We are going to “fall back” this weekend. We switch back to regular time and set our clocks back an hour. This, combined with decreasing daylight hours and seasonal changes, can have a significant impact on your well-being.
Jody Trierweiler, a nutrition and fitness expert, joined “Live in the D” with some ways to help.
The time change and reduced daylight hours, according to Trierweiler, have an impact on how we live because of the sun’s light. She says that the sun aids in the production of hormones, and she discusses four ways that happens.
First, she talked about serotonin, also known as the happy hormone, and how the sun causes it to be released. She says that when we don’t get enough sunlight, we can become depressed, moody, and lethargic. She suggests using a full spectrum light to assist the body in producing serotonin and increasing the amount of another hormone known as melatonin.
In terms of melatonin, she says that less sunshine affects sleep since it increases melatonin levels. She recommends magnesium and melatonin supplements to help you sleep.
She goes on to say that vitamin D is affected because when sunlight touches skin, it creates vitamin D. She urges folks to have their vitamin D levels tested so they know how much to supplement to take.
Finally, the fitness expert discussed how exercise raises the hormone nitric oxide, which is created by the sun. She says that this hormone decreases blood pressure and makes you feel more awake.
Trierweiler says that your nutrition has an impact on how you feel. She suggests eating foods high in vitamin D, such as tofu, or foods high in tryptophan, which boosts melatonin production, such as turkey, eggs, and milk.
According to Trierweiler, we seek carbs when serotonin levels drop, and carbohydrates increase that “feel-good” feeling. She goes on to say that the body would seek out what is missing.
To learn more watch the video above.