Although the brutal summer heat may have kept many indoors, now is the perfect time to boost your vitamin D levels by soaking up some sunshine every day.

As summer gives way to fall and winter, many healthy people may start to feel more tired, foggy headed, have trouble sleeping or experience body aches. These symptoms are often connected to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can result from getting less sunlight and a drop in vitamin D absorption.  

Are you getting enough vitamin D?

A deficiency in this vital nutrient can contribute to SAD, a common mental health issue that affects millions of Americans each year, with symptoms lasting up to five months. If you experience mood changes like hopelessness, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, irritability, feelings of worthlessness and difficulty concentrating starting in late fall or early winter and improving in spring and summer, you may be dealing with SAD. To address these challenges, it’s crucial to make certain lifestyle changes, especially during the darker months.

Want to lift your mood?

Angeline Jeyakumar is the public health nutrition specialist for Extension and an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. Her research focuses on food insecurity, and chronic illness mitigation in underserved communities. 

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