How do you cope with winter?

Get a long puffer jacket and a nice hat and the cold is less intimidating! Feel for you though

It’s like we all live in an ice cream tub. And when October / November arrives someone puts the lid on. the sky is always overcast, grey and gloomy.

and the lid doesn’t come off until Spring.

However on those bright sunny winter days - I am so grateful for the sun. Crispy leaves and a walk. Just wish we had more of it!

I look forward to Christmas and the days getting longer after that.

I've lived here my entire life and from the moment the clocks go back I'm willing summer back, I hate it, dark mornings and early evenings, wet, cold, three bloody thirty yesterday it started getting dark, what is that!?

Washing doesn't dry, it's not cold enough for heating, so waking up it's chilly, coat or jacket?

I like my warm sunny evenings.

I put all my focus into Christmas, because I love that, gets me to Dec, then it's count down to spring😫

Ah, you poor thing, I know how you feel. I’ve also been here for 20 years and miss the heat of my summers and the sun. Oh, the sun!
This is how I handle it:

• Every year I go on holiday to a hot country over the winter months. SE Asia is far and tickets are expensive but once there, the accomodation and food is cheaper than travelling to Europe so it’s worth it.
• whenever there’s a clear/ sunny winter weekend day, i go walking in the countryside for the entire day, to get as much light and sun as I can.
• i have a fantastic electric blanket that I cozy up with so I never feel the cold at home.
• i make a big deal out of Christmas, so with the prep and everything that’s another 2 weeks of winter gone.
• i have a hobby which can take quite a bit of time and which I neglect in the summer when I’m gardening but overdose on in the winter

It's not the grey which gets me, it's the dark. It was dark by 4.30pm here yesterday and it's only the first week in November. There is nothing that you can do to change the hours of daylight and it's rough, I look forward to the solstice and the knowledge that we have turned the corner. November and December are far more depressing than January and February when it's getting lighter every day - today we have just under 9 hours of daylight, by the solstice that's under 7 hours, by mid-february we're back to 10 hours. It makes a huge difference.

Agree with what others say about SAD lamps, and getting out at midday makes a huge difference if possible.

I honestly cant cope with a British wìnter i get SAD and I'm utterly depressed.
Sad lamps dosnt realky make any difference to me. Its the constant grey and dark. I moved to as sunnier climate to be honest

This is mumsnet so you'll be told how wonderful it is to snuggle up under blankets and drink hot chocolate.

😂

Thing is, most of us just grumble a bit, accept it for what it is and get on with it as Britons have been doing for countless millennia.

Then when we've had enough of being stoic, we are rewarded with the glorious English springtime. Wouldn't like to live where OP grew up with no seasons.

I've read that making the effort to get outside close to noon, and spend 5-10 minutes in what sunlight there is, helps to keep the body clock right.

The other thing is to avoid making it too bright inside later in the evenings. This also helps to reinforce the natural daily cycle of light and dark.

The other things that help to keep my mood up are lively music on when cooking/baking. It's so easy to slip into inactivity and almost a semi-hibernation, but I find that leads to me feeling restless and makes it harder to rest properly. The other thing along the same lines is to go outside for a walk even if it's raining. It's almost like I have to prove to winter that it isn't going to keep me inside for five months.

I don’t mind winter and since we have no choice but to get through them I look for positive or practical ways to make life easier.

I keep my house warm and I make sure it’s as cosy as possible by having nice warm bedding, blankets, fairy lights and candles lit.
I enjoy Halloween, Bonfire night and the run up to Christmas. Having nice things to focus on helps me.
Something as basic as having a warm coat and boots/winter clothing makes it more bearable.

Don’t get me wrong - I can still find the rainy days bleak but dwelling on it makes me miserable so now I focus on the positive side and have seen a big change in my mood over the years.

I do:
Vit D, lumie lamp, as much garlic in my food as I can get away with, nasal spray if I think I'm getting a cold, as much outdoor time in the daylight as I can manage, planned evening activities (just like cinema or yoga class), things like planting bulbs or seeds feel hopeful and I also like going to glass houses in botanical gardens.
Given the choice though I'd move to California from October to march!

We have horses so winter can be horrific. We hibernate a bit, I put on half a stone, I make a room in my house super cosy and sit in it and read. Drink red wine. Go to bed earlier. Cook and eat more. I hated it for decades and now I look forward to it.

We also go away in Feb for some sun!

This is mumsnet so you'll be told how wonderful it is to snuggle up under blankets and drink hot chocolate.

It is hard OP. I've booked a couple of 3 night winter sun breaks to try and break it up a bit.

I grew up in Northern Europe with just two-three hours of daylight in winter and even I struggle with UK winter. It's not the matter of getting used to it, unfortunately. A couple of years ago I just decided to go with the flow. As soon as the clocks change, I actually naturally sleep later. I take on a lot of "hibernation-type" activities in winter - reading, drawing, crafts. And prioritise outdoor activities and vigorous exercise in summer. I also make sure to take a long trip to a sunny spot in early Spring. Places like Tenerife or Malta is a cheap holiday in Feb/March and gets me a great boost before Spring is properly started in the UK.