The Black Dog's barking at my door
I didn't want to see him any more
He arrived, uninvited the other morn
After leaving without notice last summer's dawn
Darkness and sadness fills my days
Oh how I wish He'd go away
My mind is consumed, no rhyme nor reason
That's why I dread the Winter Season



I wrote the poem above a couple of years ago. I didn't realize at the time but I was suffering with what is now commonly called "Seasonal affective disorder". My mood seemed to go downhill rapidly at the start of winter and then, come summer, it disappeared like it was all a bad dream! I knew that the light helped me, and I discovered its benefits when we rented a beautiful home that was full of glass! The light steamed through the house 99% of the time and there was only the odd day in Winter when the house was dark. That winter was the best winter I had ever had as the depression was almost non existent.
If only I knew then what I know now! It has been discovered that seasonal affective disorder is common in a lot of people during the darker, winter months. Vitamin D is the missing link! Even in Australia a study showed that over 50% of people were very low in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is made from cholesterol in the skin. When the sun's ultraviolet B rays penetrate the exposed skin the cholesterol is turned in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is required for a healthy immune system and a healthy nervous system. Lack of Vitamin D in the body can show up in symptoms such as depression, fatigue and aches and pains.
A simple Vitamin D tablet available from the chemist might be the solution that a lot of people who suffer with Winter Blues are looking for!