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In the midst of the transition to winter, the UK is facing long, dark nights, particularly in Scotland’s northern isles where daylight can barely last six hours from morning till night. Contrasting with London and the south, where residents enjoy a couple more hours of light, individuals in Orkney and Shetland experience the darkest days. With this reduction in daylight hours, more than a million people in the UK are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad), a condition characterized by symptoms like lowered mood, emotional struggles, and anxiety as reported by the Royal College of Psychiatry.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad) is a condition that reoccurs seasonally, commonly in the winter, triggered by the decrease in daylight hours. Identified in the early 1980s by Prof Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist from South Africa working in the United States, Sad manifests with symptoms such as low mood, irritability, and a loss of interest in everyday activities. Prof Hester Parr from the University of Glasgow heads the ‘Living with Sad’ project, emphasizing the challenges faced by individuals in remote areas during darker months. These individuals often experience depressive feelings, lethargy, and social isolation, hindering their ability to engage with others.
Prof Parr points out the limited access to social and medical support in rural communities during winter, making it particularly challenging for residents. To address this, therapeutic lamps are being provided for the first time this year to islanders in Orkney as part of ‘Wintering Well’ boxes distributed from libraries. The initiative aims to equip individuals with tools to establish a routine for good mental health amidst the scarcity of daylight, encouraging a shift in mindset to embrace winter and partake in activities that uplift mood. The project includes resources like a winter sky frame, a simple cardboard cut-out for individuals to observe a portion of the sky for 10 minutes, promoting a positive mental state.
Learning from countries like Scandinavia with a different approach to winter, the UK can benefit from creating cozy interior environments that are comforting to counter the effects of Sad. Prof Parr emphasizes the importance of redesigning living spaces, utilizing natural light through windows, candles, and decorative lights to make homes more inviting during the winter season. The use of therapeutic lamps, coupled with outdoor activities and mindfulness of natural light, has shown promising results in alleviating the symptoms of Sad, providing hope for individuals struggling with seasonal depression
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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