SHORT days and no sunshine can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD, to use its perfectly apt acronym.

Symptoms include lack of energy, depression, increased appetite, social withdrawal and a tendency to flop on a settee and take 40,000 winks.

Although, to be honest, I have always had the propensity to flop on a settee and take 40,000 winks at any time of the year.

Depression caused by SAD can be treated with medication or therapy that involves sitting near a special light box that mimics the sun. Those with a few quid to spare and time on their hands could go to Tenerife for three months instead.

SAD can be a serious affliction but I think many of us get it to a lesser extent. That fed up feeling just knowing we are stuck in a British winter with nothing to look forward to but grey skies until April.

As my wife Maria is fond of saying at this time of year: “Who on earth in their right mind decided thousands of years ago to settle here in this weather when they could have chosen Spain or Italy?”

She is, of course, biased, having a maiden name of Antonietta Maria Colaluca and a family that came from Naples. I didn't. I was born in Wakefield. Huddersfield is an improvement.

But I know what she means and I refuse to be intimidated by the weather, which is why my power bills increase far more than most people's at this time of year because I switch every light in the house on and turn the central heating high to cheer myself up.

I may wrap up like Scot of the Antarctic when I go out, but in the house I can lounge comfortably in shorts and wear sunglasses, if I want to. Not that I do, but having the option is nice.

Daylight hours are even shorter in northern Sweden than they are here. Sunrise in December is 10am and sunset is 2.30pm. One municipal authority, mindful of the affects of SAD, has put ultra violet lights in bush shelters to provide the local populace waiting to go to work with an “energy kick”.

This is a splendid idea that could be followed by other towns in Sweden. After all, half of that country is within the Arctic Circle where they have no daylight at all for several weeks in winter.

Bit like Huddersfield, in fact.

Our own Government might consider installing ultra violet lights in public places like railway stations and bus stops. Maybe have banks of them along pedestrianised streets and open spaces in the middle of town, all throwing out heat and light and bonhommie.

What a boon to trading in the run-up to Christmas.

“Going Christmas shopping?”

“No. I'm going to have a couple of hours sunbathing in the Piazza.”

If this is financially beyond the Government, I have another suggestion.

Instead of the £200 heating allowance to pensioners, how about a free three month trip to Tenerife instead? I'll go.