Suffolk charity's warning as colder months take toll on mental health
Suffolk Mind says they always see an increase in people needing support this time of year.
Mental health experts in Suffolk are warning people to look after themselves as the nights draw in, with shorter days, cold weather and isolation all taking their toll on wellbeing.
Ezra Hewing, Head of Education at Suffolk Mind, says the charity sees a steady increase in people reaching out for help over the winter months.
“The number of people coming to Suffolk Mind for help has increased steadily over the years in general and in the winter months, the nature of the calls we get and the challenges people face will shift,” he said.
“Particularly around what people call ‘winter blues’. As the seasons change, there are both challenges to meeting people’s needs and other factors that impact mental health and wellbeing.”
What changes in winter?
He explained that changes in activity, routine, and exposure to sunlight can all make a difference.
“People enjoy the summer months, maybe they’re able to get away, spend more time with family and friends, or go to festivals,” he said.
“Those opportunities to be connected and to take part in fun things wind down in the winter months. The other major factor, which all listeners will know, is that there’s just not so much sunlight.”
That lack of sunlight affects how the body produces certain chemicals that are essential for mood regulation.
“We get less vitamin D during the winter months, but vitamin D is needed for our bodies to make something called tryptophan,” Ezra said.
“Tryptophan is a building block for serotonin. Serotonin puts the brakes on negative emotions, and it stops us from dreaming excessively.”
What can we change to help ourselves?
Ezra says building a good daily rhythm, and recognising early warning signs, can help protect mental health.
“Blue light frequencies in the morning help our body clock reset,” he said. “Having a routine, like dimming the lights and switching off screens in the evening, can improve the quality of sleep and reduce the likelihood of waking up exhausted.”
He also encouraged people to plan social contact throughout winter.
“Planning ahead and looking at opportunities to meet up with other people, whether in person, online, or over the phone, helps meet our needs for community, attention and emotional connection,” he said.
And for those who might not even realise they’re struggling?
“One of the challenges we face in a fast-paced society, where more people than ever live alone, is that we can’t take social connection for granted anymore,” Ezra said.
“We need to make conscious decisions about how to look after ourselves, learning about our needs, recognising early warning signs, and taking preventative steps to protect our wellbeing.”
He added:
“There are no easy answers. It’s about learning to prevent ourselves from sliding from wellbeing, over the stress threshold, towards low mood, and recognising when we need to ask for help.”