As the glittering lights of the festive season dim and the gray skies of mid-winter settle in, many find themselves grappling with a profound drop in energy and mood. This phenomenon, often referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the January Slump, is more than just a case of the winter blues; it is a complex biological response to reduced sunlight and shifting routines. To explore how we can eat our way toward emotional stability, we sat down with Mona Narula, Child Nutritionist and Food Psychologist. Mona specialises in the intricate link between what we consume and how we feel, advocating for a compassionate, science-backed approach to winter nutrition that moves away from restrictive "detoxes" and toward genuine nourishment.
Q 1: January often brings an emotional dip after the intensity of festive eating and socialising. From a food psychology perspective, how does this sudden shift in routine and diet affect mood and motivation during winter?
MN: During holidays most of us engage in eating for pure pleasure rather than hunger with frequent consumption of sugar and rich fats triggers significant dopamine releases in the brain's reward center. When you suddenly cut these reward foods out in January, your brain experiences a literal withdrawal. This often results in the so-called seasonal depression and in this case, a classic "January Slump". After a partying and active socialising month, this sudden social isolation at mealtimes can result in feelings of loneliness and seasonal affective disorder, making the winter months feel significantly heavier. Many people adopt a restricted mind-set with resolutions in January, which creates decision fatigue. Instead of focusing on what to remove, which feels like punishment, focus on what to add that supports serotonin production, which stabilises your mood without the dopamine crash.
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Q 2: Many people instinctively crave heavier, carb rich comfort foods in cold months. How do these cravings tie into the brain’s need for warmth, safety, and serotonin during winter, and how can people respond to them without guilt?
MN: As nature has built us, when the temperature drops and daylight fades, the body initiates several survival mechanisms that drive us towards calorie dense, carbohydrate rich meals. Maintaining a core body temperature requires significant energy. In winter, our body works harder to stay warm through a process called thermogenesis. As digestion itself generates heat, protein and carb rich meals take more energy to break down, which literally warms you from the inside and hence the appetite increases. Historically, humans who increased their body fat in autumn were more likely to survive the winter and our brain still remembers that and acts accordingly. So instead of refined carbs we should choose complex carbs like sweet potato, millets, oats etc which provide the serotonin boost you need but release energy slowly, keeping your mood stable for hours.
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Also read: World Mental Health Day: Experts On How Nutrient Deficiencies Can Affect Mood & Tips To Manage
Q 3: Are there specific cooking methods, textures, or temperatures of food that tend to support emotional regulation during winter, and why do these matter psychologically?
MN: Consuming hot foods like soups, teas, stews provides physical warmth that the brain interprets as safety. Broths, herbal teas, and hot oats are recommended. Methods of cooking that help are roasting, slow cooking, baking. Textures like purees, casseroles, thick soups offer emotional softness or physical grounding. Flavours like cinnamon, ginger, turmeric raises body temp slightly.
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Q 4: When it comes to seasonal depression, which nutrients tend to play a silent but significant role in emotional regulation during winter, and how can they be incorporated through everyday foods rather than supplements?
MN: Vitamin D is vital. Since the body produces Vitamin D through sun exposure, levels often plummet in winter, especially in very cold regions with smog and fog affecting the sunlight consumption. Vitamin D is also crucial for serotonin synthesis, the feel good hormone. So if you are feeling low, sun exposed mushrooms will be an effective alternative for Vitamin D along with prescribed supplements. Omega 3s, specifically EPA and DHA, help build the cell membranes in the brain and facilitate communication between mood regulating neurons. Add some walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and fatty fish to your routine. Finally, Folate or B9 is necessary for mood chemical synthesis. This helps regulate the emotions and simple inclusions like lentils, kale, asparagus should help.
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Q 5: Many mental health conversations focus on nutrients like vitamin D and omega-3s. Is the wellness industry oversimplifying seasonal depression by reducing it to deficiencies?
MN: From a nutritional perspective, addressing deficiencies is a valid and evidence based piece of the puzzle, as these substances influence neurotransmitters like serotonin. However, seasonal depression is a complex biological and psychological condition often driven by disrupted circadian rhythms and reduced sunlight exposure, which a pill alone may not fully resolve. The reality is that nutrition acts as a supportive foundation rather than a standalone cure, and most clinical approaches find the best results by combining dietary support with light therapy, movement, and professional mental health care.
Q 6: January is dominated by detoxes, cleanses, and dietary resets. From a food psychology standpoint, do these practices risk worsening seasonal depression rather than improving it?
MN: Evolutionarily, humans are wired to crave denser, warmer foods in the winter to conserve energy and maintain body heat. Detoxes often encourage raw and liquid meals. When our body’s instinct is to seek warmth, forcing the detox diet creates psychological stress. While your body craves for a warm bowl of dal rice, you feel like a failure to your preset resolutions and detox regime. Just add a handful of spinach and hemp seeds for Magnesium and Omega 3 to your diet. Add eggs for Vitamin D and B12 and please don't replace your coffee, just add a side of walnuts to boost your brain health and amplify the good effects.
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Q 7: For people experiencing low mood or lethargy in winter, cooking itself can feel overwhelming. What gentle, realistic food habits would you suggest for days when motivation is low but nourishment still matters?
MN: In an Indian household, when winter lethargy hits, the goal is to lean on traditional one pot comforts and pre-made staples that require minimal standing time in the kitchen. I suggest utilising pressure cooker or instant pot meals like a simple dal khichdi or dalia; you can toss in a handful of peas or pre-cut carrots to get your fibre and micronutrients with zero chopping. Think of a quick roll made of whole wheat Paratha filled with paneer or leftover sabzi with a bowl of protein rich curd mixed with roasted makhana and fruits. These options provide the warming from the grounding effect of Indian flavors.
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Q 8: Reduced sunlight affects sleep, appetite cues, and cravings. How can meal timing, breakfast choices, and exposure to certain foods help regulate circadian rhythms and improve low mood during winter?
MN: Sun is the primary driver of your internal clock, food acts as the secondary reminder for your circadian rhythm. Your liver, pancreas, and gut have their own clocks that respond to when and what you eat and like a routine of they can be caught off guard. Align your meals with the sun and you can reduce the circadian shift that causes winter fatigue. Eat a high protein breakfast of 25 to 30 grams within 60 to 90 minutes of waking. Early winter sunsets can trigger your brain to start producing melatonin early. If you eat a heavy, late dinner, you create a circadian mismatch. Your brain thinks it is night, but your gut is forced into high energy digestion. Aim for your largest meal mid day, and keep dinner lighter and earlier. Also, instead of fighting the sugar craving, have high protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates meals in the late afternoon or early evenings.
Q 9: If someone were to make just three food-related changes in January to support their mood through winter, what would you suggest they focus on, and why?
MN: 1. High protein breakfast within an hour of waking up.
2. Snack on Omega 3s, walnuts and hemp seeds.
3. Swap evening snacks like cookies or chips for a slow starch like sweet potatoes or seasonal fruits.
These changes are powerful because they help refine circadian rhythm.
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Q 10: Finally, for someone navigating winter blues, what is one mindset shift around food that can be especially healing during January, when productivity pressure and self criticism tend to peak?
MN: Stop fighting your body and start supporting it. Instead of focusing on what not to eat, focus on what healthy things you can add to your plate. A good meal is simply one that helps you get through your day with less stress on your body, so make eating easy.