When is the shortest day 2024? Here's when the days start to get longer and when spring begins

When the sun does make an appearance at this time of year it tends to be low in the sky. | Canva/Getty Image

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and it sometimes feels like we’re living in near-perpetual darkness in Scotland.

Thankfully we’re almost at the point where the days are going to start becoming longer, as the Winter Solstice approaches.

We can’t promise the weather will get any better, but at least you’ll be able to see it for longer.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is the shortest day of the year?

Known as the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year is on the Saturday, December 21, 2024.

The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern hemisphere, meaning its likely that the weather will get colder in the coming weeks.

Just how short is the shortest day of the year?

The Winter Solstice gets shorter the further north you go - in Iceland it will barely get light.

In Edinburgh the sun will rise at 8.42am and set at 3.39pm - that’s just six hours and 57 minutes of daylight . Head up to Inverness and the sun will rise at 8.57am and set at 3.32pm - six hours and 35 minutes of daylight.

How quickly do the days get longer?

The days start getting longer after December 21, 2024, and you’ll notice the difference pretty quickly.

We’ll see an extra hour hour of daylight by January 12 - after the Winter Solstice days get longer by an average of two minutes and seven seconds each day, increasing to around three minutes by the end of February..

On average we continue to gain an additional hour of daylight every four weeks until the longest day of the year on June 21, 2025.

When does Spring start?

The beginning of Spring - the Spring equinox - will take place on Thursday, March 20 2025.

When will the clocks go forward?

The clocks will go forward on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 1am resulting in an additional hour of sunlight during waking hours.

How does the lack of daylight affect people?

A lack of sunlight in the winter months has been linked to a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

According to the NHS, a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly which may affect the production of melatonin, serotonin and the body’s internal clock.

This can lead to symptoms including anxiety, apathy, general discontent, loneliness, and sadness.

Some people who suffer from SAD can benefit from sitting by a therapy lamp, which replicates the natural light from the sun.

It is best to use it in the hours between waking and sunlight while you get ready, eat breakfast or work from home.

If you struggle to get up on dark mornings, a wake up light may make it easier. These give off an artificial light which mimics sunrise and allows your body to wake up more naturally, - as opposed to a noisy alarm.