5 ways to cope with less sunlight this autumn

Can the changing seasons affect our health?

As the summer fades to autumn, you may notice that the darker mornings, and a drop in temperature can make getting out of bed feel like an effort. Seasonal changes affect more than the weather - they can also impact our health and wellbeing.

According to Dr Tom MacLaren, Consultant Psychiatrist at Re:Cognition Health, UK, we are not completely separate from our environment. Changes in daylight can have a real effect on how we feel and function.

“As the days become shorter, some people notice changes in their sleep, energy, appetite, and mood,” he explains. “For most, these are relatively subtle, but for others the impact can be much greater.”

He adds that reduced daylight can influence your body’s circadian rhythm, which acts as your internal 24-hour clock and helps regulate sleep, alertness, and other biological processes.

Simple ways to help your body adjust to the season

We can’t change the weather or the amount of sunlight in a day. However, there are some positive things you can do to support your health and wellbeing through the autumn and winter months.

1. Keep to a regular sleep routine

Looking at your sleep routine is one of the simplest ways to look after your physical and mental health.

“Our body clock responds to cues from the environment, particularly light, but it also benefits from consistency,” says MacLaren.

“Going to bed and waking at roughly the same time each day gives your brain a predictable rhythm to work with.”

He encourages not to let your sleep schedule drift dramatically in autumn and winter simply because it is darker outside - emphasising that a consistent wake-up time can be a useful anchor for your day.

2. Maximise exposure to natural light

Daylight exposure is important, as it plays a key role in your natural body clock. Natural light is one of the most powerful signals we have for setting our circadian clock.

“Make morning light part of your daily routine,” MacLaren advises. “Opening the curtains as soon as you wake is an easy place to start.

“Better still - if circumstances allow - get outside in the morning. Even on a grey winter's day, outdoor light is much brighter than typical indoor lighting.”

He adds it’s useful to think about natural light as less of a treatment, and more as an important daily signal to your brain that it’s daytime.

3. Light therapy may help

A light therapy lamp can help with seasonal depression, however, it should be used as a complementary tool.

“The idea is to use bright light to compensate, to some extent, for the reduction in natural daylight during winter,” says MacLaren. “There are different approaches, including bright-light boxes and dawn simulation lamps, which gradually increases light before waking.”

If you are considering a light box or lamp, he recommends checking that it’s specifically designed for SAD, provides sufficient light, and is UV-free.

The psychiatrist also advises discussing light options with your doctor - particularly if you have an eye condition, or take medication that increases sensitivity to light.

4. Spend time outdoors

A combination of daylight and movement is particularly valuable during the darker months.

“When the weather is cold and miserable, it’s very easy to stay indoors,” explains MacLaren. “But that can create a cycle where we get less daylight, exercise less, and become increasingly sedentary.

“You do not need to go for a long run or spend hours outside.”

Taking a brisk walk during daylight hours can provide both light exposure and physical activity, and exercise itself can have a positive effect on your mood and sleep.

5. Maintain a healthy balanced diet

Regardless of the season, a balanced diet is important to help support your mental and physical health. However, in the darker months, your body might lack vitamin D due to less exposure to sunlight.

MacLaren suggests, that although food and supplements aren’t a direct replacement for daylight, they may help your body through the colder seasons.

“Oily fish, egg yolks, and some fortified foods provide vitamin D,” he says. “In the UK, adults are advised to consider a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter. This is because sunlight isn’t strong enough for your body to make sufficient vitamin D.”

However, MacLaren emphasises that vitamin D and daylight are not interchangeable, and clarifies the need for an integrated approach.

“Daylight has an important role in regulating our circadian rhythm," he adds. "So taking a supplement does not remove the need to get outside and see natural light.”