How to maintain your energy as the days get darker

Going from long sunny days to short and dark winter ones will inevitably have an impact on our energy levels and motivation, but it’s really important for both our physical and mental health that we try to keep ourselves energised.

Short days, coupled with bad weather and dark nights, are especially hard if you have seasonal affective disorder (SAD): a type of depression related to changes in the seasons – also known as ‘winter depression’.

It’s a mental health condition that is triggered by changing seasons and a reduction in daylight.

But whether you suffer from SAD or not, it is likely that autumn and winter will deplete your energy.

‘It can be hard to get out and about in winter due to the way the later mornings and colder days affect our circadian rhythms (our body’s internal clock that uses sunlight to time daily functions such as waking up),’ explains Smriti Joshi, a lead psychologist at Wysa. 

So how can we make sure we are maximising our energy levels during the upcoming autumn and winter months?

Prioritise morning sunshine

One of the biggest causes of SAD is a lack of light, so make sure that getting sunshine or light into your day becomes a priority, stresses Smriti.

‘It might still be dark when you are getting up, so give your body as much light when rising as possible to kick start your circadian rhythm and energy for the day,’ says Anna Campkin, a life coach and instructor at Goldster.

‘This will help you sleep better, as you don’t get caught in lethargy throughout the day. As soon as you wake up, turn on the main light. 

‘You might even be tempted to invest in a sunrise alarm clock, which mimics the natural dawn or morning light and is designed to awaken your circadian rhythms. 

‘Depending on the spec of the model, there are even some clocks that emit the specific wavelengths of light throughout the day that follow the natural light cycles we need for circadian rhythms.’

Following on from this, Anna recommends getting as much natural light as you can during the day.

‘Even if it’s just for a 20-minute walk, it can really help support your sleep later on,’ she adds.

Get moving

‘Make sure to get enough exercise,’ says Anna.

‘In the winter months, we can be tempted to stay curled up cosy and warm and want to avoid getting out and about, but make sure you are still investing in an exercise habit. 

‘Ideally, to help our sleep, we want to take part in vigorous or cardiovascular exercise in the morning to kick start our metabolism and get our bodies moving. Then we can have more moderate or calm rituals in the afternoon.’

Exercising also releases endorphins and boosts serotonin and dopamine, reducing anxiety, increasing alertness and helping you to feel more positive – which should give you more energy and motivation to get through the day. 

‘Avoid exercise in the 2-3 hours before bed – while we might expect it to wear us out, the endorphins exercise produces can actually act as a natural high – which might prevent us from being able to drift off as well as we might hope,’ Anna warns.

She also suggests making exercise an easy habit by getting to it first thing in the morning. 

‘When you wake up, throw on your joggers and stretch your body to get the blood flowing, book on to a class, and leave your kit out ready the night before,’ Anna adds.

‘Call a friend and see if they will work out with you, so you have a little accountability, or even tell your partner or housemates of your intentions so you can get some motivation from them in the morning.’

Focus on your diet

‘It’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet to make sure your brain gets everything it needs to function properly,’ explains fitness, wellness and nutrition expert Penny Weston.

‘Try to eat little and often, and drink enough water throughout the day to help keep your brain hydrated. Alcohol can make you feel worse too.’

Functional nutritionist and nutritional adviser to Wiley’s Finest sustainable supplements, Pauline Cox, stresses the importance of getting the right nutrients and vitamins into your diet.

‘B-vitamins are key nutrients needed for making the brain chemicals that influence how awake and energised you feel in the morning,’ Pauline tells Metro.co.uk. 

‘Optimal levels of serotonin require sufficient Vitamin D, B6, folate and amino acids. If you are low in any of the key nutrients, your serotonin levels could suffer.

‘Many individuals are low in D3, especially this time of year when our main source of vitamin D, the sunshine, is a little lacking.

‘So, boost your B-vitamins by eating broccoli, cauliflower, liver or pate, chickpeas and nutritional yeast.’

Pauline also suggests prioritising protein in our diets.

‘We know that we need protein to build muscle, bones, healthy hair and nails, but our neurotransmitters also need protein,’ she says. 

‘The building blocks of protein, amino acids, are needed to make serotonin and dopamine. 

‘Ensuring you get plenty of protein not only helps protect and build lean muscle mass, but it also builds better brain chemistry too. 

‘High-quality sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, chickpeas, beans and organic tofu.’

Reduce any inflammation

Chronic inflammation lowers the production of serotonin, which can leave us feeling sleepy, low in mood, and unmotivated and can also lead to insomnia, Pauline explains.

She says: ‘Serotonin is converted to melatonin later in the day in preparation for a good night’s sleep. 

‘Low levels of serotonin can leave us feeling sleepy in the daytime and not able to sleep at night due to low levels of melatonin. 

‘The vicious cycle continues as insomnia, and poor sleep leads to further feelings of sleepiness in the morning.

‘Eat a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods such as oily fish- salmon, herring, mackerel and anchovies. 

‘The omega-3 fatty acids within oily fish have anti-inflammatory properties which can dampen down inflammation and help to regulate optimal brain chemistry, including serotonin levels.’

Think about your bedtime routine 

If you are feeling burnt out, fatigued and are waking up with no energy, then Dr Rachel Taylor recommends having a healthy carbohydrate dinner – prior to bedtime.

While this may sound counterintuitive – particularly as people have been conditioned into thinking that carbs are ‘bad’ before bed – Dr Rachel explains that having a healthy carb meal will help our bodies to perform all the rest, repair, and renew functions we need, while we sleep.

Aim for better sleep

Practice sleep hygiene to ensure that you are able to get a full and efficient night’s sleep; avoid doomscrolling before bed, and keep your eyes off any screens.

And while getting enough quality sleep is crucial for maintaining energy levels, never press the snooze alarm,

‘Studies show that pressing “snooze” can have more of a negative impact on your day than a positive one,’ says Martin Seeley, CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay.

‘This is because a five-to-ten-minute snooze time only gives you enough time to go into “light sleep” as it waits to enter the deep sleep state, otherwise known as REM. 

‘Your body is, therefore, put into a fight or flight mode, which triggers a response that increases your blood pressure and heartbeat as you wake up, leaving you on high alert. 

‘This makes you feel stressed despite it being the start of your day.’

And once you do get out of bed, make sure to grab a drink of water to keep you feeling hydrated. It’s proven to be energy-boosting and can also improve your metabolism.

Be wary of napping 

Be careful when it comes to having a nap.

‘You should only sleep for between 10-20 minutes as anything longer than 30 minutes can risk you feeling groggy as your body will have entered a deep sleep cycle,’ Martin explains.

‘Also, make sure to time your nap right. As your alertness naturally dips in the afternoon, you should pay attention to when you start to feel drowsy and nap straight away (if possible). 

‘Make sure this is more than 8 hours before your bedtime, though, as it could impact your sleep if not.’

Get some help

If your energy levels are still depleted or your symptoms worsen, there may be some other underlying causes, so it’s best to go see your GP to get it checked out.

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