What's Up Docs? Doctors' Notes: Light
Mar 31, 2026
A lively look at how low winter light shapes mood and identity across latitudes. They explore why some people develop seasonal affective disorder and what large surveys reveal about timing and triggers. Creative, non-medical practices like sky-framing workshops and seasonal letters get discussed. Cultural differences in coping with winter and how climate change might shift those responses are also covered.
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Research Sparked By A Personal Move
- Hester Parr moved from Dundee to Glasgow and noticed a dramatic change in mood linked to increased rain and cloud.
- That personal move prompted a research project focused on lived experience of seasonal affective disorder using interviews, surveys and workshops.
Clinical Definition Of SAD
- SAD is a recurring depressive episode linked to low light that appears annually in autumn and winter for at least two years.
- It includes low mood, sleep disruption and feelings of isolation and must be present across seasons to be classed as a clinical problem.
SAD Manifests In Diverse Timings And Intensities
- The SAD survey (≈350 responses) revealed varied experiences: anticipatory anxiety, sudden onset at clocks changing, or slow seasonal decline.
- People described feeling 'half the person' for six months and avoided outside time, worsening the condition.