The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
29. Why You Feel Sad in the Darker Months: Reflecting on Seasonal Changes
The Mood Booster Podcast
1 hour 3 minutes
2 days ago
29. Why You Feel Sad in the Darker Months: Reflecting on Seasonal Changes
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Welcome to Episode 29 Why You Feel Sad in the Darker Months: Reflecting on Seasonal Change, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore the science behind autumn and winter low-mood, the biological and behavioural shifts that make this period uniquely challenging, and how to adapt, reframe, and care for yourself through it.
From light exposure to circadian disruption, serotonin, physical activity, and connection, this episode dives into why many of us feel the “winter blues” and offers practical tools to build resilience and peace through seasonal change. We help you find joy in the winter months!
We explore:
Our own experiences with seasonal change and mood shifts
How people are more sedentary, spend more time in bed, and get less light in winter than in summer (O’Connell et al., 2013) ❄️
How sunlight exposure is linked to lower risk of depression, better sleep, and higher mood (Burns et al., 2024) ☀️
Why circadian rhythm disruption and reduced sunlight interfere with serotonin regulation and mood stability
Why darkness increases amygdala reactivity and negative focus bias, making uncertainty feel scarier 🧠
Practical Advice for Listeners:
Light First Thing
Anchor Your Day with Movement
Create Seasonal Rituals
Reframe how you see the change
Prioritise Connection
Thanks for listening, and if this episode helps, share it with someone who could use a boost this winter 💛
📍 Pillars explored: Introspection & Inspiration, Presence & Gratitude, Community & Connection, Wellbeing & Joy
📚 References cited in this episode:
O’Connell, S. E., Griffiths, P. L., & Clemes, S. A. (2013). Seasonal variation in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in a sample of UK adults. Annals of Human Biology, 41(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3109/03014460.2013.827737
Burns, A. C., Saxena, R., Vetter, C., Phillips, A. J. K., Lane, J. M., & Cain, S. W. (2021). Time spent in outdoor light is associated with mood, sleep, and circadian rhythm-related outcomes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in over 400,000 UK Biobank participants. Journal of Affective Disorders, 295, 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.056
Lambert, G., Reid, C., Kaye, D., Jennings, G., & Esler, M. (2002). Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. The Lancet, 360(9348), 1840–1842. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(02)11737-5
Kim, K., Kim, J., Jung, S., Kim, H., Kim, H., Son, E., Ko, D. S., Yoon, S., Kim, B. S., Kim, W. K., Lim, C., Kim, K., Lee, D., & Kim, Y. H. (2025). Global prevalence of seasonal affective disorder by latitude: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 390, 119807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119807
McGlashan, E. M., Poudel, G. R., Jamadar, S. D., Phillips, A. J. K., & Cain, S. W. (2021). Afraid of the dark: Light acutely suppresses activity in the human amygdala. PLoS ONE, 16(6), e0252350. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252350
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The Mood Booster Podcast
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
