Struggling so much with the endless grey dark weather

I think the day trips to places like lanzarote are getting the plane in the early hours, arrive in Lanzarote at first light then spend the day there, go clubbing until the early hours then go to the airport for the trip back. No hotel needed

Well maybe. I took them literally. Even flying out on Friday and back on Sunday would be exhausting but each to their own. Also very expensive as much of the cost is the flights.

I feel you.. last year was the worst and my mental health was destroyed by spring. I have no energy and tend to hibernate and nap when ds is at school, generally being lazy. This year I'm determined not to do that, today I've been decorating my kitchen and decluttering

No - there's a trend ATM on social media to do extreme day trips - leaving at about 3am and returning at midnight.

People call two day trips "a day trip" because you get one full day there.

You fly there friday night. You have the full day of saturday there. You fly back on sunday.

So you have one full day there

I go to lanzarote a lot and fly direct. It’s still some journey. Ok for a couple of weeks.

I'm the opposite, I bloody love this weather. Love when it's dark when I wake up, dark when I leave work, cold, wet, rainy, it's just gorgeous. I wouldn't say I have SAD necessarily but I do find Summer a lot more challenging, the sun and heat does bring my mood down. Whereas in winter I just naturally feel so much happier with the gorgeous weather.

I think a lot of people are thinking about temperature and weather.

This is about the colour of the sky. It is. Depressing and saying to warm yourself up by cooking stews and putting up fairy lights and isn’t going to change what you see out of the window.

I have the added bonus of doing a physically active job that during the first signs of autumn rain I have to start taking painkillers.
I am in pain until the weather changes to heatwave.

I keep saying I can’t do another winter in the UK but until I finish off the renovations on my place I can’t sell and move but can’t finish the renovations as I am either working or feeling depressed because of the grey skies

Maybe but she said extreme day trip.

Completely agree - my asthma has been pretty much awful since mid-September. I checked the weather on Saturday afternoon and yesterday was supposed to be dry and bright. Yesterday it rained all day from about half 11 and today has been much the same. I fucking hate it!

I think she means two day trips.

Eg fly out friday night, fly back sunday night.

I have done those kind of two day trips. I did it to milan and ibiza this Autumn. For two days. I really enjoyed it! You don't need to go for a really long time

I struggle with it too OP and I feel like it gets worse every year. Last year my OH and I went to the Canaries for 5 nights in Feb (our DCs are old enough to be left) and I thought ‘Why have we never done this before?!’ It really broke the winter up. So we’ve booked again for January. It has made a difference to my state of mind as Christmas isn’t too far away now and then we’ll be away for a quick dose of warmth and sunshine. If this is something you could afford to do, I’d highly recommend it. (We still have a holiday with our DCs in the summer- usually a caravan trip in France or Germany. Well- we offer, but at 20 and nearly 18 they are increasingly wanting to do their own thing).

If you have younger DCs, could you afford a sunshine break in October or February half term or at Christmas just to break the winter up a bit?

Daftest idea I’ve heard! Get 2 airport 2 hours before flight to ensure you don’t miss it and get through security. 4.5 hour flight assuming it isn’t delayed. Arrive and get transport into town. Then repeat the process on way back. You’d have about 5 minutes in Lanzarote.

I always go on holiday in the winter.

There is no need to spend six months in a cold country

Fairy lights. All the lights.
Also, mulled wine. Not just for Christmas.🍷

And in summer, there's always thread after thread on Mumsnet moaning about the heat; often with "climate change" mentioned for good measure.

It's wet today in the south of England, but for November, it's been very mild weather for a good while. Yesterday was sunny.

This isn’t about temperature it’s about the grey skies

They might get longer but it is still grey for around another 5 -7 months

This is my tip and has been since I started running at the beginning of 2025. Get outside in the daylight there is and some fresh air!

Also not sure if you live near an airport or enjoy travelling but a group I’m on have been doing extremes day trips to places like Lanzarote, Malaga for very low prices. A day in the sun might be something to look forward to.

Hygge

Do you like the rest of your life? The weather is shit but tbh I barely notice as I am so busy with work, running around after kids, doing my hobbies etc. Maybe you need a bit more going on or to focus a bit more on doing stuff you like that isn’t weather dependent.

I also dislike winter, but join others in saying get out in the fresh air every day even if it is gloomy and raining. I’ve just had a half hour walk round the block in the rain and feel better for it. As a positive, the mild weather is definitely saving a fortune on heating bills.

Totally with you OP. No advice, just feel your pain. I am in hibernate mode from now until March tbh. Bring on the Spring!

Do you have annual leave to take ? I just ernt on a five day holiday to Albufeira Portugal. Very cheap, and It was lovely and sunny