Snuggly jumpers, cosy nights in, hearty food, pumpkin-spiced lattes…There’s a lot to love about autumn. But while many people embrace the orange-hued season with open arms, others are left feeling pretty, well, ‘meh’.

If you can’t seem to shake a general feeling of sadness, you’re not alone. And in fact, there might be a very good reason for it…

Let this be your reminder: clocks go back this Sunday, 29th October, meaning a whole extra hour in bed!

What’s less appealing about the return to GMT are the longer, darker nights, with sunsets getting earlier and earlier as we move through autumn and into winter. When coupled with the cold, grey and often wet days of the season, it’s no wonder many of us find that our mood is reflective of the weather (aka, miserable).

Reduced exposure to sunlight during autumn and winter messes with our internal body clocks, reduces serotonin (a mood-regulating hormone) and disrupts melatonin production (which impacts sleep). All this can leave us feeling somewhat down in the dumps, or at the more serious end, suffer from seasonal affective disorder - or SAD for short. 

There are some tell-tale signs you might be suffering from SAD, which is often hailed as the ‘winter blues’ despite it being common in autumn, too. These are:

• Irritability and low mood

• Lack of energy

• Loss of interest in everyday activities

• Feeling anxious or helpless

• Difficulty concentrating

• Craving sugary and/or high-carb foods

• Gaining weight

• Trouble getting up in the morning

It might be that you’re only suffering from a couple of symptoms, or maybe you nodded along to almost every bullet point above. The most important thing is to speak with a healthcare professional if your symptoms are having a big impact on your day-to-day life. 

While there’s no single, proven cure for SAD or for feeling generally ‘meh’ due to the seasonal shift, there are many things you can do to help alleviate symptoms or erase them altogether. Here’s our top advice:

Let There Be Light!
Because SAD has a lot to do with reduced light exposure, it makes sense to maximise your exposure to daylight wherever you can. This includes:

• Opening your curtains as soon as the sun rises

• Sitting near windows or glass doors when indoors

• Heading outdoors on lunch breaks - even a short, ten minute walk will be beneficial

• Investing in a SAD lamp, which simulates sunlight and can help improve mood

• Getting out on weekends even when the weather is bad (dress appropriately, and look forward to snuggling up when you get back!)

Support Your Body Clock With Quality Snoozing
When it gets dark early, it confuses our body clock and disrupts our circadian rhythm. This is because darkness signals to our brains that it’s time for sleep - not ideal when it’s only 5.30pm and you’re still at work!

Make sure you’re supporting your body (and mind) by setting healthy sleeping habits that promote quality snoozing. This means:

• Going to bed and wake up the same time every day - even during the weekends

• Avoiding late-night snacks or sugary drinks

• Powering down screens and devices earlier on in the evening

• Creating a ‘zen’ space in your bedroom to help you relax

• Boosting your body’s natural melatonin with Sleepee, to help you fall (and stay) asleep

If you want to find out more useful tips to help you improve the quality of your sleep, you’ll find them here.

Be Prepared (But Don’t Plan Too Much)
There’s bound to be a period of adjustment when the clocks go back, which will likely last a few days. During that time, you can help yourself by:

• Minimising any demanding tasks or activities

• Keeping your diary relatively clear, especially in the evenings

• Meal-prepping dinner for at least a few nights, which will give you a head-start if you’re feeling lethargic

Embrace The Season - Get Cosy! 
We get it: feeling a little off tends to come with a general feeling of ‘CBA’ - and it’s hard to embrace a season when it’s making you feel defeated. But there are certain things you can try at home that may act as great mood-boosters.

• Create a cosy (and positive) environment with warm lightning, thick blankets and candles

• Break up TV binges with activities and crafts, which can relieve anxiety and improve mood through a sense of achievement - for instance knitting / crochet, jigsaw puzzles, or how about adult paint-by-numbers?

• Watch films famous for being autumn pick-me-ups - When Harry Met Sallyand Dead Poets Societyare two of our faves

• Schedule in cosy nights with family and friends - why not host a movie night or book club?

• Soundtrack your day with specially curated, upbeat playlists, which will let the pour in even when it’s grey outdoors

Eat Yourself Happy
Summer salads: out! Hearty food: in! It’s totally normal to crave comfort food during colder months, but you should balance this with healthy diet habits that will have a positive impact on your mental wellbeing. For instance:

• Eat ‘brain healthy’ foods: This includes things like leafy greens, whole grains, oily fish, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, berries, and fermented foods - all of which contain vital nutrients for overall brain health. Dark chocolate is on the list, too (result!).

• Take a trusted, natural multivitamin: Our Multee multivitamin is packed with 40 essential ingredients with a dose of added greens, all of which help strengthen your body's natural defences and fight fatigue.

• Consider a Vitamin D supplement: The body creates Vitamin D from sunlight and so, naturally, it struggles to do this during the darker months. The government actually recommends everyone take a Vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter, which helps to regulate calcium and phosphate in the body to keep our bones, muscles and teeth healthy. It may help with mood regulation, too. Keep your eyes peeled for Extracted’s Vitamin D + Calcium supplement, coming very soon!

During the colder, darker months, you have the perfect excuse to do lots of things to make you happy and keep your mental health in check. Look after yourself, hang in there - brighter days will come!