S.A.D season

[spunko 16,418]

Undiagnosed but I am pretty sure I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, generally get really down about now, every year, for a few weeks. 

Aside from vitamin D supplements and a lightbox, wondering if any DOSBODers have any effective means of cheering themselves up? I intend to just keep busy and not think about it, as much as possible.

[One percent 40,645]

Watching the leaves change colour.  Yes, the nights are drawing in but what wonder autumn brings.  Long walks focusing on the wonder of it all helps me.  

[dgul 11,489]

Spend time outside when it's light outside.

(obviously it's easier said than done, what with work etc)

[JackieO 7,386]

A SAD lamp is on it's way from Amazon for me.

[Hail the Tripod 7,499]

21 minutes ago, spunko2010 said:

Undiagnosed but I am pretty sure I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, generally get really down about now, every year, for a few weeks. 

Aside from vitamin D supplements and a lightbox, wondering if any DOSBODers have any effective means of cheering themselves up? I intend to just keep busy and not think about it, as much as possible.

Spend more time outdoors maybe? Vitamin D supplements nailed it in my case (about 2,500 IU per week was sufficient for me).

[onlyme 5,861]

A pissy summer probably not helped either - all above as mentioned in particular keeping active, that's where dogs are so good as they force you to go out during the worst of the weather and are excellent company too. 

Maybe a hobby, something that requires a lot of hand/eye co-ordination that you can drift off into that can be done indoors at any time and or an outdoor activity that you've never done  - tricky in winter though as most opportunities shut down, I'm such a butterfly that I find distraction a real pleasure in life. Years behind a computer nearly put me off for life and had a long period where by part choice and financial doing practical/physical works really suited me and felt a lot better for it physically and mentally.

 

[Frank Hovis 29,500]

I find, and am planning to do one this evening unless it pisses down, that lengthy walks in the dusk and dark and cold really help.

Not fast or done for fitness (though obviously it helps) but just strolling around the streets, wrapped up against the cold.

I find if I don't do it then I can start thinking of myself as trapped inside by the cold weather rather than being part of the outside as I am in the summer.

[onlyme 5,861]

Forgot one - a winter holiday - something to look forward to, breaks up the tedium of the short days and long nights and a vit D top up.

 

[MrPin 10,447]

I love Autumn. But I am watching the days get shorter.

[InLikeFlynn 627]

38 minutes ago, spunko2010 said:

Undiagnosed but I am pretty sure I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, generally get really down about now, every year, for a few weeks. 

Aside from vitamin D supplements and a lightbox, wondering if any DOSBODers have any effective means of cheering themselves up? I intend to just keep busy and not think about it, as much as possible.

Me too. It's been very grey here for the past few weeks.I don't think humans have evolved to cope effectively with northern winters: when we lived in Scotland everyone would be grumpy as hell in winter. After all we've only been on this island for a few thousand years. A blink of an eye in evolutionary terms.

Long walks/ time outside straight after breakfast seem to help me. Getting good amounts of natural light on the retina early in the day seems to really help set the internal body clock (lots of good academic evidence for this too).

 

 

[Ina 1,452]

I hate Summer so I get SAD in early May.

[swiss_democracy_for_all 12,243]

Can you surf, Spunko? I'll be in the Canaries for two weeks in November. The boost from the fitness gain from two weeks surfing and the massive surge of Vitamin D generally carries me through until Christmas/New Year ie through the shit part Oct/nov/early Dec, after that it always seems easier.

 

[spunko 16,418]

4 minutes ago, swissy_fit said:

Can you surf, Spunko? I'll be in the Canaries for two weeks in November. The boost from the fitness gain from two weeks surfing and the massive surge of Vitamin D generally carries me through until Christmas/New Year ie through the shit part Oct/nov/early Dec, after that it always seems easier.

 

No, I haven't ever tried it, and I'm a long way from the surfing beaches

I don't understand how anyone can hate spring/summer! Early May is the best time of the year!

23 minutes ago, onlyme said:

A pissy summer probably not helped either - all above as mentioned in particular keeping active, that's where dogs are so good as they force you to go out during the worst of the weather and are excellent company too. 

Maybe a hobby, something that requires a lot of hand/eye co-ordination that you can drift off into that can be done indoors at any time and or an outdoor activity that you've never done  - tricky in winter though as most opportunities shut down, I'm such a butterfly that I find distraction a real pleasure in life. Years behind a computer nearly put me off for life and had a long period where by part choice and financial doing practical/physical works really suited me and felt a lot better for it physically and mentally.

 

I signed up for a yoga class last week for this reason but didn't really enjoy it - a bit too pretentious for me. They all took it oh so seriously. Going to give pilates a try, plus might get back into the gym. I really don't mind gyms, I just wish I had the machines all to myself.

[Bkkandrew 4,536]

Don't understand the point you are making Spunko, it's been beautifully sunny every day of late and the mornings are azure.

No SAD for me 

 

[Bus Stop Boxer 7,452]

Dogs. Wellies. Stews. Test cricket from Oz.

[swiss_democracy_for_all 12,243]

9 minutes ago, spunko2010 said:

No, I haven't ever tried it, and I'm a long way from the surfing beaches

I don't understand how anyone can hate spring/summer! Early May is the best time of the year!

I signed up for a yoga class last week for this reason but didn't really enjoy it - a bit too pretentious for me. They all took it oh so seriously. Going to give pilates a try, plus might get back into the gym. I really don't mind gyms, I just wish I had the machines all to myself.

I'm a long way from beaches as well! 

Mainly surf on holidays (and so I'm crap) But training to get fit for a trip in November, then the surge from all the sun and fitness help the winter pass. Before marriage/kids it was easier in Geneva, as you can get doses of strong sun/exercise up in the ski stations from December onwards. Now I rarely go :-(

Try other yoga classes, they vary. Some are far more exercises/posture focused with less bullshit.

[JoeDavola 14,530]

Do you do any kind of cardio? Maybe a gym membership where you can blast out a few half hour sessions on a bike, a cross-trainer or a rowing machine about 3 times a week would help.

Either that or, since you run a web business...move somewhere sunny!

[The Masked Tulip 33,577]

Vitamin D made a huge difference to my SAD.

[JFK 6,529]

I fucking hate the dank dark days that autumn/winter heralds.  In manc it's usually pissing it down too.  My impressions of starting university in Manc where - initially sunny for a bit in september .. then it just seemed to piss it down until Chrimbo ffs.

I definitely get the blues during the winter, feel like hibernating, eating stodgy food. My line manager is french , originally from the south of france and she has a SAD lamp on in her office , she really likes warmer climes and sun and makes sure she gets on a couple of hols in the sun - she constantly says manc has shit weather!  

To get over this kind of crap I make sure I keep active.  Kickboxing has helped, gets the adrenaline moving.

8 minutes ago, The Masked Tulip said:

Vitamin D made a huge difference to my SAD.

Definitely.  I take a normal multi-vitamin but also take about 10,000 IU vit D, cod liver oil, vit K and have vit C powder to put in water during the day.

[The Masked Tulip 33,577]

13 minutes ago, JFK said:

Definitely.  I take a normal multi-vitamin but also take about 10,000 IU vit D, cod liver oil, vit K and have vit C powder to put in water during the day.

 

I buy Tesco soluble Vit C - comes in tubes in either lime, orange or lemon flavour - which normally are on sale as 3 for 2 which works out about £3. Each tablet is a mega dose of Vit C so I usually break up a tablet into a quarter and take daily. These usually last me a winter and I always have a good amount of Vit C on hand if I get fluey.

[onlyme 5,861]

2 minutes ago, The Masked Tulip said:

 

I buy Tesco soluble Vit C - comes in tubes in either lime, orange or lemon flavour - which normally are on sale as 3 for 2 which works out about £3. Each tablet is a mega dose of Vit C so I usually break up a tablet into a quarter and take daily. These usually last me a winter and I always have a good amount of Vit C on hand if I get fluey.

Preventing / shrugging off the effects of the cold/flu season another top tip - just piles on the misery when they hit.

[spunko 16,418]

50 minutes ago, Bkkandrew said:

Don't understand the point you are making Spunko, it's been beautifully sunny every day of late and the mornings are azure.

No SAD for me 

 

It's not been too bad here, weather wise. The issue is it's dark at 7.15 and only getting worse. Saying that, in Thailand it probably gets dark about that time every day of the year, right?

[Bkkandrew 4,536]

18 minutes ago, spunko2010 said:

It's not been too bad here, weather wise. The issue is it's dark at 7.15 and only getting worse. Saying that, in Thailand it probably gets dark about that time every day of the year, right?

Cambodia.

Yes, dark ranges from 6:00pm to 7:15pm depending on season.

[spunko 16,418]

57 minutes ago, JoeDavola said:

Do you do any kind of cardio? Maybe a gym membership where you can blast out a few half hour sessions on a bike, a cross-trainer or a rowing machine about 3 times a week would help.

Either that or, since you run a web business...move somewhere sunny!

I go biking but not nearly enough as I should. The thought of cycling in a gym bores my tits off - tried it, much prefer to be 'going places'.

[BBH 740]

I definitely suffer from this. However it's a bit early in the year for it to start yet, despite the dreadful weather we've had in the last 2 months (south Manchester, it's been like Autumn).

I definitely find that a SAD lamp helps. Also, hoping to get away before Winter, if I'm able to. I find vitamin D can give a small boost, but it wears off easily. 

Oh - and jogging too. Can't at moment though due to health. 

 

Edited September 13, 2017 by BigV