Stop SAD before IT'STOPS YOU

The winter blues can hit hard but there are ways to help manage a seasonal slump, says Ali Horsfall

- Ali Horsfall

Down in the dumps despite the promise of a happy New Year? I hear you. But then, the post-festive gloom that thickly envelops me from now until spring doesn't surprise me, either. After being buoyed by the celebrations that kick off winter, I can confidently mark January (and February) as a 'struggle' in my diary. That's because the mood crash I have happens annually, with the short, dark days, bleak weather and hours spent festering indoors leaving me feeling sad, sluggish and a shadow of my better, summer self.

Sound familiar? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects around two million people in the UK, according to the NHS, and is a type of depression that comes and goes in a pattern, typically starting in autumn and lifting by March. While the winter blues can be mild - lethargy, low mood and a desire to hibernate from the world with a hot-water bottle, a large glass of red and a packet of crisps - for many Brits who suffer from SAD, the symptoms are much more debilitating.

Seeing the light

The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it's thought to be linked to shorter, darker days. 'Reduced exposure to sunlight can disrupt the hypothalamus - the part of the brain responsible for regulating our heart rate, temperature, appetite and the sleep-wake cycle - throwing our bodies off-kilter,' says psychologist Dr Sophie Mort, mental health expert at Headspace. She explains that this causes imbalances in our important sleep- and mood-regulating hormones - melatonin and serotonin - leaving us feeling exhausted and low.