@pittybitty - I am not sensitive to the darkness of winter. But I recognized that darkness is a real physical stress on the body and so I try to minimize its impact on me.
Here is a quote from Ray Peat that has changed my thinking about dark winters. It may not ring true for you.
Frequent short exposures to bright light is almost as valuable as continuous sunlight, and it is less likely to cause skin aging.
Q: How much sunlight do we need a day for general health?
If artificial light is bright enough, it is as effective as sunlight at stopping the stress reaction, but people seldom use lights that are bright enough. Generally, people and animals are healthier when days are longer than 12 hours, that is, after March
21 and before September 20. When days are shorter than 12 hours, artificial lights should be used from sunset until bedtime, but the
greatest brightness probably doesnʼt have to be continuous. Studies on isolated organs and tissues suggest that a few seconds of penetrating bright light are enough to break the free radical chain reactions, slowing the production of toxic substances, which tend to increase in concentration during nocturnal stress. A few secondsʼ exposure to the direct light of ten 150 Watt incandescent bulbs, for just a few minutes every two or three hours, might provide more effective protection than continuous exposure to a single 100 Watt light.
Source
I use two 250 watt incandescent bulbs to brighten my days. Currently at my latitude, I am experiencing about 10 hours of sunlight each day. I use my lights to keep my time in darkness/dimness to less than about 12 hours. I use them in the morning to avoid any sleep issues.
