Change of season and fatigue: which supplements to choose?

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints at the change of seasons. Encouraging good rest and reducing stress are the two key strategies to combat it. Supplements also help to do this; let's find out which ones we prefer.

Fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating: there is no shortage of symptoms associated with the change of seasons either when we transition from summer to autumn or from winter to the warmer months of the year. It is no coincidence that April is stereotyped as the month of "sweet sleep," aided by the transition to daylight saving time on the last weekend of March.

There is no denying it: just that one hour of sleep less is enough to make it difficult to get through entire days. If, then, this small lack of sleep is added to the drudgery of the long winter months spent untangling one work (or school) commitment from another, you can end up trudging to get through the evening.

In fact, the functioning of our bodies is influenced by the alternation of hours of light and darkness (according to so-called circadian rhythms) and by phenomena that are repeated on an annual basis (according to circannual rhythms).

These are largely masked by the strategies we put in place to cope with the environmental changes we inevitably find ourselves dealing with living in areas of the planet where the four seasons follow one another inexorably. However, some of their effects seem to return during the infamous change of seasons, especially if we are particularly at risk of suffering from them.

Change of season: who is most at risk?

Sometimes the risk of struggling with fatigue due to the change of seasons is increased by social factors that are not regulated by circannual rhythms. If we practice sports at a certain level, for example, the seasonal changes we face depend on the concentration of competitions at certain times of the year.

At other times, however, the effect of the change of season depends heavily on biological factors. For example, it has been noted that, in students, the change of season can be associated with changes in weight. One of the first hypotheses to explain this phenomenon was that students face very different commitments depending on the time of year they are in. Studies conducted, however, seem to rule out this effect of lifestyle on students' weight changes, and a new hypothesis is gaining traction: that what comes into play is an alteration in the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates (go figure!) sleep-wake cycles and that, according to several studies, may play a role precisely in preventing weight gain.

Thus, the change of seasons seems to directly influence biological mechanisms that, in turn, can lead to the increased fatigue that many of us have to deal with at this time of year.

When fatigue becomes debilitating

In some cases, fatigue, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating can become debilitating and add up to mood and behavioral changes, which in the most serious cases are the manifestation of a real syndrome in which genetics seems to play a key role: the seasonal affective disorder or SAD, from the English Seasonal Affective Disorder.

With the transition to winter, melatonin levels can remain high for too long, even during the day, consequently causing daytime sleepiness. When, on the other hand, the change of season leads toward summer, one may find oneself struggling with restlessness, irritability, and insomnia. Imagining that the latter can turn into fatigue is not difficult.

Fighting stanchezia and sleep disorders with supplements

Precisely because underlying the fatigue and sleep disturbances experienced at the change of seasons are biological phenomena, certain nutrients in food that influence these phenomena can help combat them. Supplements can lend us a hand in filling them up in case of deficiencies and when it is not easy for us to take sufficient doses by relying on food alone.

Alongside the most often suggested (but not always effective) products against sleep disorders, supplements based on Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats are also popping up. These are undoubtedly less overused remedies, but they could represent a breakthrough in the treatment of sleep-related issues that lead to dragging on through the day due to fatigue, especially during the change of season leading toward the warmer months of the year.

Indeed, analysis of the scientific literature shows that:

• Omega 3s are associated with optimal sleep duration;
• Intake of marine-derived Omega 3 supplements (EPA - eicosapentaenoic acid - and DHA - docosahexaenoic acid) has been associated with improved sleep quality;
• Low levels of DHA in the brain have been associated with altered sleep-wake cycles and reduced melatonin production;
• in chronic fatigue, the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 (the other major family of polyunsaturated fats) is significantly lower;
• Omega 3s could also help deal with stress, another possible cause of fatigue that can add up to insomnia and fatigue accumulated over months of work or study.

EPA and DHA intake can be optimized by following the recommendations on weekly fish consumption and remembering that the varieties rich in these nutrients are the fatty fish that live in cold waters, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, sardines, anchovies, and herring.

Unfortunately, however, it is not always easy to meet EPA and DHA requirements through diet alone, especially if they increase or under special conditions such as pregnancy. Even cases in which one cannot or does not want to eat fish (for example, in the presence of allergies or if one chooses a vegan diet) actually prevent one from fighting fatigue thanks to its Omega 3.

Fortunately, there are Omega 3 supplements suitable for a wide variety of needs. To fill up on EPA and DHA, you can choose from those based on marine-derived oils (fish, cod liver, krill or algae).

In addition, the potential benefits of taking adequate doses of Omega 3 can be enhanced by simultaneously attending to the intake of pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5. In fact, this nutrient, when taken in adequate doses, is recognized to "contribute to the reduction of fatigue and fatigue," certified by a statement approved by Efsa (the European Food Safety Authority).

Vitamin B5 is present in many foods of animal (eggs, dairy products, poultry, offal) and plant (avocado, broccoli, kale, legumes, mushrooms, potatoes, whole grains) origin, but it is easily lost during their processing. Therefore, even to increase its intake with a view to combating the fatigue associated with the change of seasons, it can be particularly useful to use dietary supplements that contain it.

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