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Seasonal Changes

How Seasonal Changes Affect the Nervous System

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Bradley

How Seasonal Changes Affect the Nervous System

As November rolls on and the days get shorter, many people begin to feel a shift in their mood, energy, and motivation. This isn’t just “winter blues.” For many adults, teens, and even kids, the change in daylight can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Which is a form of depression that occurs when the body struggles to adapt to seasonal changes.

The good news? By supporting the nervous system, chiropractic care can help the body navigate these changes more smoothly and naturally.

Seasonal Changes

Why Seasonal Depression Happens

Seasonal depression is deeply tied to the internal rhythms of the body. Rhythms that depend on light, sleep cycles, mood-regulating hormones, and nervous system balance.

As sunlight decreases it begins to shift how some of our hormones function due to the affects on some of the following:

1. Melatonin production increases.

Shorter days = more melatonin.
Melatonin controls sleep, but too much can lead to:

  • Constant fatigue

  • Low motivation

  • Trouble waking up

  • Brain fog

2. Serotonin levels drop.

Serotonin is the “feel-good” hormone.
Less sunlight means:

  • Lower mood

  • Increased irritability

  • Anxiety

  • Craving sugar or carbs

3. Circadian rhythm gets disrupted.

This is your body’s internal clock.
When it goes off-balance, so does your mood, sleep, digestion, and energy.

In short: less light = more stress on your nervous system.

The Nervous System’s Role in Seasonal Depression

Your nervous system regulates every cell, tissue, and organ in the human body. Making sure your nervous system is functioning correctly is key to making sure the following systems in your body can function correctly.

  • Hormones

  • Stress response

  • Digestive health

  • Energy levels

  • Emotional regulation

When the nervous system is under stress or out of balance. Whether from posture, tension, spinal misalignment, or emotional load, seasonal changes hit even harder.

Symptoms may include:

  • Lower mood or motivation

  • Increased anxiety

  • Difficulty focusing

  • Headaches

  • Increased pain sensitivity

  • Digestive issues

  • Fatigue

  • Poor sleep

This is where chiropractic care plays a powerful role. Through adjusting we are working directly with the nervous system impacting how it responds to the environment around you. 

How Chiropractic Care Helps Support Mood & Nervous System Health

Chiropractic adjustments are not a treatment for depression. However, they support the systems of the body that influence mood, stress, and emotional resilience.

Chiropractic care can help by:

1. Improving nervous system communication

Misalignments (subluxations) in the spine interfere with how the brain and body communicate.
Adjustments help regulate the:

  • Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

  • Stress response

  • Hormonal function

2. Reducing stress hormones

Research shows that spinal adjustments can decrease cortisol. Which is the body’s stress hormone.

3. Improving sleep quality

With better nervous system balance, melatonin regulation improves, helping people fall asleep more easily and wake more refreshed.

4. Supporting serotonin and dopamine pathways

Studies using functional MRI show chiropractic adjustments influence the prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain involved in mood, motivation, and emotional regulation.

5. Increasing energy and reducing body tension

When joints move correctly and muscles relax, the body uses less energy to compensate for stress and misalignment.

This holistic support helps people adapt more easily to seasonal shifts.

What the Research Says

Here are a few research-supported connections between chiropractic and mood regulation:

  • A study in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research found that chiropractic care improved depressive symptoms in patients with upper cervical misalignments.

  • Functional MRI studies showed changes in brain activity, especially in mood-regulating areas, after chiropractic adjustments.

  • Research on the vagus nerve (a major regulator of mood and stress) shows that spinal adjustments influence parasympathetic activity, helping the body shift into a more relaxed, balanced state.

  • Studies on chronic stress show that chiropractic care helps reduce muscle tension, improve sleep, and support overall mental well-being.

More research is still needed, but evidence continues to build that nervous system health = emotional health.

Natural Ways to Boost Mood This Season

Along with chiropractic care, your family can support mental and emotional well-being by:

  • Getting 10–20 minutes of morning sunlight

  • Moving daily (walking, stretching, or sports)

  • Prioritizing sleep routines

  • Eating whole, nutrient-rich foods

  • Practicing deep breathing

  • Using a sunrise alarm or light therapy lamp

  • Staying socially connected

These habits, combined with chiropractic care, help regulate the nervous system and boost resilience all season long.

Conclusion

Seasonal depression doesn’t have to define your winter months. By supporting the nervous system, chiropractic care helps the body adapt to shorter days, regulate hormones, improve sleep, and navigate seasonal changes with greater balance and ease.

If you or your teen feels more tired, stressed, or overwhelmed this time of year, chiropractic care may provide the support your body needs.

📞 Call Third Coast Chiropractic at 231-354-2600
and let us help your family stay balanced through the fall and winter months.

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