My alarm clock went off this morning.

At the usual 5.30am.

It’s not just because I follow the ‘early to rise’ philosophy.

(That’s the one where you get important things done before the rest of the world wakes up and starts hassling you.)

It’s also because I have cats.

And a dog.

All three of these utterly unreasonable creatures need letting out before the scratching and wailing begins.

So it’s muggins here to the rescue.

Usually, I jump out of bed quickly because I’m a light sleeper and not a fan of languishing in bed.

But this morning…

Ugh.

It just felt so cold and dark outside the duvet I really didn’t want to bother.

When I finally dragged myself out of bed I felt really sluggish.

And hungry.

I’m so relentlessly hungry at the moment, I’m like Pac Man – I can’t stop snacking!

It’s always like this after the clocks go back.

And I know exactly why too.

As the mid-winter darkness descends and we get barely any daytime light, it disrupts your internal clock.

This triggers a drop in your levels of serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter that keeps your mood up.

At the same time it also lifts your levels of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy.

So you feel more miserable and less motivated…

While also craving more carbs, more sweet foods and more time in bed.

In some years, it gets so bad for me that I suffer a mild form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) where I can get irrationally low moods and drops in motivation.

SAD affects 7% of people in the UK,… but research from the University of Southampton has found that AT LEAST 90% of adults experience changes in mood, energy, concentration and sleep.

Sometimes, they don’t realise it, though.

So they put it down to other things – like ageing, stress, or some mysterious ailment the GP hasn’t discovered.

Perhaps this includes you?

Have you found it a struggle recently to stay focussed on important home business tasks?

Do you feel like it’s all a bit hopeless, pointless, and doomed to failure?

Or do you just feel too tired?

If so, the answer might be that you’re among the 9 in 10 who are being affected by shorter, darker, gloomier days.

This could be particularly tough in January and February, after the festive season ends, when winter really bites.

And this is probably when you’re planning to get stuck into a major project – right when SAD symptoms are often at their worst!

But the good news is, there are a few simple things you can try out this month to solve this problem before January arrives.

Natural Ways to Restore Your Mood in Winter

First up is Vitamin D, a hormone that aids the production and regulation of serotonin and dopamine.

You get it through sun exposure in the summer but in winter, you simply won’t be getting enough.

If you are feeling particularly gloomy and sluggish it’s worth getting your blood tested (just ask your GP) to check your vitamin D levels.

Either way, I recommend a daily supplement with a high strength dose of Vitamin D.

Also try and get as much natural light as you can in those few hours when the sun is up.

If that’s difficult – and you’ve got £40-£100 to spare – you could try light therapy using a SAD Lamp, which is something I’ve tried before with success.

You just sit in front of a 10,000 lux full-spectrum UV-free light for 30 minutes each day.

Used daily it helps relieve fatigue and sleep disorders while improving your concentration, energy, and mood.

It could be worth taking Omega-3 supplements too.

These are known for their power to support brain function, boost cognition and reduce the symptoms of depression.

And there are a couple of lesser known nutritional remedies you could try too.

• Saffron contains the compounds crocin and safranal, which help keep your serotonin levels steadier during the winter slump. A few small trials have shown that saffron can match the mood-lifting effects of pharmaceuticals in mild-to-moderate cases!
• Apigenin is a plant compound found in chamomile, parsley, celery, and extra-virgin olive oil. Studies show that apigenin binds to the same receptors targeted by many anxiety medications.
• Zinc is involved in hundreds of bodily processes, including the enzymes that help convert food into energy. So when you’re low in zinc, everything feels a bit sluggish. including your motivation. It also helps reduce brain fog and boost memory.

But nutrition is not the only answer to the winter blues.

There are some lifestyle changes you can make to help stay motivated when January hits and you need to feel on top of things.

Mood Boosting Habits

I read an interesting article recently about American psychologist Kari Leibowitz who travelled to Norway where some places get almost no daylight in the depths of winter.

She discovered that locals had an interesting attitude to the darkness. Rather than bemoaning it, and pining for spring, they EMBRACED it.

Their philosophy was to focus on what you CAN do during mid-winter, rather than dwelling on what you’re missing.

So they’d make winter interesting by saving it for special hobbies, like knitting, cooking, and snow sports.

This is a great idea….

Find a few things that are suited to winter, which make you happy and relaxed, then make time for them.

It could be as simple as getting stuck into some reading on a comfy sofa under a warm blanket.

Or it could mean arranging with friends to go ice skating, take long country walks to pubs, or browse farmer’s markets.

Maybe you could have regular film nights, or try out a bunch of recipes in one of the zillions of new cookbooks that get published in time for Christmas.

And if there’s a special pub with a roaring fire, that does a great gamey roast in winter, make that a weekly Sunday destination.

Whatever it is that gives you a warm, cosy glow – do it!

The idea is that it makes the winter months something you cherish rather than dread. This makes every day much more worth getting out of bed for.

I also read some good advice from Dr Em May Armstrong, a scientific researcher in Glasgow University’s School of Molecular Biosciences.

She says that, just like animals and plants, we should embrace the process of slowing down in the winter.

The key is to find the right balance between sleeping more and becoming too lethargic.

This means permitting yourself to lie-in, take naps, or snooze in front of the TV…

But ALSO mixing in more activities that keep you mentally engaged.

For instance, doing some DIY, writing for fun, completing difficult jigsaws or reading challenging long books.

And even though it might be cold and wet, if you can do some light exercise it will help release more endorphins into your brain.

All you need is a 20-minute brisk walk each day!

I realise there are a lot of tips in today’s email – but you don’t have to take on all of them.

I recommend that you use December to try a few out and see what happens to your mood and motivation.

When you find something that works – KEEP AT IT!

By the time January comes, and you’re starting on a project for 2026, you should feel much more on top of things.

Before I go, I’d like to ask…

Do YOU have any tried and tested methods of keeping your mood and energy up in winter?

If so, let me know!