Is it normal… to feel more tired in winter?

While the Christmas lights might be out in full force, actual daylight is, well, quite scarce right now…

…And it could be affecting your energy levels,

says qualified health practitioner Gemma Hampson.† “Melatonin – the sleep chemical – is impacted by sunlight (the more sunlight there is, the less we produce),” says Hampson.

“Melatonin is our body’s way of letting us know it’s time to sleep,

because it thinks it’s night-time, even if it is actually only 4pm. Think of it as a warning sign that it’s time to rest – if you miss it, it’s harder to fall asleep when you want to, creating an unwanted cycle of struggling to wake up in the morning.” Lower levels of vitamin D, not eating enough fruit and vegetables and a reduction in exercise during winter can all play a part in how sluggish you feel too.

Hampson recommends spending time outdoors when you can

(even cloudy days offer some vitamin D), eating fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna, and going to sleep and waking up around the same time every day. “This will balance out the brain and create a structured routine.” Lastly, she says, it’s common to feel tired during winter, but if it’s accompanied by low mood, you may want to speak to a doctor about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as “winter depression”.