I’ve lost count of the number of people who have said to me recently, “Isn’t it dark outside?” 

Admittedly, most of these conversations have happened in mid-to-late afternoons. But I don’t remember so many comments before. 

And the truth is that, certainly in rural areas, it does seem extra dark this year.

Why, I wonder? Whatever the reason, some people seem to have very low mood because of it.

Of course, loads of us have coughs and colds which certainly don’t help.

But everyone seems to feel that since the clocks changed, we’ve been thrust into proper winter and that it feels like the middle of the night from about teatime!    

So, I thought I’d look at common sense ways to deal with the darkness.

From the reading I’ve done, I can tell you that the top recommendation from experts is that we should increase our outdoor activities.

They claim you can minimise the misery of the gloom if you get out more in the daylight hours – particularly if you go in the mornings.

Now you might remember that I’ve written before about research showing that exercise is extra beneficial for us if we do it early in the day, so I think that during these dark months we ought to get out, go before lunch, enjoy some fresh air and walk as briskly as we can.

You might also remember that I’ve written about studies stating that we activate melatonin more if we get out into the daylight in the mornings.

As you probably know, melatonin is the hormone responsible for getting us to wind down and sleep restfully at night.

So, if we make it a habit to walk, run, play football or whatever else we fancy, as early as we can, we’ll be ticking a lot of boxes!   

Another guaranteed way to lift your spirits is to be more sociable.

Frankly, it’s common to batten down the hatches at this time of the year and stop going out in the evenings.

This might not be massively detrimental if you live in a family, or with a loving partner, but as anyone who is single will tell you, it’s all too easy to find yourself staying home more, with little inclination to do anything, and then to start feeling bereft and lonely.

Try getting a date in the diary every fortnight when you’ll gather friends together at your place for coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass or two of something cheering.

Hopefully, your pals will not only come but reciprocate, so that these meet-ups become weekly, or even more frequent.

Being with people is a tonic and likely to take your mind off the gloom.

Also, plan ahead throughout the next few months so you’ve booked plenty of outings with friends or family.

There are good films at this time of year, big shows at the various theatres in our region, and soon there’ll be pantomimes.

Plus, there are also marvellous productions available on stream at your local cinema.

Or why not have movie nights at home with a few chosen friends?

Go through all the James Bond titles, or Harry Potter. Or seek out every single Hitchcock film.

There are so many ways of entertaining ourselves, but you can elevate your enjoyment by doing it with other folk rather than alone.

Make sure too that you maximise what light there is during the day by sitting near a window as much as possible, and if it’s really dark, do boost your spirits by putting your lights on in any room you’re using.

If you’re stumbling around in murky shadows, you can’t see anything properly and it’s very dispiriting.   

Another action you might want to take is to scroll through your phone looking at pictures of bright skies and summery warmth.

Feast your eyes and senses and imagine all those wonderful blue skies and warmth on your body. Those days will come again.

It might also be a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement. Loads of men and women feel better for doing so.

Finally, what if you think you’re more miserable than usual and might be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?

Some people do seem to get real benefit from therapy lights.

But my advice would be not to part with any cash before you check on the best lamps recommended by organisations you trust, such as Which or the NHS.

A friend who has had SAD for years told me that there are now therapy spectacles.

He finds these easier to use than lamps.

His routine is to put them on in bed for 30 minutes in the morning before he gets up, and he tells me that they conjure up a “warm welcome feeling to each new day”.

I hadn’t heard of these myself, but they sound good so maybe you might want to do an internet search to see what’s available.

Meanwhile, keep exercising and keep seeking out other people to do lots of stuff with. The darkness will pass…