The Mood Booster Podcast

29. Why You Feel Sad in the Darker Months: Reflecting on Seasonal Changes

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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.

Welcome to Episode 29 Why You Feel Sad in the Darker Months: Reflecting on Seasonal Change, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore the science behind autumn and winter low-mood, the biological and behavioural shifts that make this period uniquely challenging, and how to adapt, reframe, and care for yourself through it. 

From light exposure to circadian disruption, serotonin, physical activity, and connection, this episode dives into why many of us feel the “winter blues” and offers practical tools to build resilience and peace through seasonal change. We help you find joy in the winter months!

We explore:

  • Our own experiences with seasonal change and mood shifts
  • How people are more sedentary, spend more time in bed, and get less light in winter than in summer (O’Connell et al., 2013) ❄️
  • How sunlight exposure is linked to lower risk of depression, better sleep, and higher mood (Burns et al., 2024) ☀️
  • Why circadian rhythm disruption and reduced sunlight interfere with serotonin regulation and mood stability
  • Why darkness increases amygdala reactivity and negative focus bias, making uncertainty feel scarier 🧠

    • Practical Advice for Listeners:

    1. Light First Thing

    2. Anchor Your Day with Movement

    3. Create Seasonal Rituals

    4. Reframe how you see the change

    5. Prioritise Connection

      Thanks for listening, and if this episode helps, share it with someone who could use a boost this winter 💛

      📍 Pillars explored: Introspection & Inspiration, Presence & Gratitude, Community & Connection, Wellbeing & Joy

      📚 References cited in this episode:

      • O’Connell, S. E., Griffiths, P. L., & Clemes, S. A. (2013). Seasonal variation in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in a sample of UK adults. Annals of Human Biology, 41(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3109/03014460.2013.827737
      • Burns, A. C., Saxena, R., Vetter, C., Phillips, A. J. K., Lane, J. M., & Cain, S. W. (2021). Time spent in outdoor light is associated with mood, sleep, and circadian rhythm-related outcomes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in over 400,000 UK Biobank participants. Journal of Affective Disorders, 295, 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.056
      • Lambert, G., Reid, C., Kaye, D., Jennings, G., & Esler, M. (2002). Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. The Lancet, 360(9348), 1840–1842. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(02)11737-5
      • Kim, K., Kim, J., Jung, S., Kim, H., Kim, H., Son, E., Ko, D. S., Yoon, S., Kim, B. S., Kim, W. K., Lim, C., Kim, K., Lee, D., & Kim, Y. H. (2025). Global prevalence of seasonal affective disorder by latitude: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 390, 119807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119807
      • McGlashan, E. M., Poudel, G. R., Jamadar, S. D., Phillips, A. J. K., & Cain, S. W. (2021). Afraid of the dark: Light acutely suppresses activity in the human amygdala. PLoS ONE, 16(6), e0252350. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252350

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        The Mood Booster PodcastBy Charlie and Marcus