Longer nights, shorter days

With it getting darker earlier in the evenings and taking longer for the sun to rise in the mornings, autumn is a time of change. Here in Scotland we can often find ourselves leaving for work in the dark and then coming home in the pitch dark too. Unless we happen to work outside our actual exposure to daylight can be pretty limited in this time of year.

Some of us are more vulnerable to these changes than others and we can really find ourselves struggling with our mood and energy levels.

Whether it’s that we notice we’re feeling quite flat and low or we start to feel anxious and out of sorts, this can be a challenging part of the year and it’s one of the reason’s counsellors can find ourselves busier than during the brighter months.

So if you find yourself one of these people and your mood takes a downturn this time of year, what can you do about it? There are plenty of options that can help!

1. Take a bit of exercise. This can be planning in a gym routine, it could be joining a sports club, or it could be taking walks in the fresh air. Regular exercise increases dopamine and improves your mood.

2. Eat healthily and avoid comfort eating snacky foods.

3. Catch up regularly with friends and loved ones.

4. Build in time for yourself and make sure you’re doing things that restore you. This could be anything that Personally, I love reading favourite comics or checking out a new horror movie

5. A daylight lamp can help give us a bit of a boost. SAD is thought to be linked to melatonin that we miss as our exposure to daylight shrinks in the winter months. A half hour with a daylight lamp at your desk can really wake you up and help you feel fresh.

Finally, if we want to make lasting changes talking things through with a counsellor can give us that connection and support we need to turn things around .

Remember that this is just a part of the year and spring is just a few months away. What can we notice that’s special in these darker months?

If you’d like to work with me to improve your mental health, you can drop me a message via the website or email me directly at mckellarcbt@gmail.com