“Some days you have to create your own sunshine.” –Sam Sundquist
I am a woman who is drawn to sunlight like a moth to a flame. The way the sun’s rays play across the landscape throughout the day delights me. The feeling of warmth on my skin excites me. My mind is energized by its light as my spirit is invigorated by its life-giving energy.
I live along the San Diego coast in Encinitas. The contrast between daytime temperatures and nighttime temperatures has recently resulted in a heavy marine layer that lingers well into the late afternoon. Typical of this time of year, the low arc of the sun across the sky has a flattening effect, shrouding my world in mystery, confusing my senses, and leaving me feeling more than a little sluggish and unenlivened.
Did you know, that when seasons change, the body and mind also shift due to the changes in how much daylight we are exposed to?
Depending upon where you live in the northern hemisphere, with shorter days and longer nights, some of you may also be experiencing increased emotional sensitivity, low energy, and a tendency to oversleep and overeat.
It has been well documented that low sunlight exposure affects the body’s circadian rhythms decreasing the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. My sensitivity to less sunlight during the late Autumn affects my naturally buoyant self. This change also disrupts my body’s melatonin levels, which are linked to how well I sleep and my mood.
Due to our dependence on sunlight, our ancestors valued and celebrated its power throughout the seasons. As the days grow shorter, soon we will mark the passing of Autumn through the Winter’s Solstice into the dark of Winter. Are you prepared?
Seasonal affective disorder or SAD
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as ‘winter depression,’ affects many people when the nights are longer than the days during the months of October through March. It is usually most severe during the months of November, December, January, and February.
Classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder is a mood disorder, affecting people with otherwise normal mental health. While sharing many symptoms with clinical depression, the main distinguishing factor of this kind of depression is its seasonal character.
Studies reveal that 1 in 5 of us experience a mild version of the winter blues, while 1 in 20 suffers from SAD. Response to low light typically begins in young adulthood, meaning that adolescents and teenagers are at risk. About 75 percent of the people diagnosed with SAD are female.
Winter-onset SAD has its own specific set of symptoms
These include
- weight gain
- craving for high-carb foods
- oversleeping
- feelings of heaviness in either the legs or arms
- difficulty getting along with others
- low motivation
- irritability
- low energy
- a sense of hopelessness
- feelings of sadness throughout the day
- difficulty concentrating
- sluggishness
- loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
- lack of self-worth and self-esteem
- and in extreme, thoughts of suicide.
People who regularly suffer from this condition know that they are not at their best during the winter months. They are often reluctant to interact with other people. This can be especially hard as we head into the Holiday with family and friends.
Treatment methods for SAD include cognitive therapy, light therapy, nutritional supplementation, dietary changes, exercise, color therapy, pharmaceuticals, and my go-to favorite, flower essence aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy and Emotional Wellbeing
Scent has a profound effect on our emotions. With Alchemical Wellness Care, we can help counter Seasonal Affective Disorder by literally smelling sunshine, to uplift, encourage, and energize a positive mood.
Sunshine citrus fruits ripen in winter, just when we need them most! Citrus essential oils are obtained from the peels of the fruits. Their aromas pierce the gloom of winter, and their high limonene content helps stimulate immunity, an important factor during cold and flu season.
Fleur Inspiration Spray contains organic ingredients of citrus essential oils that have a general cheering and brightening effect on the emotions as well as an energizing action on the body. The Spray’s revitalizing properties make it ideal for individuals that become tired, unmotivated, and sleepy during the winter months.
The cheerful aromas of Grapefruit and Sweet Orange essential oils pair with the base notes of Indian Sandalwood and Jasmine essential oils to create an alchemical fusion of inspired happiness.
Cleansing and purifying, the scent of Grapefruit essential oil helps to balance neuroendocrine hormone levels that regulate hunger, sleepiness, anxiety, and stress. Its power to stimulate metabolism increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system by 50% giving us a boost when our energy is low.
The fresh scent of Sweet Orange essential oil is both uplifting and calming. Its aroma helps to reduce stress lowering heart rate, dispelling anxiety by stimulating serotonin to improve overall mood. Its balancing effect on the mind and body, and its warming and joyful qualities benefit people of all ages.
Indian sandalwood essential oil is one of my favorite aromas. It has been used as a remedy in Ayurveda medicine for thousands of years to support emotional wellbeing. Its warm, grounding aroma has traditionally been used to purify the mind and awaken intelligent wholeness.
Often used as an aid for meditation, the scent of sandalwood’s calming action soothes away stress and nervous tension. Its appealing scent inspires a sense of contentment and happiness.
The alluring scent of Jasmine is another of my favorite essential oils. Known to be an aphrodisiac, Jasmine essential oil has a mildly sedative and calming effect. Linalool, a floral and spicy terpene alcohol, is what gives it its heady, floral aroma.
Widely regarded as an antidepressant, Jasmine oil also has a stimulating effect on the autonomic nervous system, resulting in increased alertness and overall energy. While floral oils work on the hormonal system to help to fight feelings of sadness, melancholy, or even guilt that may be brought about by seasonal affective disorder, inhaling the aroma of Jasmine not only arouses the senses it stimulates the brain.
Research has shown that inhaling the aroma of jasmine strongly enhances the activity of GABA by acting on GABA receptors, which inhibits certain brain signals to decrease activity in the nervous system, which imparts a relaxed, sensual mood.
Not only do I love the art and practice of aromatherapy to shift how I feel, but I also love the science behind the essential oils and their application. Inhaling pleasing aromas is the most effective way to stimulate the brain and limbic system to help alleviate symptoms of SAD, depression, and anxiety.
Be a Ray of Sunshine
Inspiration Spray is the perfect alchemy to relieve symptoms of SAD. You can brighten your day and support your emotional wellbeing using Fleur Flower Essence Aromatherapy. Be a ray of sunshine and warmth for your loved ones during the dark winter months.
If you are inspired, please join my Fleur Facebook page to share your experience using our products. I would love to hear about your success. And by sharing, you’ll be helping me out by increasing Fleur Flower Essence Aromatherapy visibility on these social platforms.
All my aromatic Love,
Vidya
