As the winter months settle in, so do the symptoms of seasonal depression. Shorter days, less sunlight, colder weather, and dreary grey sky all come together and take a surprisingly large toll on our mental health. While there are some people who simply ride it out in hopes of an early spring, there are also activities and supplements that we can take part in to help boost our mood during these down times. While the standard supplementation of Vitamin D and exercise are always welcome, researchers are now finding that using CBD can help alleviate symptoms of seasonal depression and help elevate moods.
CBD has been found to have very strong anti-depressant and anti-anxiety qualities, which greatly helps to combat depression – both standard and seasonal. CBD does this through several functions, most of which work by working with your body’s hormones to promote a healthier balance, reducing cortisol and increasing serotonin.
CBD doesn’t directly produce serotonin in your body, but it does work with your serotonin receptors to positively influence serotonin levels in your brain. Elevated serotonin levels will help to reduce mood swings, and generally elevate a person’s mood. This use of CBD has been one of the most studied by researchers so far, as CBD’s ability to cause serotonin to accumulate in the brain is incredibly efficient, making it one of the top new supplements for treating depression and helping people with moods disorders.
In addition to the anti-depressant qualities, CBD’s anti-anxiety properties can also help people in dealing with seasonal depression. Depression and anxiety go hand in hand, so it makes sense that something that positively affects one will affect the other. A big portion of seasonal depression comes from anxiety – because let’s face it, as much as we love Christmas sometimes dealing with family can be stressful and make us anxious. CBD again helps to relieve anxiety, and so it can help reduce any seasonal depression caused by anxiety.
Lastly, CBD can reduce seasonal depression by helping with our sleep cycles. Sleep is so important in terms of mood and hormone regulation, so it is incredibly important that we get enough sleep during the winter months to help keep our moods high. Going to bed and waking up when the sky is still dark can alter sleep cycles and reduce the amount of REM sleep we’re getting, this can lead to an excess of cortisol which increases our stress. CBD has been proven to not only help people fall asleep faster, but is also enhances the effects of melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for our sleep-wake cycles.
Overall, there is a lot that CBD can do to help relieve seasonal depression and allow us to brave the winter months with a positive mood. Whether you prefer CBD oils, gummies, or other variations, supplementing CBD through the winter months can help keep you in a positive head space and reduce symptoms of seasonal depression.
If you’re looking for a CBD product to help enhance your mood and keep you feeling great, we recommend trying our 1500mg BOOST CBD oil – this THC- Free CBD oil is packed with amazing anti-inflammatory ingredients like vitamin C, honey, lemon, ginseng and ginger extracts. It’s the perfect supplement to take first thing in the morning to start your day. Alongside our BOOST CBD oil, our CBD gummies are the perfect CBD product to keep on hand while you’re hustling through your busy days. Our CBD gummies are perfect for relief, on-the-go.
Stay well.