When the Light Changes

The clocks change, the mornings get darker and suddenly getting out of bed feels that little bit harder. Autumn affects more than the view from our windows.

It happens remarkably quickly. One week you’re leaving work in daylight and sitting outside in the evening, and then, almost without warning, you’re drawing the curtains before dinner and wondering how it can possibly be dark already. For many of us, that’s simply autumn. We dig out the coats, turn the heating back on and get on with it. But the change in daylight can have a surprisingly real effect on how we feel.

At the centre of it is our body clock, or circadian rhythm. It runs roughly to a 24-hour cycle and helps determine when we feel awake and when we start becoming tired. Daylight is one of the things that keeps that clock on track.

As our exposure to natural light changes, particularly during the darker months, it can influence sleep patterns and alertness. Melatonin – one of the hormones involved in sleep – is closely linked to darkness, which goes some way to explaining why a gloomy November morning can make getting out of bed considerably less appealing than it was in July.

One of the easiest things we can do is also probably the most obvious: get outside. It doesn’t need to be glorious sunshine. Even a fairly miserable British morning provides far more natural light than we generally get sitting indoors. A walk before work, taking the dog out or simply getting outside for a while can help – and, of course, you get the benefits of moving at the same time.

That becomes particularly important as the weather turns. Summer gives us plenty of accidental exercise. We walk around more, spend time in the garden and generally find reasons to be outdoors. Come autumn, the temptation to stay inside becomes considerably stronger.

There is also vitamin D to think about. In the UK, sunlight between October and early March doesn’t contain enough UVB for our skin to make adequate amounts of vitamin D. For that reason, the NHS recommends that adults and children over four consider taking a daily 10 microgram supplement during autumn and winter. 

And then there’s sleep. A warm house, dark evening and comfortable sofa can have us feeling ready for bed at seven o’clock, yet maintaining a fairly regular routine can make the transition into winter easier. Going to bed and getting up at roughly similar times helps keep the body’s natural clock from drifting too far. Of course, feeling a little more sluggish when summer disappears isn’t the same as genuinely struggling with your mood.

Seasonal affective disorder, usually shortened to SAD, is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern and is often more noticeable during autumn and winter. Symptoms can include persistent low mood, tiredness, difficulty concentrating and losing interest in things you would normally enjoy. If those feelings begin interfering with everyday life, they’re worth discussing with a GP rather than simply putting them down to the weather. 

None of this means autumn needs to become a season of supplements, alarm clocks and strict routines. Quite the opposite. There is a lot to enjoy about this time of year. The countryside across Kent and Sussex is arguably at its best, the temperature is perfect for walking and there is something rather nice about coming home to a warm house after being outside in the cold.

Maybe the trick is simply not to disappear indoors completely. Put a coat on, get outside while there’s still some daylight and keep doing the things that made you feel good during summer. The evenings may be getting darker, but we don’t have to hibernate.