Boosting our Vitamin D to support our Mental Health

Boosting our Vitamin D to support our Mental Health

Research suggests that getting enough Vitamin D is important in supporting our mental health, especially for those dealing with anxiety and depression. As we have just had Mental Health Week (12th-18th May), and we have had so many beautiful blue skies this month, I thought it would be a good time to talk about this.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Studies show that getting our daily quota of Vitamin D may help to regulate our mood, to help with our general wellbeing, as well as being crucial to keeping our bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

We all feel better when we feel the sun on our faces. The BBC produced an interesting study programme called ‘Just One Thing’ with the late Michael Mosley, that featured an episode back in January 2024, that found that supplementation of Vitamin D can help to reduce depressive symptoms, as well as supporting our immune system, and elevating our mood. It is worth a listen if you can make the time on BBC Sounds – it only 14 minutes long.

We can also enhance our Vitamin D through the food we eat. Good sources of Vitamin D are oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring or mackerel. Egg yolks are rich in Vitamin D, as are beef liver (avoid if pregnant though) and some mushrooms. You can obviously just take a supplement too if preferred. Cod Liver Oil supplements are also high in Vitamin D, so may be worth consideration.

Conditions that affect our gut like celiac disease and crohns disease can affect Vitamin D absorption, so it is important for folk with these to ensure they are getting sufficient quantities of Vitamin D to support their health too.

We can make Vitamin D ourselves naturally in our skin in the spring and summer months, by getting outdoors and exposing ourselves to the sunlight, but the light isn’t usually strong enough (and the sun isn’t usually out for long enough here!) in the autumn and winter months to give us what we need, so it is pretty common for folk to have a Vitamin D deficiency, and this also becomes more of an issue as we age. So – supplementing our levels of Vitamin D in the colder months is really important. There is quite a bit of advice on the NHS website about this too if you are interested in learning more – just search for ‘Vitamin D’.

Getting outside!

We have been blessed with so very many wonderful sunny days this month, and it has been lovely getting out and about, seeing some beautiful gardens and other places, sometimes on my own, and sometimes catching up with friends, making the most of the weather while we have it!

Getting out and about and taking in all the aromas around us, also helps to lift our spirits as well as boosting our Vitamin D levels – I was lucky enough to see these beautiful Roses on one of my walks this month – they smelt gorgeous!

Nature and good weather are indeed medicine for the soul! There’s not many things that bring us the same comfort as closing our eyes into the sun, and feeling the warmth of Spring on our bodies. This time of year is just magical. This wisteria at Nymans Gardens on one of my visits, was particularly breathtaking.

Turning your phone off for a little while, taking in the smells, colours and sounds of nature is such a joy. Being away from the media, work and/or home pressures, and the worries and anxieties of life is so important.

Life nowadays seems to be noisy, busy and stressful at times, and there can be a lot of expectation and responsibility on our shoulders, both from ourselves and others. Walking in nature gives us space to breathe, and space to reconnect to our own feelings. It gives the heart a chance to rest a little, and the body a chance to move, which in turn uplifts us, improving our general wellbeing.

Taking time to breathe and reconnect

I went to Ramster Gardens with my lovely friend Kerri this month, to see their lovely Sculpture exhibition. That was a really wonderful day full of interesting pieces of artwork to look at, and stunning gardens as always. I absolutely love it there, and have annual membership so that I can go whenever I have the time.

Spring brings with it beautiful colours all around. Wonderful aromas of the plants and trees, wonderful birdsong and baby ducklings and goslings everywhere this month! This was a lovely mummy Goose with her babies, that I saw at Claremont Landscape Garden this month with another wonderful friend Jo.

Making yourself go for a walk (even for 10-15 minutes a day) can change your mood – it can make a difficult day better or even clear a headache. It can bring joy in seeing lovely things all around, whilst easing our muscles and joints through movement.

There are obviously multiple physical benefits to walking, but the benefit to our mental health is just as important. I get so excited when I see lovely animals in the fields, or when I see one of my favourite things like this beautiful little dragonfly that I spotted at Borde Hill Gardens last week.

Exploring somewhere new

Why not do an online search and find some places you have been meaning to visit, but never actually got there? I’ve wanted to see the Ouse Valley Viaduct for years, and its not far, so I went there with another lovely friend Mike this month too – it was spectacular! Seeing new things also lifts our spirits and does us good. You don’t have to go far, or spend hundreds or thousands going away – some of these places are a short drive away.

I have also realised that when I am looking at something lovely, or visiting somewhere new, I don’t notice how many steps I have managed to do! I get carried away with exploring the places, and before you know it, I’ve done far more steps than I thought I would (meaning I have earnt my coffee and dark chocolate later on!)

Set aside some time for walking

Why not set yourself a mini target if you are not getting out for a walk every day currently? Find just 15 minutes to start with if you are new to exercise – more if you are already out every day walking the dog! Set an achievable goal and stick with it. Even if the weather changes, put on a coat and boots and just do it! You WILL feel better after. Seeing the green grass, blue skies and beautiful trees at the moment is just a complete gift that we should all give ourselves! Go on – get that Vitamin D topped up! This was a beautiful tree I saw on a walk in Ockley this month, with my lovely friend Ann.