SAD (seasonal affective disorder) happens when the days get shorter. The lockdown doesn't help either.

If you feel your are suffering from this, try turning on some lights, playing some music, sitting in the sun when it is out or watching something to take your mind of things.

Many New Zealanders may be having tougher sleeps right now due to the stress of COVID-19 but another factor may be altering your mood – the shorter days with decreasing sunlight, the cooler weather and clearly the fact we're all mostly stuck at home for a month, says WeatherWatch.co.nz

"The lack of energy, the struggle to wake up, the general feeling of flat and down may be coming and going across the day.

"You may be suffering from SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is quite normal to experience when our nights get longer and the days shorter.

"The Autumn Equinox was last Friday so now our nights are longer than the days – and will be that way until spring.

"For most of us, experiencing SAD is only mild and we cope with it just fine. But for others the gloom of darker days can really affect you mentally in crippling ways, especially if it makes other issues (um, hello, a lockdown for example!) feel even heavier and darker.

"SAD can be a serious issue for some people, even here in New Zealand which isn't typically impacted by SAD compared to other nations (some nations in the Northern Hemisphere have little to no sunlight in their winter months).

"Like depression, SAD can affect how you feel and behave for days, weeks or even months. But you can do easy things to help yourself feel better."