Women eat more and exercise less when the clocks go back, a new study revealed last Friday.

The findings emerged from a nationwide survey of 2,000 people which shows that the darker days have a significant impact, with women in particular saying the move to GMT plays havoc with their lifestyles.

The study, which was evenly split between male and female respondents, found almost twice as many women (28 per cent) as men (15 per cent) admitted they are already seeking solace in comfort food since the clocks went back. A whopping 77 per cent of women as opposed to 64 per cent of men say the reduction in daylight over the winter months negatively affects their eating habits.

Adding to the sense that women are hit hardest by the winter blues, the survey also found that 13 per cent of women (versus 11 per cent of men) said they have taken less exercise than before the clocks went back. Meanwhile an even bigger gender gap emerged over spending time outdoors, with 37 per cent of women versus 28 per cent of men saying the shorter days were more likely to keep them inside.

And the pain for women just keeps coming. Although it’s only a few short weeks since the end of British Summer Time, 38 per cent of women said they were finding it harder to get up in the morning against 30 per cent of men. Correspondingly, more women (80 per cent) than men (72 per cent) reported their sleep patterns are disturbed during the winter months.