Does everyone feel low/seasonal effective disorder on some level?

[ErinAndTonic]

I'm in such a funk! Dark mornings, non stop rain, minimal days in the office so feeling like a recluse as have barely seen anyone other than my partner in a few weeks..

Is this normal and are we all feeling a bit meh? Or do I need to look into this?! Think I might get a SAD lamp to see if it helps but I'm unsure if it's that or just general winter funk?

Hope I'm not the only one!

Personally I love this time of year as I'm someone who loves blankets, cosy PJs, hot drinks, movies etc. We get out and about in the daytime as much as possible and take a vitamin D supplement in winter months. January is a bit more of a challenge but we try and plan nice little things to do each weekend so it's not too much of a funk

Yea I feel the same.

I don’t have a specific SAD lamp but I have an alarm clock that starts lighting up gradually before the alarm goes off. I feel so much better when I’m woken gradually by the light getting brighter.

I'm trying to channel it and the whole 'hygge' vibe but just feel low! I think it's because my social life is dead in the water after quite a busy and fun summer.

Sat here in my oodie, playing Nintendo switch, cat on my lap, trying to make some plans to stay busy and be productive but just feel like aside from my partner I'm so lonely!

PMS could possibly be playing into this as well... 😫

No, not everyone suffers - I love the days drawing in, the cold, the excuse to cosy up at home etc. It has no effect on my mood.

That said, it is very common and if it affects you then don’t be shy about seeking help, it sounds really miserable.

My partner does actually have the lumie lamp so may start using that to see if it helps. Problem is depending on my schedule I don't wake up the same time everyday.

You sound like my friend, she loves winter and is a total homebody and basically jumps on the Christmas countdown from the first darker day 😅 I think I'm more of a summer/outdoorsy person and get cabin fever when I spend too much time here (not helped by all the wfh) - just want to try and nip it in the bud before it gets any worse.

No, we don’t ALL feel anything - people are different didn’t anyone ever tell you?!

My motivation levels have plummeted this week, and my body's gone stiff and tight.

I like my lumie clock, but anoyingly I live with several princes of darkness that can't understand that I need light to function including having the audacity to use lights in so-called "daylight" hours.

Christmas is cosy with the warm glow of fairy lights. November/ January are just fucking dreary and there's nothing "cosy" about cold, grey, chill and a lack of proper daylight for days on end.
If a rare, fabled clear frosty day comes up, everything temporarily lifts.

Wow. Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed! Jesus Christ!

I can totally relate! I also quite enjoy december but it's November, January and February that I feel the most. Also not helped by trying to limit having too many lights on etc...

I don't mind the short days, but the perpetual bloody grey skies and rain, drizzle, cloud, really gets me down.

No, although I do prefer the warm light summer days. If it's cold and bright, or snowy I like autumn and winter, it's my birthday this season and I can get behind cosy evenings with the logburner going. I could do without Christmas coming round quite so frequently though - every other year would be enough.

I hate this time of year especially this awful wet weather. I love being outdoors even in the cold but can't bear the rain.

I feel the same about summer,my mood picks up in the winter.

I was Googling SAD and didn't even realise it works both ways til then.. I guess it makes sense, some people hate the heat etc! Every day's a school day!

Snidey little remark there 🙄

OP I’m the same. I suffer physically as well, I get very stiff and sore in colder weather. But yes my mood plummets alarmingly 😕
Exercise is the answer for me, but motivation to do that is low because my mood is low aargh!

I've found a lumie alarm clock and daylight replicating bulbs in the main ceiling lights helps me.

Once awake each room I'm using has the daylight bulb switched on for an hour or so so as I'm getting ready for the day my brain knows it's day as I've had the input from the bright 'daylight'.

We had a thread like this a couple of days ago and it amazed me how agitated some people got at the people who liked the winter. Anyway will try my viewpoint again...I don't live a hygge lifestyle but enjoy the dark and the winter. Not a fan of the heat and sun, bad for my skin.My husband feels impending doom before the clocks change and acknowledges that it makes him grumpy and sad.

This year I'm feeling it more than usual. Not being well and feeling run down hasn't helped and I've loads going on. Normally the Christmas run in I love. This year it's filling me with a certain amount of dread.

I know my friends also all seem to be feeling it more too.

I think there is a general lack of optimism about

I hate the dark and cold and try to embrace the hygge thing too.
Going out makes a big difference to me. I meet up with friends and go out for walks. If I haven't been out for a couple of days, I get really low.
When I've been out, I love coming back home, lighting some candles, making some tea and relaxing.

I’m the same as @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor i feel my mood lift in winter and sinks when summer is impending.

I don’t do the whole ‘hygge’ thing though as that feels forced and for people who don’t naturally enjoy the long cold dark nights!

I get how you feel OP.
Can you not go back into the office? I wouldn’t want to WFM this time of year either.
Also second the exercise suggestion

I feel similar. These last few days since the cold snap has been challenging. I feel a bit glum. I feel this morning I was struggling a bit. I'm longing for the summer evenings. My hands are cold and I need my gloves. Need proper shoes to go the bin. Washing never dries!

But I also do like the cosy vibes. Give me a eggnog latte and a log fire and some twinkly lights. Also a naice candle. Lovely big duvet coat and Christmas market.

Embracing hygge doesn't work for everyone is more hard wired than that.

My birthday is early -mid January and it's a write off for me. Also affects my mood a lot too. I always enjoy it/ and well treated with presents but would much rather have a June birthday!

I struggle in November. December is fine, there's so much going on, and I don't mind January as everyone is hunkering down and I tend to increase my exercise and feel good for it. Then February's short. But November. Bleurgh.

No, I don't think everyone gets this in winter. The state of the UK and the world in general is probably getting a lot of people down but not winter or wfh for me. It's warm "get your legs out" weather (in the UK) I hate.