Surprising signs you need more vitamin D

‘Tis the season to be jolly? According to science, not so much. During the winter season, rates of depression, anxiety, and overall dampened moods are almost always on the rise, and one of the nutrients to blame is definitely vitamin D.

Click here for the Surprising Signs You Need More Vitamin D slideshow.

It’s easier than you’d think to up your vitamin D intake. Commonplace foods, such as fish, eggs, and these eight others, are packed with the nutrient and can help you ward off deficiency. If these foods aren’t enough, you can also purchase vitamin D supplements for a relatively low price at your local drugstore. No matter how you do it, one thing is for sure: You need to up your vitamin D intake this season.

Because the human body is amazing, your skin actually synthesizes vitamin D on its own, meaning that exposure to sunlight usually supplies the vitamin D you need. During the winter months, though - especially after daylight saving time ends - your sunlight exposure is likely lacking. And in the winter, vitamin D deficiencies skyrocket. Vitamin D deficiency has become so common, in fact, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention names it the most common vitamin deficiency in the country, with as many as 30 million Americans suffering each year.

So how can you tell if you’re one of them? Do you really need to be taking those supplements, or are you throwing your money away buying bottle after bottle? While you should consult your doctor before making any assumptions about the vitamins or minerals at fault for your symptoms, these surprising signs could indicate you’re affected with a vitamin D deficiency.