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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Linda Geddes

How scientists are shining light on the biology behind seasonal affective disorder

A person walking their dog along Scarborough beach at sunrise in winter.
A person walking their dog along Scarborough beach at sunrise in winter. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

For some, the darkening days of autumn bring more than the annual ritual of reviving woolly jumpers and turning on the central heating. As the evenings close in and the mornings grow murky, energy ebbs and a heavy sadness settles in.

Although seasonal affective disorder (Sad) was only formally recognised by psychiatrists in the 1980s, the link between the seasons, mood and vitality has long been observed.

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