Sound familiar? I have heard this sentiment in recent conversations with many of my friends, family and colleagues. It seems many of us might be experiencing a dose of the winter blues. Our moods do change in relation to the seasons, and having a lower mood, experiencing fatigue, sleeping more, struggling to get motivated and the dreaded weight gain during the winter months can be associated with seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD or winter depression.

Winter blues hits us because there is much less sunlight during the winter months. A combination of reduced sunlight and colder temperatures can lead many of us into a winter hibernation.

And whilst that is great for bears, it is not so great for humans. During winter, we often reduce our social interactions (who wants to go out in the cold?), do less exercise (it's too dark before and after work), eat more (because we are craving comfort food) and reduce our self-care (this might be relevant to you if you are having trouble choosing which tracksuit pants to wear, or if your most-worn outfit is an expensive, oversized wearable blanket).

A lot of us have developed our own strategies to reduce the winter blues - known as the winter escape. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winter escape sadly escapes us - perhaps now for the second year in a row. Our mood has also been impacted by the stress of COVID-19 during the last 18 months or so.

For most people, increased exposure to sunlight can help with the winter blues. So as much as you can, get out into the sun, go for a morning or lunchtime walk or ride, sit on your balcony, or see where your cat is sitting and negotiate with them the possibility of sharing that sunny, warm spot.

Another option is light therapy - sitting in front of a light therapy box for 20 or more minutes often in the morning can help. Also, looking at photos of your favourite winter getaway or future planned destinations and imagining sitting on the beach with a tropical cocktail might be helpful.

In addition to getting more sunlight, the usual mood-boosters can help - you probably know what they are.

Firstly, exercise is so important for improving our mood. So get back into your exercise routine, go for a walk or ride and get back into the gym (whether in person or online). Often sharing your exercise plan with a friend can be useful for accountability.

Secondly, diet is also really important for mood - avoid buying too much comfort food and instead fill your plate with healthy and less processed food.

It is also important to stay connected, and even though this can be hard with lockdowns, send a text, watch a movie online together, join a virtual choir - most of us are social creatures and a sense of belonging is important for our mood.

Finally, establish a routine - perhaps have a non-trackie day, get your sleep patterns back into shape and make a point of scheduling exercise and activities that bring pleasure into your day.

If these strategies aren't working and it is more than the winter blues, talk to a trusted friend and medical professional who can help with ways to keep your mood steady throughout every season.

The good news is that every day the winter solstice gets further away, and the summer solstice is getting closer. I even saw some blossoms the other day. Bring on warmer and lighter days.