How to Survive Daylight Saving Time and Shorter Days

© Getty ImagesI used to call the night we turn back the clocks for Daylight Saving Time (DST) my “Armageddon." It felt as though the darkness of winter descended on that very day — the depressing feeling when you pick up your kids from sports practice in the afternoon, or leave your office, and it’s already dark. I realize that by the time we get into DST, our days have already been getting shorter for four months. In fact, just seven weeks into DST, we arrive at the winter solstice, when the days begin to grow longer. We humans are not all that different from plants. Take away our sun, and we begin to wilt.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is pretty easy to understand. As seasons shift, so does the amount of sunlight, which affects your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that governs certain brain wave activity and hormone production. In some people, this shift changes mood-related chemicals in a way that can cause depression. Highly sensitive people are especially prone to depression as the weather changes. Darkness one hour earlier can shock a sensitive person's system much like jet lag — generating an angry response from the central nervous system. Here are a few ways I survive the shorter days of winter and try my best not to wilt.
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1. I Use a Sun Lamp
Winding back the clock has always been the universe’s invitation for me to get out my mammoth Verilux HappyLight from the bedroom closet and start soaking in the 10,000 lux that I hope soaks lots of sanity into my head. Bright-light therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder, also known as the winter blues. Light boxes are the typical light system used for SAD in clinical studies. They are flat screens that produce full-spectrum fluorescent light, usually at an intensity of 10,000 lux. Some health clubs offer light-box rooms, where you can go sit in front of the boxes if you can’t afford to buy one for yourself.
It's important to position the light box according to the manufacturer’s instructions and use it at the same time each day, typically for 30 to 60 minutes. Most people get the best results when they use a light box before 10 a.m. The first time I used my sun lamp, I sat in front of it from 9 p.m. to midnight, and ended up staying awake the whole night. I had not read the directions. People with bipolar disorder have to be especially careful when and for how long they use a light box, as too much exposure can trigger mania. Made that mistake. My thinking (as always): If a little bit makes you feel good, a lot has to make you feel even better, right? Wrong.


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2. I Steal Real Sunlight
I say “steal” because you have to rearrange your schedule to get as much sunlight as possible between the months of November and March during daylight saving time. While I would rather go on my walk in the morning after I drop off the kids at school, I realize I’m not getting as much sunlight then, so now I walk in the afternoon. I also put on my coat and gloves and eat my lunch outside. If you can manage to sneak away from your desk for even 10 or 15 minutes at lunchtime to get outside and soak in as many rays as possible, you'll get a decent-enough sunshine fix.
Writer Deborah Kotz explains in a US News story that while going outside for only 10 minutes in the midday summer sun (with no sunscreen) is enough to produce 10,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D, it’s impossible to produce enough vitamin D from the sun if you live north of Atlanta in the winter. That's because the sun never gets high enough in the sky for its ultraviolent B rays to penetrate the atmosphere. While this may be true, I certainly feel better when I can get outside for even 15 minutes during DST days, even if it’s just taking a phone call outside shivering in my winter coat.
New York Times best-selling author Joseph Mercola, DO, includes an interesting Vitamin D/UV calculator in his piece, How Much Sunshine Does It Take To Make Vitamin D? Using the calculator, you can figure out the amount of sun you need to meet your vitamin D requirements. As Dr. Mercola explains, it varies HUGELY depending on your location, skin type, time of year, time of day, and atmospheric conditions.

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3. I Take a Vitamin D Supplement
It’s a very good idea to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months, especially if can’t plant yourself and your laptop in the Caribbean for 120 days until we “spring forward.” So many diseases are correlated with low vitamin D levels , especially depression. Even if you’re not feeling low, I would absolutely have your levels checked, which your primary care physician can do. The National Institutes of Health's recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 600 IUs a day. However, Mercola suggests that adults take as much as 5,000 IU per day. I take 3,000 IUs in a liquid, which absorbs better into my system. Your doctor can help you determine the best amount of vitamin D to take, if you need it. Certain foods are good sources of vitamin D, among them: cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, tuna, milk, yogurt, sardines, eggs, and cereals fortified with vitamin D.
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More on MSN:
5 Strange, Surprising Depression Triggers
5 Tips to Help You Gain Strength and Muscle This Winter
How to Avoid Getting Pummeled by a Cold

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