Despite the many joys of winter, it is not difficult to admit that it is a dismal time of year. It is dark and miserable, and the leafless trees seem to make nature seem lifeless. It is no wonder that after Christmas, January and February seem so dreary.  

The idea of ‘The Winter Blues’ is not just a myth; the changing seasons do affect our mood. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that affects people based on the season. It affects around 3% of people in the UK during their life. Most of the time SAD starts to appear in late autumn or early winter and lasts until spring (although in some cases the opposite is true, and SAD begins in the summer months until winter) 

Some of the symptoms of SAD include having a perpetual low mood, losing interest in hobbies and everyday activities, feeling worthless or hopeless, sleeping for too long and increasing weight. These symptoms can worsen as the season goes on and daylight time decreases.  

It is not known what causes SAD, but many researchers believe it is to do with our biological clocks being disrupted during the winter due to decreased daylight, which could lead to drops in serotonin and melatonin leading to feelings of depression and change in sleeping patterns. 

SAD is more common in women than men and more likely to happen to people between the ages of 20-30. There seems to be a heightened chance of getting SAD if you live far from the equator, where days are shorter or having low levels of vitamin D. 

There are many things you can do to improve your low mood during winter, such as getting as much natural sunlight and exercise as possible and trying to avoid stressful situations. If, however, your condition becomes more serious it is important to talk to a health advisor who could offer treatments like counselling, antidepressants, and light therapy. 

If you ever feel that you may be showing symptoms of SAD or ever have suicidal thoughts, talk to your GP or health advisor. Or you could phone the following

Childline: 0800 1111 

Samaritans: 116 123