Countdown to darker days

End of summertime marks onset of the winter blues

This weekend marks the end of British Summertime with the clocks back going back one hour on Sunday 26th October.

For many people this means no more than a welcome extra hour in bed but for people who experience the ‘winter blues’ the arrival of shorter daylight hours can be a dreaded date in the annual calendar.

Tony McLaren, National Coordinator of Breathing Space  explains “What we hear from people is that when the clocks go back they seem to experience a real slump in their energy levels as they deal with the transition to winter.

“This is reflected in the numbers of people using the Breathing Space service as each year we see an increase in calls and website hits during the darker months.  This year looks set to be particularly harsh for people as we have had already endured months of heavy rain and less sunlight than normal. 

“For some people the feelings of lethargy and depression induced by the ‘winter blues’ are so severe that they struggle to function normally during the darker months. This can have a tremendous impact on their everyday lives, making it difficult to maintain relationships or hold down a steady job which in turn can lead to emotional and financial difficulties that enhance the individual’s feelings of hopelessness and despair.

“Many callers to Breathing Space are feeling the effects of depression and often find it hard to pinpoint the cause for their low mood.  Sometimes the thought of sharing with friends or family can seem such a difficult prospect that people prefer to pretend everything is okay.  That’s where the Breathing Space team can help, we have specialist call advisors available every day of the year on 0800 83 85 87 (Minicom: 0800 31 71 60). 

“Sometimes, just talking to someone and sharing how you feel can be the first step in combating the effects of the winter blues."