Unless I take steps to cope with it, I’m someone who is inclined to get the winter blues. I realised a number of years ago after returning to Scotland from London that I was tending to get very run down in the autumn. Couldn’t shake of infections and generally felt a bit limp.

At the time, I went off to my doctor who, after a four minute consultation, wanted me to take happy pills. At the time, that made me rather cross, and I started to look around for other possible things to try. I settled on a Philips Bright Light, and ever since then, I dig it out at this time of the year and bask in its light during the morning. It sits by my computer screen and shines forth for half an hour or so whilst I do my morning e-mails or write a blog entry.

This week is the first week this year that I’ve used it properly, and I suspect I should have started a fortnight or so ago at the equinox.

It is very bright. Lots of people say that they could never sit in front of it like I do. After a few weeks, it seems to make my head a bit buzzy and the answer is to take a few days off.

It is one of those things which I think more people in Scotland should know about. It is a relatively easy non-invasive cure to something that I think affects a lot of people here. It used to feel in the autumn as though I had an allergy to Caledonia. All I needed was a daily boost of extra light to keep me perky.