Did you know that when you get less daylight, you can crave comfort foods? And that those comfort foods can cause you to gain weight? During the winter months, when the sun rises and sets within a 10- to 12-hour period, the amount of time you see daylight is significantly diminished. This diminished level of sunlight causes a drop in serotonin in your brain and, when that happens, you can feel depressed. Depression can lead to food cravings and the urge to reach for “comfort foods.”
Many people experience weight gain over the course of the winter months. Researchers point to the fact that a lot of people are less active in the winter months. Cold weather, snow, and ice can keep people indoors. But now new research is also looking at the effects of light deprivation on mood and weight gain.
In a clinical trial performed at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, researchers looked at whether light therapy could relieve depression. Ninety-six patients suffering from seasonal affective disorder were recruited for the trial. The patients were randomly assigned one of three treatments. They were either given “morning light” (using a light box), “evening light,” or placebo. The research team found that bright light therapy had a significant anti-depressive effect and that morning light caused the most improvement in the patients’ symptoms.
So, the next time you find yourself reaching for comfort foods and unable to get off the couch, consider if you might not in fact be suffering from light deprivation. To stick with healthy eating habits all winter long, make sure you get some time outside while the sun is up. Even better, go for a walk in the morning hours if you can. And don’t let the cold weather stop you. Wearing the proper clothes and footwear can go a long way to keeping you warm and comfortable when the temperature drops below freezing.
If you really can’t get outside to take in some daylight, consider purchasing a light box. Light boxes are made to simulate the full spectrum of sunlight and to help your body keep serotonin and melatonin levels up.
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