As daylight hours shorten, millions of employees are spending entire working weeks without seeing natural light, raising concerns among workplace health experts that the routine of working through lunch breaks is damaging physical and mental wellbeing.
Brenig Moore, health and safety and technical officer at Astutis, which provides training in health, safety and mental health for employers, warned that remaining indoors all day during winter can seriously affect mood, focus and energy. He explained that taking even a short walk outdoors during lunch breaks is essential for maintaining alertness and preventing fatigue.
“Lunch breaks matter all year round, but more so over the darker seasons of autumn and winter. It is a basic safety requirement to get out and take a small walk for at least 10 minutes to boost your alertness, mood and energy.”
Millions of workers commute to offices in the dark, spend the day under artificial light, and return home long after sunset. Moore said this pattern means many people go five days a week without daylight, depriving them of vitamin D and disrupting natural sleep cycles.
Daylight Boosts Alertness and Prevents Fatigue
Moore said short winter days can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep and wakefulness. “Short days mean your body’s natural wake and sleep cycle is disrupted. Even just fifteen minutes outdoors can help you avoid that mid-afternoon slump that leads to mistakes, stress and burnout.”
According to Moore, lack of exposure to sunlight can trigger symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression linked to reduced daylight.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, and many people in the UK are affected by this,” he said. “Even if you’ve not been diagnosed, you may find your mood to be a lot lower in winter than it is in summer, and this isn’t uncommon. A break in natural light helps keep serotonin levels stable and stops stress building up and overwhelming you.”
Moore noted that cold weather and long hours of sitting can increase muscle tightness and joint stiffness, leading to strain injuries. “Cold weather tightens muscles and joints, and what’s going to make that even worse is sitting in the same office chair all day. Sitting down can increase strain injuries and stiffness, so you want to give your body a chance to move around. Moving at midday resets posture and reduces aches that lead to long-term issues.”
Safer Decisions When You Disconnect
He also stressed that constant screen exposure affects concentration and decision-making. “Constant screen time drains the brain. Stepping away at lunch resets concentration and judgement, which will lower the risk of accidents happening both at work and at home.
“By going out and resetting your brain, you’re less likely to come back to the office or your laptop and make any mistakes. Some accidents may just be something as simple as not including an attachment in an email, but some accidents may be something that could cause injuries for you or others in the workplace.”
Breaks ‘Increase Productivity’
Moore emphasised that taking regular breaks increases efficiency, especially during busy winter periods. “Winter workloads spike, but powering through kills efficiency. Even though the whole point of working through your lunch is often to get things done, things might not get done efficiently. The people who pace themselves work smarter, not longer. A 30-minute break can save hours of tired mistakes.”
Employers are being encouraged to promote outdoor breaks and review working patterns to ensure staff can access natural light during the day. Experts in workplace wellbeing say the benefits of daylight are both physical and psychological, supporting vitamin D production, stabilising mood and improving performance.
With fatigue and low mood common in the winter months, wellbeing specialists argue that encouraging short outdoor breaks should be seen as a safety measure, not a luxury.