Ways to feel brighter as the nights draw in

But seasonal affective disorder is not just for winter, so here we learn more about the impact the seasons can have on our health

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WE HAVE entered autumn, and many who suffer from seasonal affective disorder will now be dreading the damp cold that beckons.

In fact SAD is seen as a kind of hibernation - sufferers sleep for significantly longer during winter.

Seasons can have a profound emotional impact on all of us - the trick is to understand what causes it.

For example, our sleep patterns or diet or activity patterns can change reliably with the seasons and this could be the trigger.

SAD may be more of a widespread problem than doctors realise.

One study found that more people searched for depression-related terms on search engines in winter.

Antidepressant prescription rates also climb during the season.

But it's not the misery of the cold and damp causing it - the crucial factor is thought to be something to do with melatonin and the fact the brain needs a certain amount of light to function.