It can be a tall order dragging yourself out of bed in the dark mornings during a Danish winter sometimes. But a new YouGov survey on behalf of lamp producer Needlite has revealed the dark and cold months have other consequences.
The survey showed that more than six out of ten Danes (63 percent) experience feeling winter exhaustion – symptoms include having less energy, worse moods and needing more sleep – during the dour winter months.
Poul Videbech, a professor in psychiatry at Glostrup Psychiatric Centre, contended that this also impacts on the effectiveness of workers in Denmark.
“Many Danes are sapped of energy and some even become sad during the winter period because of the decrease in light and temperature,” said Videbech.
“The lack of daylight can influence effectiveness at work, which again is frustrating for the individual who is already plagued by bad moods. If you work in an office space that isn’t penetrated by daylight, especially during winter, you should be extra aware of the symptoms.”
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Lamps could help
Videbech suggested that one way to get around the issue was to use light-therapy lamps at the office.
“It’s a great benefit if you can get daylight in the office all day – particularly if the lamp has an effect without the person needing to look directly into it,” said Videbech.
