Ayurveda Remedies for Winter Depression

The winter season is called Sisira Ritu and Hemanta Ritu in Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda Ritu Hemanta starts in mid of November and ends in mid-January.

It starts from the southern region which is called dakshinayana or visarga Kala in Ayurveda. Ritu Sisira starts from mid-January and lasts up to march. Ritu Sisira falls in the Northern region which is called uttaraayana or Aadana kaala according to Ayurveda.

This Ritu or so-called winter season can affect our entire body system which is very well explained in Ayurveda. In winter People’s strength increased and their digestion capacity also gets increased, due to an increase in hunger. These symptoms are found due to increased body fire in us which is supported by Vata.

In winter the Vata inside body increases due to dryness and cold atmosphere. In winter days are short and night is long. which generally causes winter depression known as (SAD) Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is also called winter Winter depression or Time Blues.

What is Winter depression?

Scientists believe that due to lack of exposure to sunlight winter depression is a cause but this disorder of depression is unclear. winter depression symptoms can be seen as a tendency to over eat, craving for carbohydrates and sweets, and weight gain.

Symptoms of winter depression have been very well observed by our ancestors and they have very well recommended simple but very effective natural remedies for (SAD) Seasonal Affective Disorder. Our ancestors followed simple guidelines about diet and lifestyles very well controlled winter depression.

Signs of seasonal depression

• You are doing everything slower than usual
• It is difficult for you to get up in the morning
• You constantly feel tired
• You want to seize sadness all the time
• It is difficult for you to concentrate on business
• You would rather spend time alone with yourself than a noisy evening with friends
• You sleep one and a half to two hours longer than usual

Ayurveda Tips for Winter Depression

• Exposure to sunlight and if sunlight is not available sitting near the fireplace is the remedy suggested in Ayurveda and doctors also recommended Light therapy for wintertime blues. It has also been studied that exposure to artificial light cause headache, Eyestrain, inability to sleep and fatigue.
• Keeping our home well lit with lights can also help us to reduce the intensity of winter depression.
• Moderate exercise like yoga is another remedy can also help us from winter depression. Ayurveda oil massage (abhyanga) is also very helpful for our body Massage your body with vata balancing herbal oil (abhyanga)Never forget to apply oil on your head (moordha daila.).
• Spending time on the beach helps to expose your body to sunlight and keeps your body worm. Relaxing with meditation, massage, light music, and laughter helps to a great extent. The following ayurvedic tips help to prevent and reduce the intensity of seasonal disorder of winter, the wintertime blues.
• sexual act to keep the moods elevated and to keep the body warm is another strongly suggested ayurvedic remedy.
• Then remove the oil by taking a hot water bath. A mixture of flours of yellow gram (channa), green gram (moong), fenugreek seeds (methi) in equal proportion is the best herbal scrub which can be used to remove the oil. This mixture prevents the washing of natural oil from the skin.
• Consume hot soups.
• Use Vata balancing foods like wheat, oil, corn, black gram, and jaggery.
• Tickle your taste buds with sweet, sour and salty tastes.