20 easy habits to help you stay happy when the clocks go back

If you are the kind of person who clings onto summer each year, then the clock change is never a good weekend. Unless, that is, you follow the advice of these happiness experts and therapists, who have shared their go-to (and very simple habits) which keep the winter blues at bay… Enjoy the sunrise “The benefit of shorter days is that it is easier to see the sun rise. Make it your winter goal that the first thing you look at after waking is not your phone, but the sky as it changes colour. While diving straight on to your phone can leave you overstimulated and running on empty by mid-afternoon, morning light supports your natural cortisol awakening response – the hormonal boost that gets you going. Widening your gaze to the horizon reduces stress and gives you a quiet, joyful moment to start your day. Best of all, it is free and takes two minutes.” Chris Perkins, life coach Start a cosy winter project “Long evenings can be a gift if you use them for something you enjoy. Pick one project for the season – you could learn a handful of new recipes, finally read that long novel you have been putting off, or start a jigsaw. Having something absorbing to return to gives the evenings purpose and a gentle sense of progress. It reframes winter as a season of making and learning, not just waiting for spring. It also pulls you away from endless scrolling on your phone, which tends to leave us feeling flatter rather than restored.” Tim Gardner, psychotherapist and Counselling Directory member Make the darker commute more pleasurable “The psychological evidence is very clear: everyday engagement with the arts acts as a protective buffer against stress and supports our well-being. The good news is that putting this into practice is remarkably simple. To make those darker commutes gentler, try starting an audiobook or tuning in to a favourite playlist. This is a simple yet evidence-based and effective way to help keep well as the seasons start to change.” Dr Julie Van de Vyver, director of behavioural insights at Magpie Shorts Keep a daily appointment with daylight “Shorter days can mean missing natural daylight altogether, particularly when we are both leaving for work and returning home in the dark. Try building a small daylight appointment into your routine. Take your lunch outside, enjoy a short walk or spend 10 minutes in the garden, even when it is cloudy. If possible, combine this with a little human connection, such as chatting to a friend or colleague. Natural daylight supports our sleep-wake rhythm, while gentle movement and social connection can have positive effects on mood and overall well-being.” Naomi Ashmore, Life Coach Directory member Create a twilight ritual “Intentionally mark the transition from day into night with a simple ‘twilight ritual’. It could be lighting a candle, making a warming drink, wrapping up in a blanket, taking a short walk at dusk or spending five minutes journalling by a window. These rituals create a sense of comfort and predictability, which helps to regulate the nervous system during a season of change. Rather than experiencing darkness as something that drains us, we begin to associate it with rest, warmth and pleasure.” Tayba Azim, integrative psychotherapist Give each week a highlight “Dark weeks can blur into one another, so try to give each one a small highlight. You could book a pub dinner with friends, a gig, a cinema trip, a Sunday roast or a winter walk followed by hot chocolate. It doesn’t need to be big or expensive; the point is to have something in the diary that lifts the week. Anticipation itself can bring a surprising amount of the pleasure, so the planning is part of the joy, and a fixed bright spot gives the week shape and gets you through those grey Tuesdays.” Tim Gardner Spend the extra hour with purpose “When the clocks go back, we are literally handed an hour, and most of us let it disappear into doomscrolling or an extra coffee. Decide in advance what that hour is for – something purely for joy such as a long bath, a slow breakfast, calling someone you miss or starting a book. It sets the tone for the season as something you are choosing rather than something that is happening to you.” Chantal Karyta, psychologist Wrap up and go outside when you can (Photo: Zbynek Pospisil/Getty/iStockphoto) Embrace the weather “There is an old saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. Get decent waterproofs, warm boots and a woolly hat and suddenly a frosty morning or drizzly afternoon becomes something to enjoy rather than avoid. Crunch through leaves, jump in puddles or take a brisk walk somewhere green and finish with something warm and comforting. Staying indoors all winter shrinks your world, while even just getting out for a short time gives you fresh air and a guaranteed mood boost.” Tim Gardner Change what you say when the dark arrives “So many of us say something like ‘the day’s gone’ when it is dark at 4.30pm, and we say it every single day for months. The mind takes those words quite literally and starts treating the evening as something lost rather than something to enjoy. Swap it for a phrase that marks the start of something, such as ‘this is my cosy time now’, and you will notice the evening starts to feel like a beginning instead of an ending. It sounds small, but the words we repeat to ourselves are the instructions our mind follows.” Chantal Karyta Up your fluids with soups and stews “Because we often feel less thirsty in the cold, we tend to drink less in winter without noticing. But even mild dehydration – the kind you barely notice – can leave you tired, short-tempered, foggy and a bit flat, and it is an easy trigger for a headache too. It is always a good idea to have a full glass of water with every meal and keep a bottle where you can see it, but you can also up your fluids in more appealing ways: having regular soups, stews and warm drinks.” Rosie Scott, osteopath and specialist in headache disorders, founder of Erin Health Start a tactile, low-demand hobby “Replace some of your screen time with tactile, low-demand activities such as crocheting or adult colouring. Rhythmic, tactile engagement provides micro-doses of dopamine and soothes mental focus, offering a restorative way for your brain to switch off, find joy in the simple things and unwind during darker evenings.” Jade Morrison, Life Coach Directory member Take up a new hobby this Autumn (Photo: Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty/Moment RF) Introduce some novelty “During the winter months, it is easy to fall into repetitive patterns that make the days feel like they are blending together. But our brains respond well to novelty. When we experience something new, we engage neural systems involved in attention, learning and motivation, including dopamine-related reward pathways. Something as simple as taking a different route home, exploring a new neighbourhood or stopping somewhere new can bring a little curiosity and excitement into an otherwise ordinary day.” Dr Ramona von Leden, neuroscientist and scientific adviser to Neuronic Create a ‘joy menu’ and choose from it daily “When the evenings feel long, it is tempting to wait until the weekend to do something enjoyable. Instead, create a little ‘joy menu’ of things that genuinely make you smile: your favourite song, a cup of tea without your phone, 10 minutes with a book or a call with someone who makes you laugh. Choose one each day, particularly when motivation feels low. Keep it simple enough that it feels like a treat rather than another task. Small, rewarding activities can help us to reconnect with pleasure and motivation.” Naomi Ashmore Join a club “While summer encourages us to spend more time outside being active and sociable, darker months spent indoors can often mean increased isolation. You can develop a more structured sense of belonging through daily contact with friends and family through visits, telephone calls and video chats; joining a club, such as a book or craft club; starting a new class; or finding a local meet-up.” Andrea Arnett, psychotherapist and Counselling Directory member Create a realistic winter bucket list “Identify a handful of things you would like to experience or achieve over the coming months, whether that’s visiting somewhere new, a weekend away, trying a hobby or spending more time with loved ones. This isn’t about perfection or creating additional pressure, but about having things to look forward to – some gentle intentions that help us to spend our time in ways that feel meaningful.” Dr Steven Mahan-Taylor, clinic director and consultant clinical psychologist at London Bridge Therapy Savour the joy “The world can feel flat or heavy, but joy is often there in tiny ways. An easy, free and accessible practice is to start by noticing joy and then savouring it when you find it. Maybe it is there in a seasonal beverage from a favourite café, catching glimpses of lit windows from a commute, or laughing over a ridiculous meme. Get creative with where your attention goes: challenge yourself to notice the colours on your way to work – finding bright yellow in the middle of winter can be uplifting – and even the soundscape of your home: the rain on the roof, the whirl of a washing machine, the heating clicking on. We often think of joy as a big destination we arrive at, but reframing it as something small and accessible is what sustains us.” Claire Fitzsimmons, author of ‘If Lost Start Here: Wellbeing for the Anxious, Disconnected and Uncertain’ Get cosy after being out in the cold (Photo: Noko LTD/Getty/E+) Get cold so the warmth feels even better “There is a lovely idea in physiology called alliesthesia, which is that warmth feels so much better when you have been cold. Instead of avoiding the chill, wrap up and go for a brisk walk, then come home to a hot drink and a blanket. That contrast is where a lot of winter’s pleasure lives, and it turns the cold into part of the joy rather than the thing stealing it.” Chantal Karyta Make your home more inviting “Small changes to your surroundings can make a real difference to how you feel, as managing your sensory environment can help regulate your nervous system. At home, try reducing lighting (turn off the dreaded ‘big light’) and introducing warm, softer lighting through lamps. Minimise background noise or replace it with calming music, easy listening podcasts or guided meditation. Introduce comforting scents through candles, fresh flowers or essential oils. Think about adding soft blankets, cosy fabrics and different textures. Our senses are constantly responding to our environment, so being intentional about what we see, hear, smell, taste and feel can help to encourage safety and calm.” Dr Natalie Cawley, counselling psychologist at Exceptional Individuals Adapt activities rather than abandoning them “Don’t let the turn of the season be a reason to stop doing things. If you enjoy walking, invest in warm, waterproof clothing; if you love socialising outdoors, find somewhere with heaters and blankets; or explore indoor activities that offer similar opportunities for enjoyment and connection.” Dr Steven Mahan-Taylor Take a 10-minute ‘awe walk’ after it goes dark “Darkness gives us things daylight can’t, such as stars, the Moon, frost catching a streetlight and, soon enough, other people’s Christmas lights. Researcher Virginia Sturm and her colleagues found that people who took a weekly short walk while deliberately looking for things that filled them with wonder reported more joy in their daily lives over the following weeks. Ten minutes with the intention of looking up and noticing is enough.” Chantal Karyta