How to beat the winter blues

Jonathan Warren

Author: Jonathan Warren

28.03.2024

Sleep

With the clocks set to go back this weekend (October 28th), few of us are looking forward to the prospect of shorter days and more hours of darkness - but there are a few ways to beat the winter blues. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, seasonal biology expert Professor Russell Foster said "good light contrast" could be the answer to boosting your mood as the long nights draw in. The body clock can be disrupted when the clocks change, as our natural rhythms need to get used to experiencing light and darkness at different times. Some people have no problem with this, but others can experience negative effects including lost sleep, depression and overeating. "Getting enough exposure to outdoor light in the morning and then enjoying plenty of darkness at night should ensure your body clock resets itself daily, helping you to sleep better and avoid those dips in mood and the appetite changes associated with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)," he told the newspaper. He went on to say that dimming the lights in the evenings in the run-up to bedtime can help the body to adjust and encourage deeper sleep, meaning you wake up feeling refreshed.