Colorado Springs health coach shares how to beat the “holiday blues” this year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The holidays are advertised as the happiest time of year, but that's not the case for everyone. One Southern Colorado health coach says she sees an uptick in clients during this time of year, every year.

Hannah Nicholson is a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach in Colorado Springs.

"We kind of dig into the why that is, and also how we can supplement your body," says Nicholson. She describes functional medicine as getting to the root cause of health problems using natural remedies.

During the winter months, Nicholson says she sees several clients struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Many know this as the "holiday blues."

"If you look at the seasons, you think about spring as rebirth and renewal, while summertime is amazing sunshine, everyone’s alive and happy and joyous," Nicholson says. "And then you get into fall and it gets to be more of a time for like, rest. Winter goes into hibernation."

She says, like animals, humans hibernate. Nicholson says winter is the time people tend to stay in, move around less, reach for faster foods (such as processed), and sleep is out-of-order because of the lack of sunshine.

Because of this trend, Nicholson says it's important to keep from falling into the slump of not taking care of ourselves the same way we would during sunnier seasons, like spring and summer.

Nicholson says most of her clients have a vitamin D deficiency. According to the Mayo Clinic, bodies naturally make vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun. The nutrient is important to the immune, brain, and the nervous system.

“In reality, if you could just handle this throughout like, you know, make the right choices throughout each season of life, you can feel a lot better in your body and your mind,” Hannah says.

Some symptoms of seasonal affective disorder could be:

• Feeling more tired than usual
• Losing interest in things that used to bring you joy
• Having trouble concentrating

Nicholson believes taking care of yourself during the fall and winter months comes down to three things: movement, proper nutrition, and adequate rest.

For more information on SAD, and mental health resources, click here.