman complimenting another woman. It's also easy to imagine a man complimenting a woman. But when we do an honest audit...
Continue Reading
Stretch Your Opposites
Nov 16, 2018
Jordan Gray
Stretch Your Opposites
It’s easy to become complacent in life.  It’s easy to just go back to sleep and chronically neglect your growth edges. Laziness is our default. Psychological sleepiness plagues our world. Entropy is real. And if we aren’t consciously shaking up our routines every now and...
Continue Reading
The Greatest Health Investment You Could Make (Vitamix Review)
Jul 11, 2016
Jordan Gray
The Greatest Health Investment You Could Make (Vitamix Review)
Have you ever heard of a Vitamix blender? It's a big fancy blender that companies like Starbucks, Jamba Juice, and Booster Juice (and people, in their homes) use all over the world. I was finishing up a coaching call with one of my clients recently (who happens to be a super-handsome, kind-hearted,...
Continue Reading
What I Learned At Five About Generosity
Jan 10, 2024
Jordan Gray
What I Learned At Five About Generosity
When I was in the first grade (5 years old)... In our classroom, my teacher had this system called 'Good News Notes'. Each student had a little manila envelope stuck to the wall, with their name on it. Jordan. Ashley. Curtis. Jacqueline. Daniel. Philip. These envelopes... lined up side by...
Continue Reading