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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? After a searingly hot summer and a warm September, it has suddenly become cold. Very cold. And dark. Winter<\/a> is looming and, with the clocks going back this weekend, clambering out of bed before sunrise is likely to become an arduous task. <\/p>\n New research suggests there may be more factors at play than plummeting mercury and dwindling daylight hours<\/a>, too. A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry<\/a> this week reported that one in four people with depression<\/a> could have \u201ccircadian depression\u201d \u2013 where disruptions in a person\u2019s body clock<\/a> impact their condition. <\/p>\n Circadian depression is \u201ccharacterised by disrupted sleep<\/a>, low energy and reduced physical activity during the day,\u201d an article in the Nature<\/a> journal explains. <\/p>\n But Dr Sophie Bostock, founder of The Sleep Scientist<\/a>, says there are ways we can maintain our routines and rhythms in spite of the changing seasons. And while depression is a complex condition with multiple possible causes, implementing her advice could help you raise your mood and energy levels in the coming months. <\/p>\n What is circadian rhythm?<\/p>\n \u201cWe have 24-hour rhythms running throughout our bodies, influencing everything from when we feel sleepy and alert to our body temperature, digestion, hormones and metabolism. These are called circadian rhythms,\u201d explains Dr Bostock. <\/p>\n \u201cThere’s a master clock in the brain that uses information about light from our eyes to help keep these rhythms in sync with the outside world.\u201d<\/p>\n How does circadian rhythm impact mental health?<\/p>\n Circadian rhythms help coordinate every system in our body. These include the biological processes that influence how we feel and function, such as sleep, hormone release, brain activity and emotional regulation.<\/p>\n If our routine aligns with this rhythm, our body can operate at its best, knowing when to expect food, stress and rest, among other things. <\/p>\n \u201cBut when our internal rhythms become misaligned with our daily schedules, we may experience poorer sleep, fatigue, difficulties concentrating and changes in mood \u2013 all the symptoms which people may be familiar with from jet lag<\/a>,\u201d says Dr Bostock. <\/p>\n Knowing this, the link between circadian rhythm<\/a> and mental health<\/a> starts to make sense. <\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a two-way relationship,\u201d says Dr Bostock. \u201cDepression can disrupt our sleep and daily routines, while disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms may increase our vulnerability to low mood.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: Experts share the easy daily habits most likely to transform your health and fitness<\/a><\/p>\n Previous research revealed how night owls tend to have higher rates of depression than early birds, and night shift workers have a raised risk of depression and other mental health<\/a> problems. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat’s interesting about this new study by Tonini and colleagues<\/a> is that the researchers identified a possible circadian subtype [of depression] in 23 per cent of more than 11,000 people with a history of depression,\u201d Dr Bostock says. <\/p>\n \u201cThese individuals shared several characteristics, including evening preference, morning tiredness, oversleeping and seasonal changes in mood. They also tended to experience more severe depression and reported poorer responses to some antidepressants.<\/p>\n \u201cThe findings suggest that understanding someone’s circadian characteristics could eventually help us personalise depression treatments. However, this is still an early finding, and we can’t conclude that circadian disruption is causing their depression.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: Sober October can change your life, but you need to expect the unexpected<\/a><\/p>\n Why do we feel worse when the clocks go back?<\/p>\n \u201cLight is the most powerful signal for keeping our circadian rhythms in sync with the outside world,\u201d Dr Bostock says. \u201cIt helps us feel alert during the day and supports the timing of sleep at night.\u201d<\/p>\n This is why spending time in sunlight shortly after waking, or taking a morning walk<\/a>, is such a widespread prescription for better health. <\/p>\n But when daylight hours disappear in autumn, and we arrive at and leave our workplaces in the dark, routines are often thrown out of whack. <\/p>\n \u201cA walk before sunrise still has benefits for physical and mental health, but it won’t provide the same circadian light signal as walking in daylight,\u201d says Dr Bostock. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you’re leaving home in the dark, try to find another opportunity to get outside once it’s light \u2013 perhaps during a morning break or at lunchtime. Even on a cloudy winter<\/a> day, outdoor light is usually much brighter than indoor lighting.<\/p>\n \u201cA large UK Biobank study by Burns and colleagues<\/a> found that people who spent more time outdoors in daylight reported better mood, fewer insomnia symptoms, less tiredness and greater ease of waking in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Aiming for a fairly consistent wake-up time is one way to counter the disruptive effects of the clocks changing on your body\u2019s in-built rhythms (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n![\"Dark](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/30122533-0cc40d52-0005-4ca9-bb64-16d95eca32b2.jpg\")
Dark times: with the clocks going back, waking up before sunrise can be a struggle (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n