Even care workers need a bit of time off, and it can be particularly important to be kind to yourself at this time of year due to SAD – or seasonal affective disorder. Here, find our top seven tips for boosting your mood and beating the Christmas blues. You can also try to spot SAD symptoms in those you care for, and share these tips with them. (A version of this blog was originally published on CPSL Mind.) 

Many of us are affected by the changing seasons, however the colder weather and darker days don’t have to stop you from enjoying nature and finding ways to feel calm. We spoke to Professor Hester Parr, a researcher at the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow, about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and suggest seven things you can do to boost your mood. 

The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it’s often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. SAD is sometimes known as ‘winter depression’ because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter. 

However, according to the NHS, some people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter. If you’re wondering how to spot the signs, National Mind has shared some of the signs and symptoms of SAD and The Mental Health Foundation provides its suggestions on ways you can look after yourself. 

Living with SAD 

What do we know about people’s experiences of SAD? Living with SAD is a research project about lived experiences of seasonal affective disorder in the UK with a particular focus on experiences in Western Scotland, an area known for its wet, dark winters. The Living with SAD team worked with a group of public participants over the 2022-23 winter season, providing a programme of ‘Wintering Well’ events focusing on conversation and creative activities. Working closely with people who self-identify as experiencing depression on a SAD spectrum, the research team developed narrative, creative and therapeutic-educational resources to understand how SAD affects everyday life. 

Reflecting on the project, professor Hester Parr told CPSL Mind: “We put a survey out in the UK, which was responded to by 350 people who gave us very in-depth and lengthy responses about [their] experiences of SAD. 

“Some people said that they feel it’s like a flick of a switch and said they feel like they have low mood as the light reduces in the autumn, particularly when the clocks go back. They experience physical lethargy, difficulty in getting out of bed in the morning, can experience overeating, and people can become socially isolated and irritable. All of this has a huge impact on people’s mental health and how they relate to others. For some people, winter can have a profound effect and lead to months of isolation. One of our survey respondents said: ‘I feel like half the person for half of the year, until the light rises again’.” 

Finding the light 

Everyone’s experiences of SAD are different, and what helps one person might not help another. However, professor Parr was keen to share a few strategies that helped the people who were involved in the research project: 

• Look up at the sky and notice the different forms of light because there is light all around us in winter. Cut out a bit of cardboard and look at the sky through that – it encourages you to find your sky space; 

• Increase walking: if you’re going to meet someone, try and meet them outside, so you can appreciate the light and get some natural light. It’s quite surprising how much light we can get, even on a dark day; 

• Light up your home: for those people who really find it difficult to get outside because of mental or physical health, then there are ways we can try and reintroduce light in our interior space. That might be about decluttering our internal spaces, maximising the light from the window or putting up some fairy lights to make it nice and cosy. 

What does SAD feel like? 

Here is an anonymous reflection from the research project’s ‘SAD Stories’ on the importance of noticing light: “It’s so easy just to think, ‘Oh, it’s a grey miserable day’, and bury my head and wait until it’s over. That dark, grey sky feels so oppressive, the low clouds. I have my collar up, head down. That low sky can be such a weight on your shoulders, your eyes, your brain. The sky feels like a lead roof right on your head. I can kind of hide from it inside, you know, just trying to shut it out. I live in a rural area, so everything feels a lot darker and people tend to stay inside. There’s less light, and less colour. The landscape gets so bare. And I just find my response to things changes. Everything just gets a little bit harder. 

“I’ve been trying to change this by, you know, just getting outside more, especially when we get one of those crisp, bright days. It doesn’t always last very long, but it lifts my mood. What I’ve found really helpful is this exercise of actively looking up at the sky. There’s such a difference between what you think is up there and what is really up there. It’s very rare that you actually get a uniform grey sky, even though that’s how they show it on the forecast. For me it’s been about shifting my focus to the sky, you know, the colours, just being really mindful about how the winter changes visually. I’ve found this really helpful. 

“It’s not that I didn’t look at the sky before, but I get this different appreciation for it now. Like when I was driving home the other day, there was this incredible sunset. And I would have noticed it before, but now there’s a part of my brain that’s like, ‘You’re looking at the sky. That’s what you’re doing’. It’s made me very conscious of the passage of the light. I think just getting outdoors is the biggest thing for me and not running away from winter.” 

What else can be done? 

The University of Glasgow has put together a number of resources to support people: 

• A poetic guide to winter 

• A free online SAD course developed with a CBT expert and psychiatrist partner from Living Life to the Full 

• Support resources for those who wish to run a Wintering Well group 

Taking a moment to reflect on the research journey so far, Professor Parr commented: “Our resources are very general guides to help with the feelings of feeling stuck in winter. The project is novel, in that we are cultural geographers, working with a psychiatrist and working with an artist, so we all come from very different backgrounds to think about and creatively encounter seasonal affective disorder.  

“We also have a community toolkit which is on our website, which is called Wintering Together. If anyone wants to gather people around them, who might experience winter in the same way, or if you’re working in a community centre, or if you run a mental health group, do have a look. it’s like a little prompt guide for running some winter meetings throughout the season that might make a difference.” 

Boost your mood 

And finally, below are our seven top tips and suggestions to help you boost your mood this autumn and winter. 

• Find support groups near you 

CPSL Mind, for example, has ‘Good Mood Cafes’ which provide an opportunity to meet new people to share interests, skills and wellbeing tips in an informal space to help boost your mood. Attending for the first time?  

John is 79 years old and was born in Peterborough and still lives in the area now. He has noticed the positive impact of attending a Good Mood Cafe. “I’ve been coming to The Farmers Good Mood Cafe for almost two years now. I find it a good meeting place and I get on well with everybody. It just gives you somebody to talk to and it gets me out the house. In the sessions, we discuss each other’s problems, and I find it very good, it’s Interesting.” 

Find your local ‘Good Mood Cafe’ session today, or research online to find similar groups in your area. If there aren’t any, start one yourself with friends or publicise it in the local community. 

• Create a cosy environment in your home 

Candlelight can help to calm and relax the mind. Whether you’re starting the day with meditation or unwinding in the evening, lighting plays a big part in the relaxation journey. You can also choose to use fairy lights in your space to create that cosy environment and opt for blankets and comforting clothing to create a feeling of safety and warmth. 

• Discover new walks and visit your local nature reserves 

There are so many walk options on your doorstep – if you’re looking for guided routes, you can check out The National Trust’s website. From coastal paths to tracks through ancient woodland and accessible trails, there’s something to suit everyone. 

• Support your local community 

Volunteering is an underrated tool when tackling some mental health issues like anxiety, depression and loneliness. Much like support groups, it can bring together like-minded individuals, help you make friends, and get you out of the house and doing something productive for a few hours. This can add fulfillment, activity and socialisation into your week, all of which can act as a distraction from and deterrent to those pesky SAD feelings. 

• Try a new fitness activity (indoors or out!) 

Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. Exercise is also essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting wellbeing. As well as solo activities like walking, running and swimming, you might be surprised how many options there are in your area - from hiking groups and aqua aerobics to football teams and dance classes. 

• Get creative 

Make time for something creative like journaling, writing, doodling or art and crafts. These activities are a great way to unwind at the end of the day. Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by helping you prioritise problems, fears and concerns by tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognise triggers and learn ways to better control them. You can also download a wellbeing plan on the CPSL Mind website. 

• Plan ahead 

Leading on from the last point, spotting the patterns and triggers in your SAD can be the first step to overcoming it. If there are certain days when you’re likely to feel the symptoms most strongly, keep those days clear of meetings and stock up the freezer with ready-made meals to make things as easy as possible for yourself; or, if that sounds too slow-paced for you, set that alarm early and go out for a pre-work run or walk to combat those blues. 

You can access the NHS First Response Service to speak with a mental health crisis team by calling 111 and selecting the mental health option. 

A version of this blog was originally published on CPSL Mind. You can visit their ‘Get Help Now’ page for a full list of organisations who can provide support.