Fundraising for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

In December I decided to take part in Mind’s ‘Move for Mind’ Charity fundraiser. The premise was simple: spend 31 minutes doing an activity for all 31 days of January. However, the motivation behind this brought to my attention the importance of being active through the winter months. In this blog, I’m going to discuss my experience and others’ experiences completing the Move for Mind challenge and how the darker months of the year can affect our emotions and mental health.

My experience

My initial thought when I looked at this charity fundraiser was, “that’s really simple. I already spend over 31 minutes walking on a typical day.” So, I decided to join the fundraiser, knowing that it wouldn’t be a challenge at all but with the hope that it would get me running rather than just walking. Once I was added to the Facebook group of people who were also completing the challenge, and I was able to read other people’s stories and the reasons behind taking on this challenge.

Despite my own struggles with my mental health, I’ve never struggled with seasonal variations. I love winter, it’s my favourite season, so I’ve never considered that the time of year could ever influence my emotions or mental health. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is described by the NHS as “a type of depression that comes and goes in seasonal patterns”, and frequently, it’s associated with winter.

Due to my busy life and university exams, I found Move for Mind more challenging than I thought. There were some days when I would lock myself in my room to do my work and feel too stressed to do anything else. However, taking that 31-minute break allowed me to come back to my work more refreshed and ready to carry on. For me, walking is great for clearing my mind, and by ensuring I head out on a walk every day, I have been able to give myself a moment of calm in my hectic day-to-day. I think that really encapsulates one of the reasons Mind chose this as a fundraiser!

Taking part in this fundraiser has allowed me to talk with some amazing people who have been kind enough to share their stories.

Jules’ experience

Jules decided to take part in Move for Mind as a way to give back to those who have helped her and needed help themselves through a difficult year. The impact of family members battling cancer and dementia, on top of the breakdown of her relationship and homelessness, really took a toll on her mental health. She wanted to appreciate the help she received from family and friends and give back to that community of support.

Jules also told me that she has suffered with SAD for years. It impacted her work, life and relationships, making it hard to get out of bed and motivate herself. She spent several years trying to find a way to manage her struggles. After trying medication and finding it not right for her, she settled on an alternative supplement, which she found made dealing with the darker months easier.

Jules expressed that throughout the month, she felt a personal pressure to take part each day, and despite still struggling with her mental health throughout, she managed to complete the whole 31 days.

Jason’s experience

Jason had been wanting to get involved with a fundraiser like Move for Mind for a long while. However, his experience with physical impairments, such as arthritis and fuse bones, as well as his OCD and anxiety, made it difficult to get involved. He shared with me the difficulty he faces some days to get out of bed and how each day can be so different depending on his pain and medication. However, this year, he decided that no matter his health issues, he was going to do it! Jason explained that sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone, and that for him Move for Mind was perfect!

“It was a perfect fit for me because there is no limit to the movement you do. On a bad day, I can sit in bed, and I can move my fingers for 31 minutes or do some gentle movements.”

As Move for Mind is down to the individual, Jason felt as if he could personalise the routine around his mental and physical health. Some days, he spent 31 minutes on the punch bag, and on others, he just took a slow walk at home.

Jason told me about how Mind has been crucial in his recovery. He how he really appreciates Mind as a charity and wanted to support them like they had supported him.

Throughout the month he saw improvements physically and mentally, feeling stronger by the end. He also expressed how the community around the fundraiser allowed him to connect with others and make new friends who he’s continued to talk to since the challenge ended. Jason told me he wanted to get involved in more charity fundraisers like Move for Mind going forward and that, in the meantime, he was continuing to do the 31 minutes of movement a day every other month to try help battle the lows and continue the routine.

“I still have pain every day, I still have my anxiety. But it’s how you handle the pain.”

Jason really expressed the inspiration he’s felt from Move for Mind and how he tries his best to inspire others to.

My conclusions

After reflecting on my conversations with Jason and Jules, as well as the insights shared by others in the Move for Mind 2025 group, I can really see the importance of fundraisers like this. Not only does Move for Mind allow for everyone to personalise their routine to fit as well as they are capable of with no worry that they’re not doing enough, but it also helps and inspires people to get out of the house and exercise despite the pain, anxiety, grief and struggling through the winter months.

For people who experience SAD, times like January can be tough, especially when trying to find motivation to go outside and exercise. However, as these activities release endorphins, they can help to boost your mood. If you experience SAD or simply just find life more difficult during the winter, getting involved in a fundraiser such as this can become a great motivation, you can help yourself while helping others!

In total, we raised £174,866 for Mind!

This money will go towards life-saving mental health work, and I’m so proud of everyone who was involved.