Extreme winter depression, otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is caused by a change in brain chemistry due to lower amounts of light passing into the retina. This lack of light can lead to the pineal gland creating more melatonin than usual. Melatonin is the hormone that allows us to ‘shut down’ when we go to sleep. Useful if you want to hibernate for the winter, but not very helpful for the rest of us.
As light enters the eyes, images are registered by the brain which affects the pineal and pituitary glands, which in turn control the endocrine system. Changes to the endocrine balance cause major alterations to body chemistry and physiology and affect both health and behaviour. The pituitary gland is generally thought of as the master controller for the rest of the endocrine system and is related to the ‘crown’ chakra.
In 1984, Dr Norman Rosenthal, MD, discovered and named Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and pioneered its treatment with bright light in the early morning, to fool the body into thinking the day was longer.
Here are some yoga meditation ideas to help balance out your brain chemistry.
Simple Meditation
Sit upright in a comfortable position. Let your mind process any thoughts quietly, without too much ‘commentary’. This will allow the brain time to unscramble and leave you with more energy.
Third Eye Meditation
Sit comfortably, close your eyes and breathe deeply for three or four breaths. Concentrate on the middle of your forehead around the area a few centimetres above the middle of your eyes. Direct your vision inwards moving towards the pineal gland, which is geometrically in the centre of the head. Watch the light that develops in your forehead and allow the movements of the mind to follow it. You'll feel a pleasant strain on your eyes.
Crown Chakra Meditation
Direct your awareness to the pituitary, or crown chakra, as you meditate. Imagine you are letting sunlight in through the top of your head. Combine this with a sense of being attached to the centre of the earth from beneath. This meditation draws fresh energy into the whole system and can help you through those dark winter months.
Other Therapies
Exposure to full-spectrum light naturally, or with a light box, can also help. Try and get outside for at least 20 minutes a day, even if it’s overcast. Positive thinking can also have enormous benefits. According to the Happy Budda: “Happiness is our natural state when we are not doing unhappiness. Notice how you make yourself unhappy throughout the day and notice what happens when you are upset. The key to a happy life is through awareness.”
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