Clocks Change 2010

GET SOME BREATHING SPACE THIS WINTER

Spring Forward, Fall Back

This Sunday 31st October sees the beginning of winter time as the clocks go back by 1 hour.

While many will be delighted with an hour extra in bed on Sunday morning, for some people the longer nights combined with colder weather means feelings of depression and despair may escalate.

Tony McLaren, National Coordinator of Breathing Space explains “What we hear from people is that when the clocks go back they seem to experience a real slump in their energy levels as they deal with the transition to winter.

“This is reflected in the numbers of people using the Breathing Space service as each year we see an increase in calls and website hits during the darker months. 

“For some people the feelings of lethargy and depression induced by the ‘winter blues’ are so severe that they struggle to function normally during the darker months. This can have a tremendous impact on their everyday lives, making it difficult to maintain relationships or hold down a steady job which in turn can lead to emotional and financial difficulties that enhance the individual’s feelings of hopelessness and despair.

“Many callers to Breathing Space are feeling the effects of depression and often find it hard to pinpoint the cause for their low mood.  Sometimes the thought of sharing with friends or family can seem such a difficult prospect that people prefer to pretend everything is okay.  That’s where the Breathing Space team can help, we have specialist call advisors available every day of the year on 0800 83 85 87

“Sometimes, just talking to someone and sharing how you feel can be the first step in combating the effects of the winter blues."