With shorter, colder, and wetter days well and truly here the world can sometimes take on a gloomy mood.

In fact, an increase in sadness and depressive behaviours are regularly reported by both adults and children during the winter months.

With the weather making outdoor play more difficult, and shorter days meaning less sunlight both adults and children can often struggle through the winter months.

In its most serious form, some individuals suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

The typical symptoms involve a change in mood, negative thinking, low energy, changes in sleep, and a lack of enjoyment in activities they typically enjoy. Challenges, in this case, which are not consistent year-round but brought on by the change of season.

Have you seen or experienced this in your own family?

If you or your child experience winters like this, it is recommended that you contact your GP for further discussion.

However, the are a number of simple things we can do to help everyone in our households find the joy under the grey skies:

- Make an effort to get outside. This may mean changing your home routines to move outdoor activities earlier in the afternoon, with ‘inside tasks’ shifted to times when it will be dark outside anyway.

- Find time to laugh. Laughter has the power to lift our mood, build stronger relationships and motivate us towards action. Make a point of sharing a joke or creating moments of laughter within your home. (Click here to watch a great TED Talk on The Power of Laughter)

- Create a special winter tradition. Instead of dreading the coming of winter, help your kids look forward to the cooler months by setting up a special winter tradition. It could be an end-of-week activity, a new family meal, or a new board game to play.

The ‘winter blues’ are real. It’s something to keep an eye out for, but also something we can actively help our children and loved ones navigate.