I'm really struggling with winter this year

[midnightblue12]

I'm normally such a winter girl. I love the festivities and autumn more then any other season. Hands down.
But I've found this year SO tough.
I'm so fed up sitting in the house feeezing to avoid putting the heating on. So fed up of the short days (but hurray they're getting lighter!).
It's been a cold but sunny day today which really lifted my mood but checked the forecast for the rest of the week and it is just rain. Rain. Rain.
Ahhhh!!
Anyone else struggling?

Yes, I hate all this rain. Grey skies. Cold. You can’t even put the heating on to feel warm and cosy which was how I used to get through it in the past. Dark evenings. It’s a struggle for me too. Roll on April.

The dark never bothers me but the relentless rain has been awful. Apart from snow and hard frost in early December and a snow last Thursday, it’s just been non stop rain.

Yes actually...this winter has felt very long to me. I'm an outdoors person and run and cycle regardless...but the dismal darkness has weighed on me especially this year. Didn't even get any snow to speak of. Just months of murk.
I'm so tired of it.

Yes I’m totally at the end of my tether. I’m so so sick of it and so fed up.

I agree op. It has been cold and wet and dark for what seems like since August?! I said to my husband yesterday I have been cold to my bones for three weeks now.

Bring on summer! It really has been a long slog and I too usually like winter.

Last year in my area it was crisp, cold and frosty. We had the most perfect smattering of snow that looked pretty but didn't cause hazards.

This year. Well. It's the long haul now isn't it.

Of course summer 23 was a disappointing washout so there's probably still some residual resentment left over from that. It has been grey, rainy and chilly for an extended period now.

It's actually sad how much visibly brighter and happier I am when the sun is out. I don't mind the cold, it's the dreary grey days and intense darkness. If we could have some cold days and rain mixed with some beautiful sunshine and a sunset past 7pm I'd be bloody ecstatic.

I've really struggled this Winter too, endless back and neck pain from being tensed up against the cold (i dont have central heating), and struggling to work (self employed) because ive had endless Raynauds in my hands and am just knackered all the bloody time!

I think it's getting better. Jan/Feb UK are always shit- always have been! it's def lighter now in the evenings and the morning- I think we've done the worst of it and at least Feb is a short month.
Must admit I'm toying with booking a week in the Canaries for next Jan/Feb- just to get a blast of heat and sun to get us through. If I book it now I have time to save up and I think it will be so good for us.

@midnightblue12 I'm sorry you're struggling.

is there something in your budget that you could decrease/do without for a few weeks to enable you to put the heating on?

maybe that's all you need to pork up a bit?!

I overpay all of spring/summer, so I can put it on when I want it on. It's one of the very few good bits about living in a shoe box (for toddlers) too.

if that's not possible people rave about heated throws & they're supposedly really cheap to run.

a big woolly jumper @ socks??

if you can afford to, can you buy a few nice things to embrace the season (lovely lamp, nice blanket, cosy socks, good books) or take up a cosy hobby like crochet?

i walk every day, Every.Day. Some days, I don't want to but I feel better for it, get the blood moving around & some fresh air.

but hang in there, Spring is around the corner.

Yes. Genuinely yes. I'm a buoyant character and count my blessings and think I'm lucky that I've never really experienced depression - I've had stress in my life and I always rationalise it with the thought that I'm only feeling what most people would feel given the same situation - however this winter has really got me down - last winter was bad enough but this year I've felt genuinely low about the endless dismal weather and equally dismal forecasts. I was travelling around Scotland last September for a month and the first storm (Agnes) hit at the end of that - to date we've had 11 storms since then plus I was the most ill I've been in my life for the whole of October (a viral thing, I didn't think it was COVID but it could have been) - I'm already looking at going away - even if it's on my own and missing the whole of Christmas with my family - just to avoid this same thing happening next year - I'm really really hacked off with it all: rain, mud - it puts real hold on plans to do things in the garden, outdoor DIY, short breaks away from home. Actually if it was just cold it wouldn't be so bad - it's a simple matter to dress for that - it's the 4 months of dog walks that get me down - filthy dog, wellies, waterproofs. Add to that that the local council is on the edge of bankruptcy, the state of the roads, the collapse of the health service and a hundred other things.

These last 5 weeks have been a real drag, I think I can count on one hand how many days have had a blue sky, it's just so bloody grey and wet all the bloody time where I am.

Last Friday it was brighter towards sunset after (5pm!) and I really, really felt the difference - so did a bloke I overheard talking to a cashier about the difference in his mood.

Anyway, chins up, spring is coming.

It been a very long haul from Christmas with people in hospital, car problems and crap weather. I can't wait for some sun and proper light evenings again now. Apart from the mini heat wave in 2022 th last few summers haven't been great, especially last year so let's hope for a good one 🤞

Yes, it has been dragging on.

I think the fact we didn’t really have a summer makes it worse.

I am a bit tired of being cold too. I have had my heating on, but just much less than I used to.

We didn't have a summer last year. It's basically rained for the past 14 months.

No wonder you're fed up! I'm so fucking sick of it. It just won't fucking stop.

Oooh has there been a major glitch in the matrix?

@midnightblue12 posted this exactly a year ago today…

I'm really struggling with winter this year 16 replies

midnightblue12 · 14/02/2023 17:08

< Cue The X Files theme tune >

Spooky!

Yes. We are so fed up. We’re all still ill and have been throughout most of it. Ill over Christmas, ill again now. Coughs that won’t go away, up all night. Bills increasing all the time. Food is a luxury it seems with the cost. Car broke down and cost $$ to fix. Roll on spring. Hope it’s decent one.

I think it has been harder this year as we didn't really have much of a summer, so we seem to have had a whole year of horrible weather with the odd good day.

Yep, the rain is relentless. I'm done with everything!

Haha I posted this thread (since changed my user name) and I can co firm that I am still absolutely DONE with this weather!!
It's so depressing and so hard to entertain children in :(