Spotlight – Winter blues: SAD and how to winter well

Many people notice changes in mood, energy, and motivation during the dark winter months. In this episode, we explore Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the broader experience of feeling low in winter and, importantly, what science-backed strategies can help. We speak to Delainey Wescott about changes in sleep and circadian rhythms in SAD, and chat with Hester Parr and Hayden Lorimer about the Wintering Well project — an initiative that highlights the power of community, shared experiences, and collective coping during the darker months. Throughout the episode, we discuss practical approaches to winter wellbeing, including light exposure, daily routines, cognitive reframing of winter, and small habits that can make a meaningful difference. Links and resources: Sleep in seasonal affective disorder: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.08.023 Retinal light sensitivity in summer and winter: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.084 Wintering Well resources (Living with SAD project): https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/livingwithsad/winteringwell/resources/. Includes: the guidebook Light is a Right: A Guide to Wintering Well, an online course developed by CBT experts, the Wintering Together Toolkit, and the SAD Stories Exhibition. Timestamps: (02:24) What is SAD and how is that different from the winter blues? (05:16) Geography matters: who is affected by SAD? (06:50) Circadian rhythms and sleep in SAD (09:38) Light sensitivity in SAD (11:50) Evidence-based strategies to alleviate SAD symptoms (17:30) Summary (18:35) The Living with SAD project (22:30) Wintering Well Workshops (25:45) My patch of winter sky, writing a letter to winter, and my kind of winter neighbourhood (34:00) Winter Well resources created by the workshops (36:28) The present and future of the Living with SAD project (39:45) Wrap up and outro