10/09/2026
I’ve definitely felt a dip in my energy over the past two weeks.
At first I thought it was holiday blues but then remembered how September is a month with many changes to our routine.
One example is that the days shorten in September, your body isn’t imagining the energy dip — it’s a real physical response.
With a family history of depression & bipolar disorder I have had to be very careful in recognising signs of flatness, low mood and lack of motivation in myself.
WHY IT HAPPENS:
• Your brain’s SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS uses morning light to set your internal clock and time hormone release (melatonin for sleepiness, cortisol for wakefulness).
• Darker, weaker mornings delay this signal, causing your rhythm to drift later.
• Less light also means less SEROTONIN produced, contributing to lower mood and energy.
WHAT HELPS:
🌅 1) Get outside within the first hours of waking — even 10 minutes, even on overcast days (indoor light isn’t strong enough). You need to be outside in it, and you DON’T NEED SUN; just daylight.
☁️ It works on a grey, overcast morning too.
🚶🏽♀️For example, walk for 1/4 of the school drop off / work journey.
🦶🏼2) Grounding/earthing (bare skin contact with the earth) has demonstrated positive effects on mood and energy levels. Even just 15 minutes a day.
📱 3) Opt for bright light exposure in morning; dim screens/lights in the evening (after sunset I dim the home lights & have set my mobile phone to a red light setting rather than the blue light).
🛌 4) Keep a consistent weekday wake time (more important than bedtime); weekend lie-ins are fine as long as under 90mins otherwise you may feel worse.
💡 5) If morning outdoor light isn’t practical, a 10,000 lux light therapy box for 20–30 minutes works similarly.
6) ✨Start boosting your vitamin D levels now!✨
Seek professional help if the dip goes beyond mild flatness and starts affecting daily functioning, it’s worth seeing your GP.
Amara Siddique
(Health Psychologist & Subconscious Health Coach)
