2022-04-20

It's the middle of winter, and the prospect1 of warm sunny days is a long way off. For some of us, it's the most depressing time of year, where daylight is limited and the weather is often miserable2 – this is when the winter blues3 set in. So what can be done to lift our spirits?

The shorter days and longer nights can make us feel down, and that can cause us to eat more and exercise less. Some fear loneliness and isolation4 during the long dark months. Those people who suffer this seasonal5 mood swing more seriously are described as having seasonal affective disorder6 – or SAD for short. It's a type of depression with a seasonal pattern caused by a lack of light and is thought to affect the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, mood and activity levels.

Jenny Scott-Thompson is one person who was diagnosed with SAD. She told the BBC: “I struggled with periods of exhaustion7 and misery8 that seemed out of proportion to what was going on in my life.” She was prescribed lig