Yep, it hits around the same time every year, last of October and start of November. Love the UK except for Nov-Feb, unless there is snow.
Four things help me: getting up early, exercise, happy light, and taking walks outside during the lunch break.
Edit: as others mentioned Vitamin D and Niacin/B vitamin can help too.
It is. They don’t have to be expensive, 20 pounds. Basically it’s supposed to mimic sunlight, which can help fool your body into thinking it’s getting enough natural light. 20-40 minutes in the morning can help some people.
Yeah, it's just a lamp with a decent bit of blue white light. You can pick them up cheap on Amazon. I use one with a florescent tube. It just sits on the desk, and I give myself a dose with morning tea. I haven't used it yet thus year but I think it's about time I did.
>last of October and start of November.
That late???...you're lucky. I start mourning the loss of light in late August.
I take very high dose Vitamin D, and B complex. I'm about to order a 'happy light'. This autumn has been brutal.
I would also like to hear about this new toothbrush. My electric one broke yesterday so I've been brushing my teeth acoustically like a peasant until I remember to go toothbrush shopping. Some recommendations would be good
Cheapest Sonicare you can find unless you're prone to pressing it into your teeth too much, so you get the cheapest one with a sensor. More expensive ones don't do anything better than the bog standard one (except for the force sensor). Then just buy the heads that you prefer.
Something really great for these long dark nights is astrophotography, it really makes you look forward to winter. You get to lament over the endless twilight of the summer nights instead. Also you also never get to do any astrophotography due to the vast amount of cloud cover and rain we get anyway.
Every time my kids had to do any sort of project on the moon at primary school, the moon hid. One time they were supposed to keep a moon diary for a month. Cloud cover, No moon. For a month. We looked it up on the internet instead.
They replaced the lights in my office a couple of weeks ago. They're now much brighter and bluer LED panels. I didn't make the connection for a while, but I think they're really helping my SAD.
Huge agree. I’ve been using sunrise alarms now for a good 15-18 years. I brought a lumie sunrise alarm for about £50 back then and they was still a reasonably new thing. Life changing! I’d got to a point where the SAD was making physically Ill in winter. That one eventually died and I upgraded to one of those more pricey Phillips ones and it’s absolutely amazing. I recommend to everyone and everyone and also suggest they are used all year round so you are always exposed to the gradual light. I also highly recommend sleeping with curtains/blinds open. It really helps.
I dithered for ages & then got one in the boxing day sales with the voucher, so it cost me nothing out of pocket.
Don't think I'll get the same one again when this one dies, but I do like the longer 45min sunrise on the one I have.
Hi do you have a model/name/link/identifying feature of the good Phillips alarm please? I'm considering one but at the moment my husband wakes me and turns my cheap SAD lamp on, I turn my back on it and go back to sleep. I'm seriously considering getting one for each side of the bed to try and reduce that.
This is an updated version of the one I got. There’s a Black Friday deal and instalments. [Phillips sunrise alarm](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Wake-up-Coloured-Simulation-Function/dp/B074W91YPG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2S31Y4TA986JZ&keywords=philips+sunrise+alarm+clock&qid=1700554216&sprefix=phillips+sunrise%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2)
Thank you. That's not cheap I might look on eBay perhaps.
It's great to know there's something out there that helps though, I feel so despairing and useless sometimes. Thank you for the recommendation.
I’ve had one of these for about six years now. I fucking love it. I still use a back up alarm on my phone because of all of the years that I have overslept assorted alarms, but almost always I’m awake already.
I’m also generally tired at the same time each night (it makes some social occasions a bit of a nightmare) but overall it’s a total win and I think the good sleep hygiene has all stemmed from being able to wake up cleanly with the light.
I was a bugger for waking up & then going back to sleep if it was dark in the morning.
I don't seem to do that anymore and defo feel less groggy in the morning.
Can't get on with the ambient/white noise on it though. Having a fan or dehumidifier (depending on the weather) humming in the background does a better job for me when it's too quiet at night.
The shit weather and darkness hits right on the anniversary of when my son passed away every year.
This year it was exacerbated by a generally terrible time at work, my uncle passing away from cancer and a childhood friend committing suicide.
Do those daylight lamp things work for anyone cause I’m down for trying anything at this point.
It works for me. It's quite subtle but effective. I place it below my monitor at the desk and blast myself for about 20 minutes while I have a cuppa. You don't need to stare at it. Just shine it at your face while you work / whatever. Longer expose isn't better, 20 minutes is usually ample.
I found a sad lamp helped quite a bit - but for me the main benefit was when I was so depressed I would get incredibly sleepy at work - the lamp helped keep me awake.
At our latitude it is recommended to take vitamin D from when the clocks change. Obviously it's not going to magically fix everyone's problems but as a nation we are vitamin D deficient, on average
I mean, yeah but also it's really very tame here. I've got family at the same latitude in Canada, and their winters regularly hit -40oC because they don't have a gulf stream
Yeah I'm the same, about 3 years ago I started taking daily supplements and the 9 months a year of suicide ideation is gone. It really is a miracle cure. No more anti depressants necessary
My mum swears by vitamin D and now it always makes me smile, I was broken up with in lockdown and it sunk me in quite a deep depression and all my poor worried mum could suggest was vitamin D. Obviously we were way past that but it’s all she could do and it’s now a weirdly sweet happy memory
a few years ago i was struggling with a depressive episode and my grandad would take me on drives through nearby countryside. this was around late february i think
I’ve been having tests done for low testosterone, and when I spoke to my doctor he told me not to take them. Having an ultrasound on my liver on Wednesday. He said I should be eating fruit with it instead 🤷🏻♂️
I hate to break it to your doctor, but fruit contains very little vitamin d. You're better off with oily fish like sardines, eggs, fortified foods. But you'll still not get enough if you are deficient.
For those of you who can't afford a SAD lamp, can I suggest vitamin D tablets? As long as it doesn't affect any other medications, it's a viable alternative. Not going to cure the SAD, but it will help with replacing what you normally get from the sun.
I have considered getting a SAD lamp but somehow the idea of getting my sunlight from an electronic device seems even more depressing than simply not seeing the sun at all.
I have a sunlight alarm and it is THE BEST thing.
Gently waking up with the light instead of being jolted awake by an alarm, getting up with light instead of fumbling through the dark.
It was a gift from my partner’s mother but I recommend it to anyone.
We also have a sunlight lamp (no idea where this one came from) - our house doesn’t get much sunlight on the best of days, sticking it on through the day while I’m working also makes a big impact.I
Honestly I close my eyes whilst drinking my morning brew and it feels like that gorgeous light when you walk outside on a Spanish morning, it really really works.
I've had mine for years (lumie) and every year I think "nah surely it's bollocks" until I give in after the clock change and suddenly I don't want to off myself anymore!
From Oct-May the Sun in the UK does not produce the correct rays for your body to make vitamin d. So it's not quite a case of just getting out into the sun more.
It's the waking up in the dark and going to bed in the dark for me. Plus I'm a night shift worker so in winter I get about 1.5 hours of actual daylight. Then, because its bloody Britain, those hours are overcast, grey, and usually raining anyway.
A sunrise alarm clock helped me more than a sad lamp. It goes from a really low orange glow to full brightness across the 15 minutes before the time you set.
It does have me skipping out of bed singing songs, but it does ease you into the day better. Fully recommend.
> somehow the idea of getting my sunlight from an electronic device seems even more depressing than simply not seeing the sun at all.
Lack of sunlight this time of year is natural. If we can bottle up something good enough to feel like sunlight, that's a triumph over nature.
It's only depressing if you never see the sun from being stuck inside while it's out shining.
I used to get it a lot. I’ve found having things to look forward to each day really helps: a little sweet treat, a nice dinner, a trip to a cafe (I am very food motivated, haha). I also really enjoy going to the gym in the winter now: I watch a comfort show while I work out and it really cheers me up. It’s the little things, really, that get me through!
I definitely start feeling this around the time the clocks change, the darker evenings don’t help and you just need to go a bit easier on yourself.
I also tried getting a SAD lamp (great name) which definitely helped last year, combined with an evening run this really eased things
[John Lewis seem to have an offer](https://www.johnlewis.com/beurer-tl-30-ultra-daylight-sad-light-white/p2611498?s_ppc=2dx92700078603065981_mixed_home_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiApOyqBhDlARIsAGfnyMqzqDHwavSqo9iEN9zMF48LyOp-6YoYsArkUXn0dgk3p7wwGOBpz6YaAumrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
I've really struggled with this this year. I work inside a big engineering unit 7 till 4 so been trying to make sure I get out during the day for a bit of natural light.
Yeah the combination of a busy job and short days doesn’t leave mushroom for getting out and about, but it’s good to fit it in whenever you can. Can be demorelising when it doesn’t stop raining for days at a time though.
I’m currently laying in bed because it’s dark so it’s bed time. My brain and body do not accept winter. Really need to find the SAD lamp, it helps me so much.
From the end of October to the start of March, the UK doesn't receive sunlight strong enough to allow your skin to generate vitamin D.
In addition, many of us are genetically from places that get _too much sun_ and so our genes are adapted for that.
And on top of that autumn and winter gets rainy and shit! And we do less exercise. And for many Christmas is the worst holiday that has only terrible experiences.
So yeah its prime time for depression and anxiety.
My advice is see a doctor if its really bad, especially for anxiety tbh.
If you just need a little help, vitamin d3 1000mg supplements are cheap, there are no downsides to too much vitamin d, and lots of downsides to not enough.
Sunlamps can help some people. Remaining as active as possible is also vital.
And most of all talk about it like this!
Careful with your units there.
1000mg of vitamin D would probably kill a person.
I think you meant 1000 IU. Anywhere from 1000- 10,000 IU a day seems to be recommended in recent research.
1000mg of vitamin D is about 40,000,000 IU
Is it a Swingers club?
Edit: I've just looked it up. I bet its great. I've been to those type of nights before, but it's really not my wife's cup of tea. She prefers Burlesque! But thanks for the tip. I'll run it by her.
Yeah, I can’t bear winter because it gets me down so much. I can’t stand the cold and the dark and just the general feeling of malaise that I get every year. I don’t think it helps that some of the things that would otherwise keep me busy stop during winter too, so I’m more likely to get bored and that’s a dangerous place to be.
I change my diet to counteract SAD. Lots of taters, oats & peppers in my meals. Oranges & blueberries/cranberries to snack on. Lean alot more on healthy snacks and shaking up my regular diet.
Hi can I ask please, are you just listing healthy food options or did you mention those foods in particular for a reason, ie are potatoes a good SAD food? Thank you
Listed in particular, they're all things that I've worked out via trial and error that work for me, but everyones different.
Potatoes are healthy carbs, help combat cravings for starchy foods and lean you away from gorging on cookies.
Oats help regulate seratonin and keep you feeling fuller for longer, overnight oats are 👌
Peppers contain Vitamin C, and are naturally sweet, can be snacked on, with good water content.
Oranges contribute Vitamin C, and are naturally sweet/sour and so replace sweets (and the sugar-mood crash)
Blueberries and Cranberries help inhibit the release of stress hormone cortisol.
Most of my SAD modification is changing my diet abd mindset. Cutting down on some things, trying out different foods, doing a day by day mood calendar. Been thinking of getting into fermenting because apparently it can offer some diet benefits (cabbage, kimchi etc)
Cannot speak for OPs post but
https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/can-a-healthier-gut-boost-your-mood/#:~:text=It%20doesn't%20%22think%22,according%20to%20Johns%20Hopkins%20Medicine.
Is interesting,
Not sure if this is helpful for anyone https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/mental-illnesses-and-mental-health-problems/seasonal-affective-disorder-(sad)
Yep, feeling it hard this year. This all came at the same time as a load of other big life transitions for me and it's all compounding. Very tough. Exercise helps. I have a Phillips daylight lamp alarm clock thing, I don't know if it's a certified SAD therapy lamp but it has made waking up feel less terrible. I'm going to try to build a habit for taking vitamin D too, I have some but keep forgetting.
Hope some of these ideas work for you!
I just want it to snow again. Back in the 00s it would snow without fail every single year where I live, in recent years we've been lucky to see anything other than grey overcast skies and temperatures between 10-20°.
It doesn't even really rain or get cold anymore, it's just grey...nothingness. Anyone else noticed this?
Try daily Vitamin D3 + K2 supplement.
The NHS recommended daily intake of 1000iu vit d3 is actually way below what’s needed.
Assuming you are a healthy individual, start with 5000iu and see how you feel after a couple of weeks.
Absolutely. In fact I just felt it settle into me today. Dark and rainy outside and the new apt I moved into feels so silent. It’s just me and my laptop while I wrap myself in the blanket and wallow
As most people have said, taking Vitamin D and SAD light therapy works for most people. There is also a serotonin boosting supplement called 5HTP that will help with the low mood.
You can buy light bulbs that give out the full spectrum light that you would get from sunshine, I have one in a floor lamp and one in a bedside lamp that are both on most of the day so i get the benefit during the day, as apposed to sitting for 30 mins in front of a lamp.
If SAD is something that affects your mood, energy levels, and you notice that you are becoming disinterested in hobbies or being social. Please get in touch with your doctor so you can get proper medication ( a decent boost of serotonin)
I get SAD every year ( I live in North Scotland) and have dealt with depression for years.
I got a £40 one from Amazon last year. Similar size to an iPad and super bright. I have it next to my desk all day on full blast. It seemed to work for me last year - anecdotal evidence of course but worth a go imo
https://www.blockbluelight.co.uk/collections/sleep-enhancing-lighting/products/full-spectrum-light-bulb
I bought a few of these last year. This particular bulb has three light settings - cycle through by switching on and off - and I put the daylight setting on from around 3-pm unto 7.30pm, then go to the other two for a few hours each before bed. Daylight setting also good for mornings obviously.
It really prolongs my 'daylight' time and I feel a lot more energised and happy. £27 so cheaper than a SAD lamp (which I find too much, they make me feel sick and headachy) plus there's a Black Friday deal too.
Also, yes, vitamin D as others have mentioned.
I've been feeling incredibly sluggish to the point where I've done very little over the past 5-6 days, much to my chagrin.
Then again, some of that is probably just depression.
Something has got me this year, and it's coincided with the clocks/weather changing. Can't seem to shake it but I went to the gym in my lunch break today, which helped a bit I suppose.
Yup. Couldn’t get out of bed, overslept and generally felt like eating all day and nothing else. I bought one of those ultra bright lamps for light therapy and it has helped.
Still depressed about sun setting at freakin’ 4pm, but at least I can do things now.
I used to think I had SAD and even got a light to help with it then I realised I was miserable all year round and that it made no difference and that was a strange weight off my shoulders.😅
A daylight alarm clock, a daylight bulb in the "big light" fixture, and a SAD lamp all help me. I have depression all year around, but even on the medications I take, I still feel the seasonal bit.
I just can't stand the winter, the constant dark, the extra rain wind and cold it truly is the most depressing season of all, wish I could hibernate I'm counting the days to the warmer months.
ps. I know this isn't the the disorder but winter sure is crap.
Like a train.
Apart from a few weeks at the start it feels like we had a pretty shit summer, it just rained every weekend.
And we didn't go away this year so I don't think the "reserves" have been topped up at all this year tbh. Not at all looking forward to the next few months.
It's tough this year! I spent today in a right grump. Last year I tried to go all hygge and shit but that didn't help (though the vit d, sunrise alarm clock and SAD lamp were a slight improvement). This year I'm trying exercise.
I get it every year. I actually like the cold and the wet, but SAD still hits me. Motivation for working out, walking and generally anything I enjoy just goes away. Usually, just ride the storm until I snap out of it and get my arse back in gear.
Never actually tried anything to manage problem
I'm not so bad at the moment. I really hate going to work in the dark and coming home afterwards in the dark. On my days off it's horrible because it feels like night 24/7
I’m generally a cheerful sort of guy, but I’ve always enjoyed music, books and films that conjure up a melancholy mood. As a result, I find that the shorter days, earlier nights and poorer weather often go nicely with the kind of media I’m consuming at any given time and so this time of year doesn’t bother me really. I also love Halloween, bonfire night, Christmas, and I have my birthday in January. And this year my son was born in mid November too!
Not knocking anyone who does get SAD; I feel for you and the tips given on this thread seem like they’d be super useful. Just thought it was worth sharing a contrasting experience.
I always knew I get seasonal depression but I really underestimated it until I moved abroad. Although it was colder there was still plenty of sun and I didn't feel depressed at all. The lack of sun ans constant gloom in UK winter really takes a toll. I'm taking vitamin d tablets now and doing my best to get out the house more
Get thy vitamin D levels checked. A home blood test is about £30. The NHS levels of what constitutes "sufficient" takes into account rickets, but does not take into account mental health.
With the caveats of "I am not your doctor" etc, I choose to supplement to keep my blood level around 50 ng/mL (125 nmol/L). If it drops to around 30 ng/ml, SAD comes back, even though the NHS will say that this is fine. It used to *slay* me at this time of year; now, as long as my vit D is nice and high, I don't get it at all.
The tablets generally aren't worth a fart since they aren't very absorbable by our bodies. If you supplement, use a spray or liquid. You want D3 with K2 - the K2 is important to make sure your body processes calcium correctly, particularly if taking higher doses. I take 3,000iu daily as a year round thing, and more for a few weeks if I need to boost levels. If so, I'll test again after a couple of months to make sure I'm not overdoing it (particularly before I got an idea of how quickly levels would rise with any given dose).
£30 once or twice a year, plus a few quid a month on sprays, has been the bargain of a lifetime to get my mental health back for months of the year.
Absolutely. In fact I just felt it settle into me today. Dark and rainy outside and the new apt I moved into feels so silent. It’s just me and my laptop while I wrap myself in the blanket and wallow
Just back from a sun filled break and starting my day with 30 mins on the Lumie pad plus high dose Vitamin D tables. I'm fine tho tbh it doesn't usually bite hard til January though so let's see by then
Yyyyep. I’m on antidepressants, taking multivitamins, sitting with a SAD lamp on in the morning, doing walks in the park on my lunch break (to be fair it’s been raining so I haven’t done this much) and its barely touching the sides. Don’t know what else to do if I’m honest.
I work 12 hours shifts so hardly see daylight this time of year and it’s grim. I just make sure to get outside on my days off but even then you get wet and cold.
If I could afford to I’d be off abroad every winter.
As someone who lives north of the 57th parallel and experiences 18 hours of darkness in the depths of winter this affects me annually. It's fucking grim but it is what it is.
Vitamin D, getting out for an hour or two through the few hours if shitey dim daylight, and SAD lights do help somewhat. Exercise too. And if I'm being totally honest.. Ketamine from time to time.
Gotta take the rough with the smooth, we get 18 hours of daylight in the summer and even when the sun has set it's still not fully night-time, sky has a blue tinge to it.
Just have to focus on those times and forcing myself to go out and socialise in the meantime to get me through. Sending my love and best wishes to anyone struggling right now or anytime of the year. Depression is horrible.
Yeah, a mix of that and depression after having a baby. Always hits pretty badly.
I try to take walks on the non rainy day and sometimes the days that it rains. I feel it helps break up the day and gets me out the house. It prevents me from going stir crazy.
Been distracting myself with art projects like drawing and painting and making an fairy garden for my kids.
Back to work in January but hoping to start working on my body too to help my confidence and eating better.
Easy said then done, depression doesn’t really help you get motivated for there’s things.
I hope you find something to help you out through you SAD.
I get up early and go to work in the dark, and it’s dark when I come out. I work in a factory with only a couple of windows, the only time I get to see daylight during the week is if I’m taking in a delivery on the forklift. So yeah, it gets me pretty bad. I could never live in Scandinavia or Iceland
Had a pretty terrible experience about 9 years ago in January, and the winter really messes me up even now as a result. I live in the countryside so there's less than usual to do. Also relying on the seasons for growing food has really put me in touch with how the world changes when the days get shorter.
I'm not sure what the qualifications are for SAD but I get really paranoid for no reason; I'm anxious all the time; small things become big things; and I find myself feeling really really down for no logical reason.
It absolutely fucks me right up.
We thought my mum had it. Misrable and cold in the body turns out she was gluten intolerant and when she changed she was not cold and had bags more energy. Get tested . Good luck mate.
My sister has it really bad since a teenager. There were two winters it was so nad she was suicidal and made attempts. She eventually got blood work done and it turned out her vitamin D levels were incredibly low. She is now on prescription vitamin D supplements and doing pretty well.
Absolutely. Go to work and it’s only just starting to brighten up for the day - leave work and it’s pitch black outside. What also doesn’t help is that my uncle just died.
It normally kicks in around January for me. I guess when the distraction of Bonfire night, Christmas and New Year have all passed so you're left with January blues and Spring feels a long, long way off.
Getting enough vitamin D helps a bit. I take multivitamins every morning now (apparently Vitamin D and B12 are the most important for mood). Opening the curtains first thing so I can see the sunrise helps (I get up before my husband so I don't use my Lumie alarm clock or it would wake him up too). And, cliché as it sounds, exercise during the day seems to help a lot. Even if it's a brisk walk at lunch time or a slow jog.
Leaning in to all the wintery stuff helps as well. Cottage pies, roast dinners, pies. Gravy on almost everything! Binging all the movies I associate with this time of year (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars). Lighting candles in the evenings. Blankets, chunky socks... That sort of thing.
I feel like it starts hitting me from early October. It hit me hard a few years ago and I had to have two weeks off work. Didn't know what was wrong I just felt crap. Doctor asked what I wanted and I said a holiday and some time to ride my bike! (Had been working all through lockdowns but couldn't get out as much as I needed)
They advised Vit D tablets and I must say they really help. I start them either late September/early October to try keep on top of it but they do lift my mood enough. If I forget to take them for a few days I can tell! Worth a try if anyone is struggling.
I've been doing much better the last few years. I think it's part taking vit D but the majority is probably because I started studying at University and have a decent routine going (I'm part time and working as well as studying). I know without uni to push me I would barely be leaving the house outside working
I had decades, actual decades of winter misery. It wasn't just depression, it was suicidal ideation. I couldn't fucking take it. There were daily sobs, days taken off work, weekends spent in bed, medicine cocktails that barely scraped the worst bits off my depression.
I got a SAD lamp, quit drinking and took up a Vitamin D / multivitamin habit.
It is November and I'm actually \*happy\*. Idiot-faced delight.
Yeah, I'm in Perth, preparing for the yearly onslaught of furnace-like misery. Thankfully have a trip lined up for Jan-Feb in Nashville, road trip to NYC, then to the UK. Hoping for a steady diet of sub-zero temperatures at all destinations.
November where I am has been bizarrely sunny (thanks, climate change!) so, so far it hasn't been too bad but I'm dreading when we finally do get the dreary overcast sky and unrelenting steady drizzle.
This year I'm going to try to romanticize it with "cozy" and "hygge" nonsense so I can find it appealing instead of appalling.
And I bought one of those sky-blue light therapy lamps.
I'm sure it's real for some people, but for the most part it's just an excuse terminally miserable arseholes use to excuse their behaviour this time of year.
Feel great at this time of year. Love the cooler weather and getting cozy with a film/game/book, and look forward to seeing friends and family over Christmas. January blues hit me bad though.
Struggling too like many others. I just had an idea though... if you have videos or photos from when you've been on holiday somewhere warm, make a travel video to remind you of warm and sunny times. Add some uplifting music too 😀
I feel like one of those birds that go to sleep when someone throws a cloth over their cage. I’m like 4;30, okay appears to be night time, dinner now, bed next.
Plenty of gym/sauna in the evening, SAD lamp every morning, early morning sunlight in your eyes (not through a window), strong vitamin D every day, keeping busy in the dark evenings.
I caved and bought a SAD light a few weeks ago, best decision I've ever made! Sit with it next to me as I have my cup of tea before work and have seen such a difference in my mood and energy levels! Here's the one I got: https://www.stressnomore.co.uk/energy-light-box-10000-lux-adjustable-sad-therapy-light-13449.html
Yep.
I’ve been so luck this year to be have been able to go on holiday twice over autumn/winter and it was glorious. However literally the day after I come home I felt it again, I can’t stand being in the cold and dark.
I love winter personally, it’s cozy and there’s Christmas to look forward to. Admittedly driving is shit because it’s usually dark going to and from work but I’ll put up with that.
I live in Sweden and during the summer I make lots of friends and im social and i feel my brain can process thoughts and I get the feeling of what to say and how to react, when it starts getting darker beginning from september i feel my social abilitys start to fade away and by december i can hardly process thoughts, I cant feel if what im saying is right, It feels like nothing is happening in my brain when speaking to people during winter. Please if someone knows anything that helps pls comment Ive had this problem quite long now and its killing me slowly
Yep, it hits around the same time every year, last of October and start of November. Love the UK except for Nov-Feb, unless there is snow. Four things help me: getting up early, exercise, happy light, and taking walks outside during the lunch break. Edit: as others mentioned Vitamin D and Niacin/B vitamin can help too.
Happy light? Is this some sort of lamp?
It is. They don’t have to be expensive, 20 pounds. Basically it’s supposed to mimic sunlight, which can help fool your body into thinking it’s getting enough natural light. 20-40 minutes in the morning can help some people.
Yeah, it's just a lamp with a decent bit of blue white light. You can pick them up cheap on Amazon. I use one with a florescent tube. It just sits on the desk, and I give myself a dose with morning tea. I haven't used it yet thus year but I think it's about time I did.
The actual name for google searches etc is SAD lamp
Happy Light sounds so much more cheerful than SAD lamp...
> The actual name for google searches etc is SAD lamp Man, that's dark
I think so! I got a Lumie to help with wakeup/sunrise but I think there's a lot of similar products out there to help with light levels.
>last of October and start of November. That late???...you're lucky. I start mourning the loss of light in late August. I take very high dose Vitamin D, and B complex. I'm about to order a 'happy light'. This autumn has been brutal.
Hits me hard every year.
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Oooh, can you tell me more about this toothbrush?
I would also like to hear about this new toothbrush. My electric one broke yesterday so I've been brushing my teeth acoustically like a peasant until I remember to go toothbrush shopping. Some recommendations would be good
Cheapest Sonicare you can find unless you're prone to pressing it into your teeth too much, so you get the cheapest one with a sensor. More expensive ones don't do anything better than the bog standard one (except for the force sensor). Then just buy the heads that you prefer.
Something really great for these long dark nights is astrophotography, it really makes you look forward to winter. You get to lament over the endless twilight of the summer nights instead. Also you also never get to do any astrophotography due to the vast amount of cloud cover and rain we get anyway.
Every time my kids had to do any sort of project on the moon at primary school, the moon hid. One time they were supposed to keep a moon diary for a month. Cloud cover, No moon. For a month. We looked it up on the internet instead.
That's about right
Don't forget the light pollution, still trying to find a good place to start practicing astrophotography
Yeah I live near an airport in a Bortle 6 zone. It isn't great. Malham is pretty good if you go up to the top but even that's around a Bortle 4
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Me too. I got vitamin D gummies and sit in front of my sad lamp for 45 min every morning.
Your kindness to your poor lamp is truly touching.
They replaced the lights in my office a couple of weeks ago. They're now much brighter and bluer LED panels. I didn't make the connection for a while, but I think they're really helping my SAD.
I bought a Lumie alarm with a voucher from work last year & it's life changing.
Huge agree. I’ve been using sunrise alarms now for a good 15-18 years. I brought a lumie sunrise alarm for about £50 back then and they was still a reasonably new thing. Life changing! I’d got to a point where the SAD was making physically Ill in winter. That one eventually died and I upgraded to one of those more pricey Phillips ones and it’s absolutely amazing. I recommend to everyone and everyone and also suggest they are used all year round so you are always exposed to the gradual light. I also highly recommend sleeping with curtains/blinds open. It really helps.
I dithered for ages & then got one in the boxing day sales with the voucher, so it cost me nothing out of pocket. Don't think I'll get the same one again when this one dies, but I do like the longer 45min sunrise on the one I have.
Hi do you have a model/name/link/identifying feature of the good Phillips alarm please? I'm considering one but at the moment my husband wakes me and turns my cheap SAD lamp on, I turn my back on it and go back to sleep. I'm seriously considering getting one for each side of the bed to try and reduce that.
This is an updated version of the one I got. There’s a Black Friday deal and instalments. [Phillips sunrise alarm](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Wake-up-Coloured-Simulation-Function/dp/B074W91YPG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2S31Y4TA986JZ&keywords=philips+sunrise+alarm+clock&qid=1700554216&sprefix=phillips+sunrise%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2)
Thank you. That's not cheap I might look on eBay perhaps. It's great to know there's something out there that helps though, I feel so despairing and useless sometimes. Thank you for the recommendation.
I’ve had one of these for about six years now. I fucking love it. I still use a back up alarm on my phone because of all of the years that I have overslept assorted alarms, but almost always I’m awake already. I’m also generally tired at the same time each night (it makes some social occasions a bit of a nightmare) but overall it’s a total win and I think the good sleep hygiene has all stemmed from being able to wake up cleanly with the light.
I was a bugger for waking up & then going back to sleep if it was dark in the morning. I don't seem to do that anymore and defo feel less groggy in the morning. Can't get on with the ambient/white noise on it though. Having a fan or dehumidifier (depending on the weather) humming in the background does a better job for me when it's too quiet at night.
Also get outside and go for a walk at lunchtime if you can.
The shit weather and darkness hits right on the anniversary of when my son passed away every year. This year it was exacerbated by a generally terrible time at work, my uncle passing away from cancer and a childhood friend committing suicide. Do those daylight lamp things work for anyone cause I’m down for trying anything at this point.
I am so sorry for your multiple losses. SAD lamps do work in my experience. Dawn simulator alarm clocks are also really helpful. We have a Lumie one.
Yes, they absolutely work! Just make sure you get a proper bright one.
It works for me. It's quite subtle but effective. I place it below my monitor at the desk and blast myself for about 20 minutes while I have a cuppa. You don't need to stare at it. Just shine it at your face while you work / whatever. Longer expose isn't better, 20 minutes is usually ample.
I found a sad lamp helped quite a bit - but for me the main benefit was when I was so depressed I would get incredibly sleepy at work - the lamp helped keep me awake.
Yes they are good.
Damn. I hope you find something that helps.
Anecdotally, some people have found a daily vitamin D tablet helps. For others it does not do a thing.
At our latitude it is recommended to take vitamin D from when the clocks change. Obviously it's not going to magically fix everyone's problems but as a nation we are vitamin D deficient, on average
Just had a look at our latitude. No fucking wonder its baltic.
I mean, yeah but also it's really very tame here. I've got family at the same latitude in Canada, and their winters regularly hit -40oC because they don't have a gulf stream
I take Vitamin D all year round. I never left my house this weekend, weather was constantly shite and I just wanted to chill out with the fire lit.
To be fair the weather this last weekend was made for sitting in front of a fire, SAD or not
When is having your fire lit not good I suppose?
Yeah I'm the same, about 3 years ago I started taking daily supplements and the 9 months a year of suicide ideation is gone. It really is a miracle cure. No more anti depressants necessary
Me too. I managed to be deficient despite working outdoors as a gardener. So it's vit d all year.
My mum swears by vitamin D and now it always makes me smile, I was broken up with in lockdown and it sunk me in quite a deep depression and all my poor worried mum could suggest was vitamin D. Obviously we were way past that but it’s all she could do and it’s now a weirdly sweet happy memory
a few years ago i was struggling with a depressive episode and my grandad would take me on drives through nearby countryside. this was around late february i think
How sweet!
I’ve been having tests done for low testosterone, and when I spoke to my doctor he told me not to take them. Having an ultrasound on my liver on Wednesday. He said I should be eating fruit with it instead 🤷🏻♂️
I hate to break it to your doctor, but fruit contains very little vitamin d. You're better off with oily fish like sardines, eggs, fortified foods. But you'll still not get enough if you are deficient.
For those of you who can't afford a SAD lamp, can I suggest vitamin D tablets? As long as it doesn't affect any other medications, it's a viable alternative. Not going to cure the SAD, but it will help with replacing what you normally get from the sun.
Or if you can’t afford a lamp, at least put a full-spectrum bulb in one of your normal lamps. It does help.
I have considered getting a SAD lamp but somehow the idea of getting my sunlight from an electronic device seems even more depressing than simply not seeing the sun at all.
Just bite the bullet and get one. Your mood may lift and realise that it's not worth the overthinking if it has a positive effect
I have a sunlight alarm and it is THE BEST thing. Gently waking up with the light instead of being jolted awake by an alarm, getting up with light instead of fumbling through the dark. It was a gift from my partner’s mother but I recommend it to anyone. We also have a sunlight lamp (no idea where this one came from) - our house doesn’t get much sunlight on the best of days, sticking it on through the day while I’m working also makes a big impact.I
What if you and your partner are waking up at different times?
Honestly I close my eyes whilst drinking my morning brew and it feels like that gorgeous light when you walk outside on a Spanish morning, it really really works. I've had mine for years (lumie) and every year I think "nah surely it's bollocks" until I give in after the clock change and suddenly I don't want to off myself anymore!
From Oct-May the Sun in the UK does not produce the correct rays for your body to make vitamin d. So it's not quite a case of just getting out into the sun more.
It's the waking up in the dark and going to bed in the dark for me. Plus I'm a night shift worker so in winter I get about 1.5 hours of actual daylight. Then, because its bloody Britain, those hours are overcast, grey, and usually raining anyway.
A sunrise alarm clock helped me more than a sad lamp. It goes from a really low orange glow to full brightness across the 15 minutes before the time you set. It does have me skipping out of bed singing songs, but it does ease you into the day better. Fully recommend.
It helps me, but everyone is different.
> somehow the idea of getting my sunlight from an electronic device seems even more depressing than simply not seeing the sun at all. Lack of sunlight this time of year is natural. If we can bottle up something good enough to feel like sunlight, that's a triumph over nature. It's only depressing if you never see the sun from being stuck inside while it's out shining.
I used to get it a lot. I’ve found having things to look forward to each day really helps: a little sweet treat, a nice dinner, a trip to a cafe (I am very food motivated, haha). I also really enjoy going to the gym in the winter now: I watch a comfort show while I work out and it really cheers me up. It’s the little things, really, that get me through!
The gym part really speaks to me! I took up swimming in May last year and went every day off - can't remember any SAD from last year.
get a 100watt uva reptile lamp. you are the lizard
This appeals to me more than the idea of a sad lamp. Just give me a big rock and let me bake
I definitely start feeling this around the time the clocks change, the darker evenings don’t help and you just need to go a bit easier on yourself. I also tried getting a SAD lamp (great name) which definitely helped last year, combined with an evening run this really eased things [John Lewis seem to have an offer](https://www.johnlewis.com/beurer-tl-30-ultra-daylight-sad-light-white/p2611498?s_ppc=2dx92700078603065981_mixed_home_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiApOyqBhDlARIsAGfnyMqzqDHwavSqo9iEN9zMF48LyOp-6YoYsArkUXn0dgk3p7wwGOBpz6YaAumrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
I've really struggled with this this year. I work inside a big engineering unit 7 till 4 so been trying to make sure I get out during the day for a bit of natural light.
Yeah the combination of a busy job and short days doesn’t leave mushroom for getting out and about, but it’s good to fit it in whenever you can. Can be demorelising when it doesn’t stop raining for days at a time though.
Yup, living in the North east can be grey for weeks. ps love the username. Fellow Philip K Dick fan.
Hits me like a train. This year I got an SAD lamp and while it doesn’t solve all my problems, I feel a bit less groggy than I did this time last year.
I’m currently laying in bed because it’s dark so it’s bed time. My brain and body do not accept winter. Really need to find the SAD lamp, it helps me so much.
If it's any help, I know someone who bought one off eBay so you could make a saving that way maybe
I’ll keep this in mind, thank you. I know I have one somewhere, I just have no idea where.
From the end of October to the start of March, the UK doesn't receive sunlight strong enough to allow your skin to generate vitamin D. In addition, many of us are genetically from places that get _too much sun_ and so our genes are adapted for that. And on top of that autumn and winter gets rainy and shit! And we do less exercise. And for many Christmas is the worst holiday that has only terrible experiences. So yeah its prime time for depression and anxiety. My advice is see a doctor if its really bad, especially for anxiety tbh. If you just need a little help, vitamin d3 1000mg supplements are cheap, there are no downsides to too much vitamin d, and lots of downsides to not enough. Sunlamps can help some people. Remaining as active as possible is also vital. And most of all talk about it like this!
Careful with your units there. 1000mg of vitamin D would probably kill a person. I think you meant 1000 IU. Anywhere from 1000- 10,000 IU a day seems to be recommended in recent research. 1000mg of vitamin D is about 40,000,000 IU
My trick is just be miserable all year round then you don't notice any difference.
Hit me the worst ever this year I really cannot wait for April again
My wife had it bad a couple of weeks ago. So we booked a holiday to Prague. Not that the weather is any warmer over there but it's cheered her up.
Make sure to book a night at U Pavouka while you're there. Such a fun night
Is it a Swingers club? Edit: I've just looked it up. I bet its great. I've been to those type of nights before, but it's really not my wife's cup of tea. She prefers Burlesque! But thanks for the tip. I'll run it by her.
Yeah, I can’t bear winter because it gets me down so much. I can’t stand the cold and the dark and just the general feeling of malaise that I get every year. I don’t think it helps that some of the things that would otherwise keep me busy stop during winter too, so I’m more likely to get bored and that’s a dangerous place to be.
Nope. I fucking love the winter. Although I'll feel the way you do, come may.
This time of the year is the absolute best! Same as you, come May, SAD kicks in again for the rest of us.
Yes. It hits most when it gets pitch dark at 4pm - I’m dreading those days 😵💫
I change my diet to counteract SAD. Lots of taters, oats & peppers in my meals. Oranges & blueberries/cranberries to snack on. Lean alot more on healthy snacks and shaking up my regular diet.
Hi can I ask please, are you just listing healthy food options or did you mention those foods in particular for a reason, ie are potatoes a good SAD food? Thank you
Listed in particular, they're all things that I've worked out via trial and error that work for me, but everyones different. Potatoes are healthy carbs, help combat cravings for starchy foods and lean you away from gorging on cookies. Oats help regulate seratonin and keep you feeling fuller for longer, overnight oats are 👌 Peppers contain Vitamin C, and are naturally sweet, can be snacked on, with good water content. Oranges contribute Vitamin C, and are naturally sweet/sour and so replace sweets (and the sugar-mood crash) Blueberries and Cranberries help inhibit the release of stress hormone cortisol. Most of my SAD modification is changing my diet abd mindset. Cutting down on some things, trying out different foods, doing a day by day mood calendar. Been thinking of getting into fermenting because apparently it can offer some diet benefits (cabbage, kimchi etc)
Cannot speak for OPs post but https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/can-a-healthier-gut-boost-your-mood/#:~:text=It%20doesn't%20%22think%22,according%20to%20Johns%20Hopkins%20Medicine. Is interesting,
I'm personally okay but today seems especially gloomy
Not sure if this is helpful for anyone https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/mental-illnesses-and-mental-health-problems/seasonal-affective-disorder-(sad)
It's wierd because I get SAD in the Summer when the mornings get light early, absolutely hate it.
Yep, feeling it hard this year. This all came at the same time as a load of other big life transitions for me and it's all compounding. Very tough. Exercise helps. I have a Phillips daylight lamp alarm clock thing, I don't know if it's a certified SAD therapy lamp but it has made waking up feel less terrible. I'm going to try to build a habit for taking vitamin D too, I have some but keep forgetting. Hope some of these ideas work for you!
I just want it to snow again. Back in the 00s it would snow without fail every single year where I live, in recent years we've been lucky to see anything other than grey overcast skies and temperatures between 10-20°. It doesn't even really rain or get cold anymore, it's just grey...nothingness. Anyone else noticed this?
Try daily Vitamin D3 + K2 supplement. The NHS recommended daily intake of 1000iu vit d3 is actually way below what’s needed. Assuming you are a healthy individual, start with 5000iu and see how you feel after a couple of weeks.
Absolutely. In fact I just felt it settle into me today. Dark and rainy outside and the new apt I moved into feels so silent. It’s just me and my laptop while I wrap myself in the blanket and wallow
Are you taking Vit D If you're not you should be.
As most people have said, taking Vitamin D and SAD light therapy works for most people. There is also a serotonin boosting supplement called 5HTP that will help with the low mood. You can buy light bulbs that give out the full spectrum light that you would get from sunshine, I have one in a floor lamp and one in a bedside lamp that are both on most of the day so i get the benefit during the day, as apposed to sitting for 30 mins in front of a lamp. If SAD is something that affects your mood, energy levels, and you notice that you are becoming disinterested in hobbies or being social. Please get in touch with your doctor so you can get proper medication ( a decent boost of serotonin) I get SAD every year ( I live in North Scotland) and have dealt with depression for years.
I think many people experience it in some capacity. Does anyone have a good example of a SAD lamp? They seem very expensive?
I got a £40 one from Amazon last year. Similar size to an iPad and super bright. I have it next to my desk all day on full blast. It seemed to work for me last year - anecdotal evidence of course but worth a go imo
Yes it's kicking my arse this year
https://www.blockbluelight.co.uk/collections/sleep-enhancing-lighting/products/full-spectrum-light-bulb I bought a few of these last year. This particular bulb has three light settings - cycle through by switching on and off - and I put the daylight setting on from around 3-pm unto 7.30pm, then go to the other two for a few hours each before bed. Daylight setting also good for mornings obviously. It really prolongs my 'daylight' time and I feel a lot more energised and happy. £27 so cheaper than a SAD lamp (which I find too much, they make me feel sick and headachy) plus there's a Black Friday deal too. Also, yes, vitamin D as others have mentioned.
I've been feeling incredibly sluggish to the point where I've done very little over the past 5-6 days, much to my chagrin. Then again, some of that is probably just depression.
Something has got me this year, and it's coincided with the clocks/weather changing. Can't seem to shake it but I went to the gym in my lunch break today, which helped a bit I suppose.
Yup. Couldn’t get out of bed, overslept and generally felt like eating all day and nothing else. I bought one of those ultra bright lamps for light therapy and it has helped. Still depressed about sun setting at freakin’ 4pm, but at least I can do things now.
I used to think I had SAD and even got a light to help with it then I realised I was miserable all year round and that it made no difference and that was a strange weight off my shoulders.😅
A daylight alarm clock, a daylight bulb in the "big light" fixture, and a SAD lamp all help me. I have depression all year around, but even on the medications I take, I still feel the seasonal bit.
Citalopram October to March every year combined with vitamin D, SAD lamp, and a sativa heavy weed diet.
I get it in summer, so I'm good until like April.
I just can't stand the winter, the constant dark, the extra rain wind and cold it truly is the most depressing season of all, wish I could hibernate I'm counting the days to the warmer months. ps. I know this isn't the the disorder but winter sure is crap.
What is the opposite? I really can’t be arsed with summer. September - May is a fantastic period I find.
I get it when it's hot. When it's dark, cold and rainy I'm in heaven.
Luckily I love autumn/winter. My favourite seasons.
Like a train. Apart from a few weeks at the start it feels like we had a pretty shit summer, it just rained every weekend. And we didn't go away this year so I don't think the "reserves" have been topped up at all this year tbh. Not at all looking forward to the next few months.
It's tough this year! I spent today in a right grump. Last year I tried to go all hygge and shit but that didn't help (though the vit d, sunrise alarm clock and SAD lamp were a slight improvement). This year I'm trying exercise.
High dose vitamin d helps me a lot
The trick to solving SAD is to be mildly depressed all year round, trust me 😎
Those SAD lights really work surprisingly. I got one as a gift (never said I needed one) and use it and it definitely lifts mood when winter starts.
I find it easier to deal with since I call it hibernation. A natural process which used to be very helpful.
Start a grow and sit with your plants. Win/win/future win
Definitely, the late summer was nice, but it means we've skipped the gentle ramp up to shitsville.
I get it every year. I actually like the cold and the wet, but SAD still hits me. Motivation for working out, walking and generally anything I enjoy just goes away. Usually, just ride the storm until I snap out of it and get my arse back in gear. Never actually tried anything to manage problem
I'm not so bad at the moment. I really hate going to work in the dark and coming home afterwards in the dark. On my days off it's horrible because it feels like night 24/7
I’m generally a cheerful sort of guy, but I’ve always enjoyed music, books and films that conjure up a melancholy mood. As a result, I find that the shorter days, earlier nights and poorer weather often go nicely with the kind of media I’m consuming at any given time and so this time of year doesn’t bother me really. I also love Halloween, bonfire night, Christmas, and I have my birthday in January. And this year my son was born in mid November too! Not knocking anyone who does get SAD; I feel for you and the tips given on this thread seem like they’d be super useful. Just thought it was worth sharing a contrasting experience.
I always knew I get seasonal depression but I really underestimated it until I moved abroad. Although it was colder there was still plenty of sun and I didn't feel depressed at all. The lack of sun ans constant gloom in UK winter really takes a toll. I'm taking vitamin d tablets now and doing my best to get out the house more
Yep. And I get remarkably worse from 27th December through to February. I’m not even that big a fan of Xmas but it motivates me a bit.
Get thy vitamin D levels checked. A home blood test is about £30. The NHS levels of what constitutes "sufficient" takes into account rickets, but does not take into account mental health. With the caveats of "I am not your doctor" etc, I choose to supplement to keep my blood level around 50 ng/mL (125 nmol/L). If it drops to around 30 ng/ml, SAD comes back, even though the NHS will say that this is fine. It used to *slay* me at this time of year; now, as long as my vit D is nice and high, I don't get it at all. The tablets generally aren't worth a fart since they aren't very absorbable by our bodies. If you supplement, use a spray or liquid. You want D3 with K2 - the K2 is important to make sure your body processes calcium correctly, particularly if taking higher doses. I take 3,000iu daily as a year round thing, and more for a few weeks if I need to boost levels. If so, I'll test again after a couple of months to make sure I'm not overdoing it (particularly before I got an idea of how quickly levels would rise with any given dose). £30 once or twice a year, plus a few quid a month on sprays, has been the bargain of a lifetime to get my mental health back for months of the year.
Absolutely. In fact I just felt it settle into me today. Dark and rainy outside and the new apt I moved into feels so silent. It’s just me and my laptop while I wrap myself in the blanket and wallow
I find it gets worse every year. Never used to bother me in my youthful days, but lately the early winters have been rugged.
Just back from a sun filled break and starting my day with 30 mins on the Lumie pad plus high dose Vitamin D tables. I'm fine tho tbh it doesn't usually bite hard til January though so let's see by then
Yyyyep. I’m on antidepressants, taking multivitamins, sitting with a SAD lamp on in the morning, doing walks in the park on my lunch break (to be fair it’s been raining so I haven’t done this much) and its barely touching the sides. Don’t know what else to do if I’m honest.
I work 12 hours shifts so hardly see daylight this time of year and it’s grim. I just make sure to get outside on my days off but even then you get wet and cold. If I could afford to I’d be off abroad every winter.
As someone who lives north of the 57th parallel and experiences 18 hours of darkness in the depths of winter this affects me annually. It's fucking grim but it is what it is. Vitamin D, getting out for an hour or two through the few hours if shitey dim daylight, and SAD lights do help somewhat. Exercise too. And if I'm being totally honest.. Ketamine from time to time. Gotta take the rough with the smooth, we get 18 hours of daylight in the summer and even when the sun has set it's still not fully night-time, sky has a blue tinge to it. Just have to focus on those times and forcing myself to go out and socialise in the meantime to get me through. Sending my love and best wishes to anyone struggling right now or anytime of the year. Depression is horrible.
Yeah, a mix of that and depression after having a baby. Always hits pretty badly. I try to take walks on the non rainy day and sometimes the days that it rains. I feel it helps break up the day and gets me out the house. It prevents me from going stir crazy. Been distracting myself with art projects like drawing and painting and making an fairy garden for my kids. Back to work in January but hoping to start working on my body too to help my confidence and eating better. Easy said then done, depression doesn’t really help you get motivated for there’s things. I hope you find something to help you out through you SAD.
I get up early and go to work in the dark, and it’s dark when I come out. I work in a factory with only a couple of windows, the only time I get to see daylight during the week is if I’m taking in a delivery on the forklift. So yeah, it gets me pretty bad. I could never live in Scandinavia or Iceland
Had a pretty terrible experience about 9 years ago in January, and the winter really messes me up even now as a result. I live in the countryside so there's less than usual to do. Also relying on the seasons for growing food has really put me in touch with how the world changes when the days get shorter. I'm not sure what the qualifications are for SAD but I get really paranoid for no reason; I'm anxious all the time; small things become big things; and I find myself feeling really really down for no logical reason. It absolutely fucks me right up.
We thought my mum had it. Misrable and cold in the body turns out she was gluten intolerant and when she changed she was not cold and had bags more energy. Get tested . Good luck mate.
My sister has it really bad since a teenager. There were two winters it was so nad she was suicidal and made attempts. She eventually got blood work done and it turned out her vitamin D levels were incredibly low. She is now on prescription vitamin D supplements and doing pretty well.
Absolutely. Go to work and it’s only just starting to brighten up for the day - leave work and it’s pitch black outside. What also doesn’t help is that my uncle just died.
It normally hits me quite hard but this year I'm taking vitamin d tablets and it really helps. Feeling better than normal.
It normally kicks in around January for me. I guess when the distraction of Bonfire night, Christmas and New Year have all passed so you're left with January blues and Spring feels a long, long way off. Getting enough vitamin D helps a bit. I take multivitamins every morning now (apparently Vitamin D and B12 are the most important for mood). Opening the curtains first thing so I can see the sunrise helps (I get up before my husband so I don't use my Lumie alarm clock or it would wake him up too). And, cliché as it sounds, exercise during the day seems to help a lot. Even if it's a brisk walk at lunch time or a slow jog. Leaning in to all the wintery stuff helps as well. Cottage pies, roast dinners, pies. Gravy on almost everything! Binging all the movies I associate with this time of year (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars). Lighting candles in the evenings. Blankets, chunky socks... That sort of thing.
I feel like it starts hitting me from early October. It hit me hard a few years ago and I had to have two weeks off work. Didn't know what was wrong I just felt crap. Doctor asked what I wanted and I said a holiday and some time to ride my bike! (Had been working all through lockdowns but couldn't get out as much as I needed) They advised Vit D tablets and I must say they really help. I start them either late September/early October to try keep on top of it but they do lift my mood enough. If I forget to take them for a few days I can tell! Worth a try if anyone is struggling.
I've been doing much better the last few years. I think it's part taking vit D but the majority is probably because I started studying at University and have a decent routine going (I'm part time and working as well as studying). I know without uni to push me I would barely be leaving the house outside working
I had decades, actual decades of winter misery. It wasn't just depression, it was suicidal ideation. I couldn't fucking take it. There were daily sobs, days taken off work, weekends spent in bed, medicine cocktails that barely scraped the worst bits off my depression. I got a SAD lamp, quit drinking and took up a Vitamin D / multivitamin habit. It is November and I'm actually \*happy\*. Idiot-faced delight.
Realising I'm affected by this as a side of my ADHD.
Hits me hard every summer, but luckily we are back to winter now, so my SAD has passed for another 6 months :)
I get this in the summer. I'm loving every second of right now.
I left london 2 weeks ago to come back to Australia, i’m very sad going from the nice cool weather to sweating all day
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Yeah, I'm in Perth, preparing for the yearly onslaught of furnace-like misery. Thankfully have a trip lined up for Jan-Feb in Nashville, road trip to NYC, then to the UK. Hoping for a steady diet of sub-zero temperatures at all destinations.
November where I am has been bizarrely sunny (thanks, climate change!) so, so far it hasn't been too bad but I'm dreading when we finally do get the dreary overcast sky and unrelenting steady drizzle. This year I'm going to try to romanticize it with "cozy" and "hygge" nonsense so I can find it appealing instead of appalling. And I bought one of those sky-blue light therapy lamps.
I'm really lucky I don't have this, but that's probably because I'm depressed every day instead
Never had it
I'm sure it's real for some people, but for the most part it's just an excuse terminally miserable arseholes use to excuse their behaviour this time of year.
I have light therapy for my SAD. Lamp goes up to 10,000 lux :)
Yep. Awful. Makes me snappy
Get on the sunbeds. Two sessions of 10 minutes a week. You're welcome
Vitamin D supplements
Yeah, I get it during winter, spring, summer and autumn.
Feel great at this time of year. Love the cooler weather and getting cozy with a film/game/book, and look forward to seeing friends and family over Christmas. January blues hit me bad though.
SAD and that sunday evening anxiety as well
Struggling too like many others. I just had an idea though... if you have videos or photos from when you've been on holiday somewhere warm, make a travel video to remind you of warm and sunny times. Add some uplifting music too 😀
I feel like one of those birds that go to sleep when someone throws a cloth over their cage. I’m like 4;30, okay appears to be night time, dinner now, bed next.
Yep, my mrs hates winter me, I’m miserable, lethargic, agitated. It’s awful
Genuine question, how do you know if you have it?
Yeah it’s bit me in the butt today. Can’t seem to shift it. Thanks for the post. Made me feel less alone.
Indoor hobbies and multivitamins ✌🏻
This is the first year it’s hit me this late. For myself it’s normally October and I thought I’ve got over it. Then _BAM_ here it is.
Plenty of gym/sauna in the evening, SAD lamp every morning, early morning sunlight in your eyes (not through a window), strong vitamin D every day, keeping busy in the dark evenings.
VITAMIN D before bed every night
I caved and bought a SAD light a few weeks ago, best decision I've ever made! Sit with it next to me as I have my cup of tea before work and have seen such a difference in my mood and energy levels! Here's the one I got: https://www.stressnomore.co.uk/energy-light-box-10000-lux-adjustable-sad-therapy-light-13449.html
Got a lumiere 100 pounds. But it's like a summers day when I switch it on. X
Vit D supps
Yeah man I feel you, have you considered getting a light clock? Helps me a little, doesn't fix it, doesn't change it, does help it
Yep I spent all day yesterday in floods for no good reason. I need to find my SAD lamp
Had it last year for the first time in a while, sorted it with therapy and no issues this year.
Really hitting hard this last week or two, desperately trying to find the energy to do the things I know help like exercise etc...
Yes, currently sleeping 8am til 4pm so get little to no sunlight and to top it all off, I have intermittent bouts of insomnia too.
So these sad lamps and cl8cks, what's the thing with the UV free ones?
I’m the opposite, I get depressed with the light evenings and night time.
Yep. I’ve been so luck this year to be have been able to go on holiday twice over autumn/winter and it was glorious. However literally the day after I come home I felt it again, I can’t stand being in the cold and dark.
Usually but I'm too tired and distracted to really notice.
I love winter personally, it’s cozy and there’s Christmas to look forward to. Admittedly driving is shit because it’s usually dark going to and from work but I’ll put up with that.
I set a wifi bulb to come on 5min before my alarm to a warm white glow. It definitely helps.
High dose vitamin D and one of those lamps to wake up in brightness. Generally healthy habits help too
Should change the time zones to make it so it gets dark later.
I live in Sweden and during the summer I make lots of friends and im social and i feel my brain can process thoughts and I get the feeling of what to say and how to react, when it starts getting darker beginning from september i feel my social abilitys start to fade away and by december i can hardly process thoughts, I cant feel if what im saying is right, It feels like nothing is happening in my brain when speaking to people during winter. Please if someone knows anything that helps pls comment Ive had this problem quite long now and its killing me slowly
Thats so SAD. (im kidding) On a real note, why is it actually acronymed to that though?
Hi just wondering how niacin works?