Seasonal Depression

Yes, February is when I usually begin to see a shift. Very encouraging to still have some light at 6:00 as opposed to being dark by 4:30.

It really has been a long, gray winter (and it's only Feb.) so I try to take full advantage of the few sunny, clear days we have, such as today. There's snow on the ground but the sky is clear and blue. I'm going to get as much sunlight and fresh air as I can stand given it's still very cold.

COGypsy wrote: »

Hasn't happened in Colorado yet, but I'm hoping this season ends soon! My seasonal depression has been way worse this year than ever before. At this point, I'm not sure I'll ever be warm or happy again.

Hasn't happened in the UK either and we keep getting hit with storms. I feel the same. I'll always be cold and miserable.

Still miserable in the UK. Damp and cold but at least the wind has died down and the floods are subsiding. We stayed dry, thank goodness.

kshama2001 wrote: »

I get the "winter blues" - to combat this, I bundle up and get some exercise outside at lunchtime all winter long, no matter how cold.

I'm with the VA, and while discussing my "winter blues" with my psychiatrist last fall, he asked me if I wanted a light box, and since I know these are expensive and I would get it for free, I said sure. They really do help me with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)! I started out using it as directed, but now just use it on overcast days, which really effect my mood adversely.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298

This is the light box I got: https://smile.amazon.com/Bright-Light-Therapy-Box-Northern/dp/B003OWJCIM/

Lol, the page keeps offering me this other thing, which I have tried in the past - it died in a week: https://smile.amazon.com/Philips-Simulation-Headspace-Subscription-HF3520/dp/B0093162RM/

The light box has been some help this year. The challenge with that is getting up half an hour earlier to sit in front of it--especially since my psychiatrist and I have been jacking up my meds about as fast as I can swallow them. My mornings are very fuzzy now and I have discovered that it is indeed possible to fall asleep staring at 10,000 lumens of light

I've also given up sunglasses and SPF for the time being, so that if I do happen to be out when it's daylight, I can absorb as much of it as I can.

BTW--Spring is technically only 28 days away!

I have noticed I get winter depression from lack of sunlight and from being outside less. There are days I am woefully unmotivated and actually feel sad. But thankfully it doesn't last too long and is not too severe. In New England we have had an extremely mild winter- almost no snow and temps mostly in the 40s. This never happens. The days are starting to get longer too.
I am starting my second week keeping my food diary and moving a lot more. I just went for over a 30 minute walk and just bundled up.
I've been working with weights, doing low impact aerobics on YouTube. I am trying to eat better and tracking everything regardless of if I go over my calories. I feel like I'm also coming out of the darkness too.

How are your vitamin D levels? Low levels can be a reason for feeling down in winter.

nighthawk584 wrote: »

I'm weird I guess, I actually love winter....but I will welcome Spring with more activity outside and nearly a 100 lb weight difference from last year.

I often don't mind winter as the weather tends to be better than in spring: less rain, less storms. Though this year is extreme: no freezing weather at all, and constant rain and storms. Ugh.

Congratulations to your loss! That's amazing.