SAD by Name, SAD by Nature

Now it's official - the Scots who experience the darkest winters get the worst winter blues. Winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is associated with a lack of daylight, and brings on low moods, sleep problems, and lethargy.

Now a consultant psychiatrist has calculated that about 3.5% of those living in north east Scotland suffer from SAD, compared with less than 2.5% in the UK as a whole. Dr. John Eagles says doctors are now starting to treat the condition seriously. One way to treat it is to use 'light boxes', which go some way to replacing the properties of natural sunlight. Some companies are even starting to include 'light therapy' as part of their health policies for staff.

You can check out our tips for avoiding the Winter Blues, with New You's sunshine doctor, David Bull.