If you struggle in the Winter you are very welcome here

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

On the back of my other thread today
Anyone welcome here to share tips for those of us who struggle with our physical and mental health over the winter

Thanks! They’re a special form of misery aren’t they 🙄

I’m February’ born...so naturally I hate that too
Loved the summer heat wave..it just didn’t last long enough in N Yorks
Once we got into August..it was will it / won’t
( rain? Be warm enough to go without stockings ? Need a cardi or jacket.)

I'm a December birthday winter hater
I wonder if as well as the aversion to cold and dark which are definitely part of my depression, I also feel a sort of sense of time passing - I become a year older, the year ends - they are all landmarks of a sort and as I grow older I think I feel them more and view it all with a kind of melancholy.

Reading the DC’s ‘Moomintroll Midwinter’ as bedtime story at the moment and I liked this.

‘And then he caught sight of the light’

Is it wrong I already want to get under the duvet?

No bunnies, it's not. I work from home and have worked in my bed all day and now don't want to get out of it, not to cook or go out to an evening class I'm supposed to be doing. Stopped work a while ago and tried playing loads of cheesy upbeat songs to lift my mood as I could feel it sink with the sun going down. Not helped very much, but at least I tried.

I kept going this week with cleaning and healthy eating I focused so much on eating well it kept my mind off the weather. Though it was pretty nice today.treated myself to a gorgeous coat for work in new look surprisingly so will feel good 2mo wearing that. I’m dropping so much weight already so I’m hoping I keep this up to avoid getting into the funk.

It's been really dark and wet here today. It reminds me of the Ted Hughes Poem, November the month of the drowned dog.

Struggling to eat healthily, had a lovely bowl of pumpkin soup for lunch, then ate too much chocolate this afternoon. I'm having serious carb cravings.

Hoping for a drier day tomorrow.

Vitamin D has been an absolute gamechanger for me.

My birthday is in November. I have always hated Xmas and as I get older I am not very keen on birthdays either.

I hate the dark evenings.

Oh well soon be new year eh and then the daylight hours will be getting longer!

Just have to sit and count the weeks instead ....

Grey and dark mid afternoon
Deep breaths at the thought of returning to work next week
Not sleeping well
Feel decidedly short fused
Sorry whinge central

Early March birthday. I like that as by the time I get to my birthday, there is a decent sense that daylight exists, and it carries me through February. It's January that's my nemisis. It's slow to improve from the darkest depths of December, plus the abrupt loss of the Christmas lights which I find cheering. I'm no lover of November, but it is better punctuated by events like Remembrance and Children in Need.

This year I did RED (Run Every Day) January and that was helpful at pushing me outside if only for a mile into some seriously shit weather. I want to do it again in 2019. Warming up inside the house and getting out while well layered up and warmed up helps with the getting out process which is the hardest bit. The defrosting shower after is the best bit!

Clear frosty days have their charm. It's relentless overcast weeks with barely any daylight that grind me down. I had neckache at the start of this year... I realised it was hunching my shoulders from the bitter wind. Scarves helped. I miss the simplicity of dressing for summer!

Can't believe I've got to 53 without knowing about vit d. The only positive for me about being ancient is that I have put on 2 stone after the menopause so I'm not freezing like I was before. The rest of the shit that you're all talking about, remains.

I'm ok up to New Years then as soon as January comes, I'm miserable and counting days down. It's so shite and brexit and all that worry feels like it's going to be even worse.

Please can someone tell me which vit d to buy tomorrow so I've some hope.

Hobnobs sounds like your job isn't helping much, are you stuck there?

awks I take this vit d, mega dose even though I work outside and get plenty of sun.

Is vitamin d a tablet? Cos I can't swallow tablets :-(

My vit d is a chewable tablet. Really cheap from home bargains and I double the dose.

Oh chewable I can do those! And they really work?

purple the vitamin D DLux spray is really effective. Just one spray on your tongue every morning. It tastes of peppermint. They sell it at Holland & Barrett.

Wow this is interesting. I'll have to have a look

The vit3d tablets are tiny at Holland and Barrett so I would imagine easily swallowed by those who have problems with this.

There are two strengths. I take the higher strength. The staff don't like you to go beyond thehigher dose or it may be bad for the liver.

For anybody with menopausal symptoms I swear by Vogel Menopause Support tablets.

I am really hoping it will even help my SAD symptoms this winter as I have only been taking the Vogel since April. They are pricey but worth it as I feel more centred and grounded for taking them. I already take a mild antidepressant but was feeling very nervy and fatigued. The nervy feeling went in 5 days but the fatigue took two months.

Hope I am not going off topic but it may help those in the winter who struggle and are 'of that age'.

Polly that's really interesting about the Vogel helping with nerves. I've got so much jumpier and more anxious since menopause (and also since coming off anti-depressants.) I want never to go back onto ADs because they make me so sleepy and woolly headed, but it would be great to get rid of the nerves.

The other thing I know works well is a nice mug of valerian tea. It tastes a bit vile but really helps when anxiety is going wonky.

I have never found my AD made me feel zonked so I just stay on them luckily.

Unfortunately I cannot use a light box as it makes my hypertension worse. It is a pity as they can really help. It is a contraindication otherwise I would be using one.

I do find myself feeling on the brink by about new year/latest February although the longer days do slowly help ....

Lovely thread! Last year I started taking vit D & I think it helps a lot. I'm generally ok in my mood up to Xmas but then from January to March feel glum. I also sleep so much more during winter - does anyone else have this? Tucked up in bed by about 9:30 most nights & I get up at 7 so not super early!
Getting out of bed is an ordeal but I find keeping the flat warm & a combination of candles, fairy lights & lots of comfort food makes evenings quite enjoyable...
in the past I used a SAD lamp & it helped a lot - definitely worth a try!

@PollyPelargonium52 - when do you drink the Valerian? I thought it was good for helping you sleep? I don't want to snooze during the daytime. After about six months off ADs I'm finally coming out of the semi-hibernating state they had me in for ten years. I slept about 16 hours a day. Currently experiencing insomnia, which I LOVE after all those years in a stupor. I really don;t want to get sleepy again but would love to be less anxious.

@KaroB - when do you use the daylight lamp? I bought one but DS2 really objects to it in the mornings. He has ASD sensory issues. Could I just have it on during the day?