A look on the brighter side of darker days.
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| | | | I refuse to let winter get on top of me. In fact, I positively enjoy it, at least until it outstays its welcome around the end of February. But up until then, I revel in the opportunity to hunker down with a pile of books, a new hobby, and seasonal food and drink. Those long evenings are a great time to plan ahead, take stock, and adjust my priorities. While the summer is more about exploring the outside world, the winter is about restocking my mental larder. Read on to learn how to make the most of the season. | | | | Let's own this winter,
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline | | | | |
| |  | | Written by Tim Snaith
December 20, 2024 • 4 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | | Consider me Team Winter | | I am secretly thrilled by early sunsets and long, cold nights. Not because I love darkness, but because winter evenings offer something increasingly precious: permission to slow down and take stock. However, I accept that many people I know do NOT feel the same way: Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects around 5% of people in the United States. | | The science behind seasonal shifts in mood is still being established. Research published in 2022 identified how our brains respond to light — not just in our visual system but in regions controlling mood and cognition. Scientists exposed people to different light levels while scanning their brains and found that 26 different areas in the brain responded. Think of these regions as your brain's network of solar panels, but instead of generating energy, they use light to help regulate your emotions and mental clarity. | | Working with these brain-light connections instead of resisting them may be beneficial. This winter, exposing myself to as much unfiltered daylight as possible and changing my evening habits have worked for me. Here's how: | | 🌅 Chasing the morning light: This brain-light connection explains why a morning walk feels so powerful. Even on cloudy winter days, natural light is dramatically brighter than indoor lighting. No matter the weather, I've started taking 20 minutes before lunch for an outdoor walk. | | Research shows that natural daylight, especially before noon, helps regulate sleep patterns — even on cloudy days. You don't need to be able to see the sun to benefit. | | ☕ Reset the stimulants: Morning coffee supports natural rhythms when timed right The key? None after midday. Now, it's espresso at breakfast and herbal tea for afternoon breaks. | | 🕯️ Design your evening light: I've learned to manage darkness rather than banish it completely. Strategic lighting can transform your space: warm bulbs for early evening, dimmer as bedtime approaches. While SAD lamps can help, I feel I get enough light during the day, but your local light conditions may vary from mine on the sunny south coast of England. | | 📚 Deepen your focus: I use these long evenings for projects that need sustained attention. That challenging novel. A hobby that requires patience. The careful planning that summer's pace and distractions rarely allow. | | This isn't about pretending winter is perfect. It's about working with your brain's natural responses to light and dark to find a sustainable winter rhythm. I've found this surprisingly effective. Instead of counting the days until spring, I'm discovering winter's unique opportunities. Even on the darkest evenings, in fact especially then. | | | | | | | | | | Shine on | | | | | | |  | | Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Lamp | | If you feel you might benefit from a light boost, this lamp is our product testers' top pick. It delivers the recommended 10,000 lux of illumination at a comfortable 12-inch distance. Its clever downward-angled design mimics natural light while preventing glare, and a flexible stand lets you find the correct position without too much fuss. At $119.99, it's an investment in your winter well-being that's backed by a 5-year warranty, and a smart way to switch up your light exposure this winter. | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Store's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 🎤 Over to you: What unexpected pleasures have you found this winter? Or have you all but shut down until spring?
Email me at wellnesswire@healthline.com, and your quote might be featured in an upcoming edition! | | | | | | |
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