CONTENTS

• How does the lack of sun affect us?
• Ways to deal with the autumn blues

With the last days of summer comes the time when the days get shorter, the temperature drops sharply, and the sky is covered first by rain clouds and then snow clouds. Outside the window, it gets dark at 4 p.m., even though not so long ago it seemed as if it had been light until at least 9 p.m. Now we will spend more time indoors. At work or school, we will use the car or public transport more often. Sometimes we feel an overwhelming fatigue and a lack of enthusiasm for everyday activities. We laugh a little and say it's the famous "autumn depression" and move on. However, seasonal depression is not a myth, and instead of succumbing to it, we can try to cope effectively.

How does the lack of sun affect us?

For hundreds of years, our rhythm of life was somehow regulated by nature. Working hours depended on the weather. As the days became shorter and the amount of daylight decreased in the second half of the year, human activity also decreased. In this way, our mental and physical health became linked to the natural environment. Today, this arrangement has been disrupted. We have more responsibilities, and artificial light allows us to be active at any time of day or year. The second problem is that in autumn and winter, we are more prone to vitamin D deficiency. Its synthesis in the body occurs in the skin under sunlight. In this way, up to 90% of this vitamin is produced in our bodies. It plays a very important role. It influences, among other things, the proper functioning of the immune, muscular, hormonal, and nervous systems. In winter, when we don't have the opportunity to enjoy the sun as much as in summer, vitamin D is not produced in sufficient quantities, and this leads to symptoms such as:

• Feeling of chronic fatigue,
• increased susceptibility to infections,
• Discomfort and depressive mood,
• severe skin changes such as hives, neurodermatitis,
• Problems falling asleep,

Ways to deal with the autumn blues

Together with our diet, we consume much less vitamin D than the body needs for proper functioning. It is mainly found in sea fish, cod liver oil , egg yolks, and liver, but it is not enough. Therefore, in winter, it is necessary to supplement vitamin D. It is considered that the average dose for an adult is 2000 IU per day. However, if we are unsure of the best dose to take, we can test the level in the body and discuss the results with your family doctor, who will prescribe the appropriate dose.

The second important point is not to give up on exercise. Even if the weather outside may seem discouraging, it's worth pushing through and taking about 30 minutes a day, even for a short walk. Exercise promotes well-being. Meeting up with friends, laughing, and long, heartfelt conversations over warming winter tea also have a beneficial effect on our psyche. But every now and then, we can simply succumb to the languid autumn-winter melancholy, wrap ourselves in a warm blanket, and watch our favorite TV series. Let's remember that we can view this difficult time of the year as a moment for calm, slowing down, and reflection.