Norrie Scott, CEO of NJS Lighting Solutions, explores the often overlooked role that lighting plays in how we feel, think, and function during the darker months
It’s that time of year again and while the shortest days are now behind us, winter is still very much with us. Daylight hours remain limited, mornings and evenings are dark, and many of us are starting to feel the effects – waking up in the dark, leaving work or school in the dark, and noticing our energy levels dip somewhere in between. Sound familiar?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a well-known symptom of winter and reported to affect around one in 20 people in the UK, leading to low mood, general fatigue and other mental health challenges during the colder, darker months. With no scientific backing, I would argue that this figure is in fact higher – perhaps even as many as one in five people – particularly in Scotland, where the weather and shorter daylight hours can make the darker months feel even heavier, especially in the aftermath of the festive period.
As someone who works with light every day, I’m acutely aware of something we don’t say often enough: lighting is not just functional. It is biological. It affects how we feel, how we think, and even how well we sleep. Yet for all the conversations we have about wellbeing, productivity, mental health and hybrid working, we rarely talk about the role of light – despite the fact that it is one of the most powerful levers we have.
We also underestimate just how dramatically winter disrupts us. Scotland’s latitude means we lose roughly six hours of daylight between June and December. That’s not simply an inconvenience; it’s a change that knocks our internal clock off its axis.
The circadian rhythm, our body’s 24-hour cycle that governs alertness, mood and sleep, depends almost entirely on light cues. When natural daylight drops, so does our rhythm. For many people, that’s when the fog rolls in: lethargy, difficulty concentrating, low mood and disrupted sleep.
The science has been clear for years. Morning light triggers wakefulness. Cooler midday light sharpens cognitive performance. Warm evening light prepares the body for rest. Strip these signals away, and the body struggles to know what it should be doing. The result can feel like jet lag without ever leaving home.
But here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: we can do something about it.
Technology has now reached a point where we can recreate the pattern of natural light indoors – not in a gimmicky ‘sun lamp’ way, but through fully programmable circadian lighting systems. At NJS Lighting Solutions, our Arlico range has been built specifically around this principle. Through Casambi smart controls, light can shift gradually through the day: warm sunrise tones in the morning, crisper, cooler whites for midday clarity, and softer, amber evening light that signals the brain to unwind.
These transitions can run automatically, adapting to daily routines at home, in the office or even in schools – where teachers are increasingly aware of the link between lighting, concentration and behaviour. In a climate where daylight is scarce for months at a time, smart lighting is not a luxury. It is one of the simplest and most practical ways to support mental wellbeing.
And the research backs this up. Bright light therapy remains one of the most effective treatments for SAD. Studies also show that controlled lighting environments, ones that mimic the natural arc of daylight, help maintain circadian stability, reducing the winter slump that so many people quietly put up with.
While the very darkest days may have passed, we are still in the depths of winter. Rather than resigning ourselves to months of low mood and low energy, we should be asking a different question: if light is one of our most basic human needs, why do we give it so little attention in the places we spend most of our time?
In Scotland, we accept long winters as part of who we are. But that doesn’t mean we should simply endure them. With the right lighting environments, we can soften the impact of the season, support mental and physical wellbeing and help people feel more like themselves again. Yes, the nights are drawing in – but that’s exactly why now is the moment to rethink how we light the spaces where we live, learn and work.
After all, in the months when Scotland feels at its dimmest, even small, smart changes can brighten more than just the room.
