British Summer Time (BST) comes to an end every year when the clocks go back in Autumn. At 2.00 am on the last Sunday in October, the clocks ‘fall back’ by an hour. So, while the nation enjoys its welcome lie in at this time of year, it is also when we brace ourselves for the shorter days, and colder, longer nights too as winter approaches.
The clock-changing custom began more than 100 years ago when in 1916 parliament passed the Summer Time Act, after a campaign started many years earlier by William Willett to stop people wasting valuable hours of light in the summer months and to save fuel during the war. Germany adopted the process first, followed by the UK doing the same thing in May. Now the practice is observed in most places in Europe, North America and Australasia.
There has been some debate this year as to whether the clock changing tradition should continue, so whether or not you are a fan of these shorter hours of daylight, many of us can benefit from these five tips to make the most of those limited daylight hours.
Maximise the light in your home
Make good use of mirrors and reflective surfaces to bounce light around your home. If your house has trees outside and branches are blocking the light coming in, have these trimmed back to let more light in. Use comforting lighting, perhaps even a special daylight lamp to give you a little boost of what you are missing at this time of year and enjoy feeling cosy with mood lighting or candles in the evenings.
Exercise outdoors
Both exercise and time spent outdoors can significantly improve symptoms of mental health. Combining the two could work even better. Wrap up warm and try going for a brisk walk early in the day. Or do your utmost to finish your work in time to get outside before the sun sets. If you are retired, or able to have flexibility around your working hours, do your utmost to try to witness the sunset sometimes.
Try getting up earlier
It is not always the easiest thing to master when it comes to re-wiring our internal body clock, as so many of us discover when we try to enjoy that extra hour in bed. However, getting up and out early in the day has been proven by sleep doctors to be the very best way to counter Seasonal Affected Disorder.
Take supplements
Less sunlight means less Vitamin D and those depleted energy levels can also be a result of lower B-complex vitamins in your system too, so perhaps your GP can advise on any that would help you with a bit more’ get up and go’ at this time of year.
Learn to love your indoor space
Now might also be the time to make sure that your home is as soothing and comforting as possible if you are to spend plenty of time indoors. Perhaps now may be the time to make a change that will benefit your indoor space for years to come. If you have home that is more than a single storey, perhaps introducing a home lift will enable you to move more easily and freely between the floors of your home. This can be every bit as stylish as your décor, a Lifton design is sleek and ergonomic, with a soft powdery coating, in a muted colourway which will provide a feature with ‘wow factor’ that is both elegant and practical. What better way to start to love time indoors this winter.
Recent Comments