SAD winter support thread

[AutumnScream]

Apologies i can't find last years threads but they were a massive help checking in or just reading how everyone was doing day to day to get through the difficulty of winter. So many of us suffer from SAD and no amount of hyge and cosyness makes up for it.

Still finding it utterly grim - cold and dark and miserable.

I hate January and all its evil doings.

I’m finding January really hard, I think it’s the constant rain that’s not helping. I’ve also had a lot of stressful crap, like the dog being ill, car trouble, and scaffolding up for roof work. Im having to literally get through one day at a time.

I’m finding the relentless rain hard too 😭. I visited my new job today and it seems so good and interesting! I’m knackered now (in a good way though) and it was only half a day 😂.

The rain this weeks been grim but i think ive been distracted by working as much as possible and going to midwife appointments in between so have had no time to myself to think about stuff as much.

Hows everyone been today?

It's all very well committing to going for a walk every day, but the weather has been dreadful recently 😔

Yes even my dog is fed up! And I hate watching my garden turn to mud, and washing the mud off the dog!

I agree only 13 days into the new year and ive been on one walk. And it rained. A lot of the time its been so icy as well ive just not felt safe going walking.

Really struggling now. Yesterday my IBS flared up and I know it’s the weather and the continuing darkness. Blustery rain here again last night 😩 I just cannot find any positivity. Please can we fast forward to April?

Today I feel utterly bleak. The wind is howling outside. It’s rained all day. Again. Lots of things going wrong, I feel defeated. Going for a walk is an endurance test. I really really hate the Winter.

Was raining and really cold today and im so fed up to the back teeth of it now. My bump is really noticable when i dont have a coat on but my coat hides it and im finding people shoving me a lot to take all the train seats every day and jostling me about all the time. I cant wear my Christmas shoes or clothes either because its simply too cold and too wet. I cant wait for spring im fed up of winter. The mornings have started going dark again this week for some reason probably storm clouds.

I agree, I’m utterly sick of the constant wind and rain. I have to walk every day because of the dog but it’s a trudge every day, battling against the wind and rain and sliding and squelching through the mud. The dog loves it though! He’s black, with thick fur so struggles in the heat, he’s the opposite of me! It does help to keep moving but it’s not fun!

Tell me about it! And when we get back from the walk I then have to clean the mud of her, dry her and wash towels. I’m so fed up of it! 😩

I always say i want a dog to walk in all weather but actually i think i would really struggle with winter walks for that exact reason.

Honestly, my dog is one of the few things helping me keep going.

I've made some definite changes this year - I've been going for a walk as standard during the day if I can, and I've been exercising at the gym too. It helps.

Hope everyone is doing OK.

God, I just can't bear this cold. I know I should be grateful it was at least bright today, but I can't stand it, I've been cold all day. It gets into my bones.

I've been the same recently and constantly unable to get warm - even at work where I usually have the fan on 24/7!

At home I've had an extra jumper, hot water bottle, blanket and heating on and I'm still cold!

Same
I will never moan about a heatwave again.

I know it’s freezing but I’m grateful the rain has stopped, I wasn’t coping with that at all. I’ve been to the gym this morning, and trying to psyche myself up to go and clean the car now!

We have had snow and ice here its been horrible and slippy going outside on the school run. My works heating is still broken so im using a portable crappy heater beside me.

Hi, I'm sure I'm suffering the effects of the dark winter, I'm just struggling generally, not even sure why. Am taking vit d but considering a sad lamp or a sunrise alarm. I can go to bed at 9pm and still struggle to get out of bed at 7am! I can't help but think a sunrise would help. Can anyone recommend please? The obvious choice is lumie but there are so many models and variance in prices. I can't work it out.

I'd rather not spend a fortune as this is a bit of a tester but then again, I'm hoping it'll really improve my quality of life.

I've been lurking on this thread since the beginning, as another SAD sufferer, but have finally posted to recommend to the pp to go with the lumie sunrise lamp, I bought a cheaper set me previously and it was awful, the light too harsh, and dindnt got completely dark at night.

I bought a lumie glow 150 this year and it is amazing, gets me up each morning, and replacing main light bulbs with daylight bulbs keeps me up once the lumie has done its job.

I've read through the original thread and this one. I am really struggling at the moment. I always find January and February very hard going but it seems to be getting worse year on year and I'm in a heavy fog. Can I ask a couple of questions?

I'm thinking of taking St John's Wort as a couple of you have mentioned it. Are some brands better than others and what dose do you find effective?

I'm also looking at SAD lamps. There's a Beurer one on offer for £50 at the moment. I'm wondering whether this is worth getting or is Lumie considered the gold standard and I should go straight for one of those? I'd like one I can have on my desk when I'm working (rather than the wake up lamps) as I struggle with severe procrastination which is at its worst at this time of year (it's genuinely wrecking my career at the moment rather than being the type of procrastination people joke about).

We have made it to the end of January! Just got to get through February. How is everyone doing? Sorry i dont have any recommendations for anything ive been neglecting a lot of stuff lately.