As autumn turns to winter and the days shorten, it’s not just your wardrobe that shifts - your mood often does too. If you’ve noticed a dip in energy, motivation, or joy as the sunlight wanes, you’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects millions, but even without a clinical diagnosis, the darker months can weigh heavily on our emotional well-being.

The good news? You don’t have to wait for spring to feel better. By tuning into your body’s seasonal needs and supporting your nervous system, you can stay grounded, clear, and uplifted - even in the heart of winter.

Here’s how to naturally lift low mood as the light fades.

1. Boost Your Sunshine Hormone: Vitamin D

Often called the ‘sunshine vitamin,’ vitamin D plays a crucial role in mood regulation, immunity, and hormone balance. Low levels are common in the colder months and strongly associated with depression and fatigue [1].

The body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but during winter, especially in northern climates, that exposure drops dramatically.

What to do:

• Get outside during midday light, even for 10-15 minutes.

• Supplement with D3 (ideally after testing levels and especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere).

• Pair with healthy fats to support absorption.
  

2. Magnesium: The Nervous System’s Chill Pill

Magnesium is essential for neurotransmitter function, sleep quality, and nervous system regulation - all things that tend to falter when we’re low on light and warmth [2].

Stress and poor dietary habits can deplete magnesium, making symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and irritability worse.

Easy ways to get more magnesium:

• Eat dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and cacao.

• Take a magnesium complex before bed.

• Soak in Epsom salt baths to relax muscles and calm your mind.
  

3. Breathe Better, Feel Better: The Power of Breathwork

When the world outside gets still and cold, our internal systems can stagnate too. Breathwork is a powerful, free tool to clear emotional heaviness and re-regulate your mood.

Even just 3-5 minutes of conscious breathwork each day can reduce cortisol, improve oxygen flow to the brain, and lift mood [3].

Try this: Box breathing - inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat for a few rounds, especially when feeling overwhelmed.

4. Red Light at Night: Support Your Circadian Rhythm

Dark days often lead to more artificial blue light exposure, especially in the evening - suppressing melatonin and disrupting sleep. This can fuel fatigue and mood dips.

Red light or low-warm lighting at night mimics natural dusk and supports your circadian rhythm [4].

What helps:

• Use red light bulbs or salt lamps in the evening.

• Avoid screens 1–2 hours before bed or wear blue-light blocking glasses.

• Keep your bedroom dim and cool to encourage melatonin production.
  
  

5. Socialise Intentionally: Connection is Medicine

Winter often nudges us toward isolation, which may feel cosy at first but can fuel feelings of loneliness and low mood.

Human connection is a biological need - it boosts oxytocin, lowers cortisol, and supports mental clarity [5].

How to stay connected:

• Schedule weekly walks, tea dates, or even phone calls with friends.

• Join a local class, book club, or wellness group.

• Say yes to social invitations, even when you’re tempted to cancel.
  
  

The Takeaway

Dark days don’t have to mean dark moods. Your body has innate rhythms - and with the right support, you can align with the season instead of feeling buried by it. Through nutrient support, nervous system care, and simple lifestyle tweaks, you can nurture light from within.

Because winter isn’t just an ending. It’s also a quiet, powerful beginning.

Call us on 02476363873 or email us at hello@madebydaily.com to discuss your questions with a member of our clinical team.

Enjoyed this guide? Now read…

Vitamin D: Why It’s More Than Just a Winter Supplement

Feel Like Yourself Again: Hormone and Mood Support for Women

Magnesium 101: Types, Benefits & How to Choose the Right One

References

1. Holick MF. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med.
   

2. Barbagallo M, Dominguez LJ. (2010). Magnesium and aging. Curr Pharm Des.
   

3. Jerath R, et al. (2006). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing. Med Hypotheses.
   

4. Chellappa SL, et al. (2011). Light modulation of human circadian rhythms and sleep. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol.
   

5. Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med.