What is a seasonal breakdown, and what to do with it? – Likar.Info

Can’t bring myself to get out of bed? Sleepy after lunch? These are common signs of seasonal fatigue. Many people complain about the broken state notoriedade only appears in the autumn, when the days get shorter and can last all winter.

The most common cause of fatigue in the winter months is seasonal affective disorder. But did you know that less sunlight associated with winter may also exacerbate the syndrome of adrenal and chronic fatigue?

Circadian rhythm and fatigue

Ritmato circadian, 24-hour internal clock that affect the whole body. It is also known as your cycle sleep/wakefulness. Thanks to the circadian rhythm you feel tired at night and increased energy during the day.

To be called circadian, a biological rhythm must meet the following three criteria:

• The rhythm should last about 24 hours. Persistence and cycles play an important role. Properly tuned circadian rhythm is not disrupted, even if you spend 24 hours in complete darkness.
• Rhythm can be corrected. The rhythm can be reset by exposure to external stimuli (such as light and heat). When you travel across time zones, the circadian rhythm needs to adjust to a new cycle.
• The rhythm is temperature-compensated. This means that it is not violated due to temperature changes. Your circadian clock would not be very reliable, if I thought it was time to sleep every time you catch a cold.

If you find it difficult to get out of bed or you feel very tired in the afternoon, your circadian rhythm may be disrupted. In fact, abnormalities of circadian rhythm are common symptoms of chronic and adrenal fatigue.

In the Paleolithic era people were hunter-gatherers. There was no electricity or artificial light, so they lived in harmony with the cycle of the environment: they slept when it was dark and was awake until the sun goes down. Ideally, this rhythm forces you to be energetic in the daytime and sleep at night.

Modern people simple flip of the light switch in the house can cause the body to be awake at 3am. Unfortunately, the body can’t distinguish sunlight from artificial. That’s why you see so much information warning about the negative use of computers and phones before bed. The light emitted from these devices stimulates the brain to think that it’s day. It suppresses the secretion of melatonin and makes it difficult to sleep. The interruption of circadian rhythm, often is the main cause of seasonal fatigue.

Your brain and fatigue

Now that you are familiar with what is the circadian rhythm, it’s time to learn how to control and change. In mammals the circadian rhythm is controlled suprachiasmatic kernel (SHA), a separate group of cells, found in the hypothalamus.

The eyes transmit information SHA, which then passes it on to the pineal gland. The pineal gland is a tiny structure inside the brain responsible for producing melatonin. When your eyes perceive light, melatonin production is suppressed. This helps you stay awake and refreshed during the day. Peaks of melatonin production have on the night, making you feel tired. However, melatonin production can be suppressed by artificial light: if the lamp or the light emitted from your electronic devices.

When you disrupt melatonin production, circadian rhythm changes. Change of circadian rhythm can be both a positive and a negative event. Useful when it occurs during the journey. Dietlag is what you feel when your circadian rhythm adjusts to the new time zone. However, sometimes it becomes a chronic problem, which causes seasonal fatigue and reduced energy.

How to increase energy levels in winter?

To eliminate fatigue in the winter you need to approach the treatment from two sides:

• Circadian rhythm
• Levels of cortisol

Circadian rhythm

It would be great if your cycle of sleep/wakefulness coincided with the winter time. Of course, we understand that in today’s world to go to bed at 17:00 an unrealistic task. However, you can certainly take steps to the rhythm of life was more representative of the winter period. The following are recommendations that will help you ease seasonal fatigue:

• Try to sleep 8-9 hours every night. Most of us have morning commitments, so waking up late is not an option. The only solution is a more early retreat. If you need to get up at 6 a.m., try going to bed no later than 10pm.
• Take care of the atmosphere in the bedroom. This place should be for you sonocaddie. Here will be spent third part of your life. Buying quality bed linen will make sleep more enjoyable. Also, get out of the bedroom TVs and other electronic devices that interfere with sleep.

• Adjust the temperature in the house. It is best to sleep in a slightly cool room. Lowering the temperature at night by 1-2 degrees, will likely improve sleep quality.
• Avoid bright light in the evening. Try to use accent lighting in your home mistrust. If you are using an electronic device, switch it to night mode. Also, try using amber glasses to block the melatonin-suppressing wavelengths of light.
• Practice relaxation techniques before bedtime. Reading, hot baths, meditation or a Cup of tea – here are some great ways to relax in the evening.

Levels of cortisol

As with melatonin, the levels of the hormone cortisol depends on circadian rhythm. In an ideal scenario, the peak in cortisol levels occurs after awakening. After waking up starts to decrease, and the lowest point of the cortisol reaches shortly before bedtime. When you sleep, levels of cortisol increase, and stencil repeated.

To ensure healthy levels and rhythms of cortisol (increasing thus energy levels), experts recommend the following:

• Morning light therapy. The morning surge of cortisol (the reaction to the awakening) caused by exposure to sunlight. In the winter months, exposure to morning sunlight is not as active. Use svetaderevjanko the device for 10 minutes immediately after waking up can charge energy for the whole day.
• Walk. Exposure to sunlight prevents the production of melatonin. Make sure you go outside at least once a day (ideally when the sun reaches its peak). Even five minutes outdoors can improve your energy levels.
• A balanced diet. Sugar imbalance is a common cause of imbalance of cortisol.
• Struggle with stress. Stress at work and in relationships negatively affects levels of cortisol.

In addition to these recommendations, you can take supplements of vitamin D. Recent studies show that 25-50% of the world population deficient in vitamin D. If you do not regularly consume cod liver oil and other sources of the vitamin, you probably don’t get enough vitamin D from your diet. Sunlight is the best way to increase vitamin D levels, but in the winter it is clearly not enough.

However, before you start taking vitamin D supplements, we recommend that you take lab tests, through which the doctor can determine the required dose. High levels of vitamin D can cause symptoms similar to a low level, namely dehydration, vomiting, decreased appetite, irritability, constipation, fatigue and muscle weakness. Safe dose of supplemental vitamin D is considered to be 200-600 mcg/day. One teaspoon of cod liver oil per day provides the ideal dose.