Mood so different in different seasons

[Guylian2019]

Is anyone else so much happier at this time of year? I'm so miserable in the winter, never want to go out, hate the dark nights etc. In spring I'm like a different person. I smile, laugh, I get more things done. What can I do about it though? I don't want to live my life in only 8 months of the year. I think I do get a touch of SAD but I don't see how a light box will change the fact that I hate the short days and miserable cold. Anything else to help my mood in the winter?

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If you can afford it could you go to a nice sunny spot sometime during the winter to lift your mood.
I find a log fire burning, nice lamps and candles lit all over the place helps. So l play to the darkness instead of against it.
I also leave lights on when l go out so not coming home to a dark house.
And trying to get out as much as possible in daylight.

I have found having a holiday, even just three or four days away in January or February, is a great help. It can be to family or friends or not even too far. Something to look forward to from New Year onwards.

If you go to France or the Low Countries, daylight ends an hour later, which has a surprising effect.

30 minutes of direct sunlight a day, even if the depths of winter, can be really uplifting. You need to be outside with your glasses off.

Thanks. I will look into a short winter break. Where is good for warmth in the winter?

All the Canaries are good. If you pick an off peak week with no schools out it should be cheap enough.

I’m the same, I’ve found booking a sun holiday in October helps me and I stay in the UK the rest of the year, my GP puts it down to lack of Vitamin D, mine is non existent I’m supposed to take supplements but forget.

We are going to Cyprus this year, hopefully still sunny I last went there over 20 years ago.

Things that have helped me:

• Vitamin D: many people in the UK are low on it so it's a good idea to take it anyway. Don't bother with the fancy brands because generic is just fine.
• A daylight lamp for 20 minutes on dark mornings, when I feel most meh. Mine's a Philips GoLite, which produces a bright bluish light. Blue light's supposed to be better for SAD.
• A walk outside in daylight, even on cold days, especially if it's sunny
• Celebrating winter solstice, and remembering that after that it may be dark and grim but it's getting better.

IDK how much of this is placebo effect or even which works and which doesn't.

Thanks. I do take Vitamin D.

I'm a teacher so holiday would have to be October half term or Christmas holidays.

It's difficult to get a day time walk in the light during the working week although can do this at the weekend.

I might research prices of SAD lamps.

Thanks.

I think I suffer from this too.

I felt awfully down for months and my anxiety which i dont usually suffer from unless I have something big going on seemed to be constantly high.

It was only in about March that I realised I'd been feeling like that since around October, and it's only in april I've started feeling like myself.

I thought at first I might be imagining it but my partner noticed a marked difference in me too over winter.