I'm finding the dark days and nights so difficult. What can I do?

Can you get out in the morning as soon as it is completely light. Early in a day is when the light is at it's whitest. Late morning the light takes on a yellow shade.

In Oct 2020 I bought pots, bulbs and pansies for something to look forwards to through what looked like it was going to be an interminably long winter. It did help.
I put the pots into the flowerbeds so the flowers are easier to see than they are directly in the ground. They prefer it to my cold waterlogged clay too.

Winter sun in Tenerife is cheaper than summer "sun" in Cornwall too!

Last year I brought a flowery garland, stuck some coloured fairy lights in it and put it up to fill the void when the Christmas decorations come down.

Yes to the counting down to the 21st Dec. Then Christmas/ New Year is distracting. By the time normality resumes, you've got 15-30 mins more light than at the solstice. By the end of Jan, daylight is until 5pm, the end of Feb 6pm.
That doesn't help with quality of light like at the moment with the perma-gloom. TBH I'm often relieved when its finally properly dark on days like this.

Cold water swimming can be really euphoric if there's any venues nearby.

Have a look for Yoga With Tim on YouTube. He does videos on a beach in Bali. I play it on the TV and I love having the sun and the waves crashing into my living room - it's relaxing and makes me feel good. Even ten minutes sets me up for the day.

Re the going abroad, I went to Morocco in October one year, so had sun for a few days but I found it made that winter feel interminable. So I would recommend going in the New Year instead when there's hope on the horizon.

I like the idea of getting a plant - something where you can watch the shoots coming through. I'll get a lovely scented hyacinth for the kitchen.

Keep busy and make plans. I really enjoy the dark nights when I’m doing something. Rotting at home is when the blahhhh feeling sets in.

Oh, and I plant indoor bulbs like hyacinths and narcissus. This is the right time to get them potted up. They come up after Christmas and their scent and colour gets me through |January and February.

Get as much daylight as you can, even if you just sit next to the window as much as possible. Buy a SAD light - mine came from Argos - and put it on for a couple of hours each night when darkness falls. Give yourself small treats in the evening, like a lovely hot chocolate or a piece of delicious cake - you then associate the evening with something lovely. Fairylights. Candles in a beautiful lantern. I knit or sew while listening to podcasts or audiobooks, and it makes the evening pass quicker. The Winter solstice is on December 21st and after that, the evenings get gradually lighter heading to midsummer; I always try to remember that when the dark evenings make me struggle.

Some great advice and replies on here ! The constant grey sky can be draining especially if you’re already prone to depression . I’m going to try some of the tips on here .

Then we had one storm after another.

Watch the comedies that make you laugh.

I really struggle with seasonal affective disorder, and as the summers have got greyer, and the weather generally flatter/ less sunny, I’ve found the last few years horrible.

I’ve invested in a SAD lamp for the first time this year. Other things that help:

Going for a walk every morning
Eating well- lots of fruit and veg etc
Getting enough sleep, but not going to bed TOO early
Fairy lights, everywhere. Makes the gloom seem cosy

I don’t understand the claims about staying In BST being better. It makes no difference to the amount of hours of darkness/light

It is! I think I’ll reread it at this time every year..

Not too long until the shortest day and then we're over the brow of the hill.
I'm inspired to get fairy lights on the go - thanks all.

Firstly be up for when it gets light, secondly get outside first at least half an hour each day, thirdly put on lights until mid evening then lower lights

The dark can be very oppressive. Would have been much better to stay on BST. It’s also been quite grey, very little blue sky. However, for once it is DRY! Much better than last year when it rained non stop.
On my days off I get out into the light wherever I can, as early as possible for as long as possible.

My SAD lamp is a game changer.

Go to Tenerife

@Delatron , Wintering is a great book, I love it.

I feel exactly the same. The fact that it's been so cloudy, grey and drizzly lately has really added to my low mood at this time of year.

What gets me through is counting down to 21st December, which is the shortest day of the year and I remind myself that daylight gets longer again from then.

New year comes round, I get through January knowing February is a short month and then I get through February knowing the clocks go forward in March. It's possibly an odd approach, but I guess I'm getting through it bit by bit, rather than thinking it's five months+ of gloom.

It doesn't help they I don't like Christmas or new year! I hate everything about winter.

Someone upthread mentioned cold water therapy, I turn the shower cold the last bit (start with cooler for a few seconds) helps your immune system, wakes you up and helps you acclimatise to the cold.

I have fairy lights up all year and lots of lights around my house.

Scented candles

Hot chocolate or coca with ginger cinnamon or chilli flakes or a chai latte

lots of upbeat music

Daily exercise preferably outdoors

prescribed doses of vitamin d and b12

diet rich in proteins and veg

I love the leaves and smell of woodsmoke at this time of year

You have to go for a walk in daytime every single day. Even if it's boring / wet.

And it's not just you. We have had an usually small amount of sunshine this month.

@quirkychick funnily enough I do often think ‘well at least we don’t have reindeer’ when I watch her videos 😁

@FlippertyFlopperty forgot to say I really like the Better You vitamin D spray, it’s usually on 3 for 2 in Tesco and Boots.

I am not a grey-day lover either - but turn on the fairy lights and candles at night - and Vit D tablets. As long as I can tell myself "were not heading for winter, were heading for spring" I'm ok with that. And running, exercising and taking dog out. Oh and spending far too much time on Vinted.