Does anyone else feel like this winter has been really long and dark?

[Ocrata]

I don't know if it is just my mood.

It seems like we've had lots of gloomy days where the sun's barely been in sight before we sink back down into darkness for another 18 hours and I'm so over it.

Winter doesn't usually get to me but this year it has.

Is it just me? Or is anyone else feeling it?

Hemmed in is exactly how I feel. The dark has a weird sort of claustrophobic sense for me at the minute!

Nope, I feel the total opposite - it was still light yesterday at 4.30pm which felt amazing for mid January.

Not particularly this year as we’ve had lots of cold, bright days, especially over Christmas. Last year was far worse -
just rain, rain, rain.
Posters who have said you love Winter - I’d love to know how. I’m trying hard to embrace it but I do struggle with the dark evenings and dark mornings.

I felt like this last year but there have been enough crisp sunny days this year to break up the periods of gloom, also for the most part it hasn't been very cold here in the SE, I haven't needed a hat or scarf once and have hardly worn my thick coat. I do like it when the daylight hours get longer, May/June is my favourite time of year with long hours of daylight but hopefully not too hot.

Yes. I don't know if it's me getting older or we have had less sunlight than usual.

Our streetlights have been turned down by 40% thanks to the council having to save money so it makes going out harder and darker. I feel really hemmed in by the dark these days.

I hate the dark mornings. Looking out of my window atm it's dark,murky and miserable. Roll on Spring.

Winter can do one.

I say this every winter though. I don’t mind the cold, it’s the endless grey and darkness 🙇🏼‍♀️
But I have seen snowdrops… Aslan is on the move!

no actually. I love winter but there’s been very little cold and crisp and it’s already getting really light again. I haven’t felt like running coz it’s too warm and now it’s bloody spring again!

Me neither. This Jan has felt fairly lightweight for me this year. I’m not sure why as usually it is a drag. And the sunny days have been glorious when they’ve been here!

Good heavens, no! The opposite for me. But we’re not even properly into it yet - the worst is still to come 🤣🤣

OP, do you have good lighting in your home? We have daylight bulbs in our ceiling lights (not the cold blue lights which I can’t bear) and warm white in lamps. The daylight bulbs made a huge difference to me.

I love the dark mornings and evenings anyway. I love the drive to work when it's still dark. It feels mildly exciting getting all the way to the office still in the dark and seeing the sun come up from my desk.

Driving in actual dark is also infinitely preferable to driving in the low sun when it's glaring off the road and making it nearly impossible to see anything.

I’ve really felt it this year. We’ve had lots of gloom and grey days which some days have made it feel like it hasn’t got light properly. I love running, and I’m really looking forward to when it is still light around 6-7 and I can finish work go in daylight which really helps me switch off. I can’t always get out at lunchtime and I need that dose of sun and daylight.

I can put up with it this year as we had a long hot summer for a change (at least where I live). I love proper seasons which have seem to have been missing somewhat in recent years. Hoping for a bright crisp spring

I feel it’s going quickly now the days are getting longer. Was bright still at 4.45pm yesterday! I walk a lot and make a point of noticing the changes. Lots of daffodil shoots are up and there are buds on trees. Try to see the positives.

I'm with you OP. I hate winter anyway - it's claustrophobic and living under artificial light is not good for anyone. Half an hour's walk in my lunch break is just not cutting it. I'm definitely finding it harder as I'm getting older- each year that goes by is more of a struggle.

Are you getting enough vitamin D?
I used to really suffer in the dark months and used a SAD lamp. I take vitamin D all year now and I’ve not used it this Winter.
I always go for a dog walk in daylight too, that helps.

This. I take high strength D3 and walk daily with my dog. The dark is hard but I find it easier now the days are stretching out. Before Christmas was hardest.

This is interesting because me and a friend who usually struggle in January in particular feel that it has been better this year.
I thought we'd had less of the days that are white and grey all day with no blue or sunshine. I'm in the north too so if there was a geographical difference I would have thought we would come off worse.

I'm sorry you're feeling it, it is horrid.
Things that have helped - someone already mentioned the light in your home. I've lit candles on the greyest days, not in a way to embrace winter and twinkle lights and blankets but because I feel it is a better light than the cold blue too lightbulbs.
We are slowly replacing our bulbs with ones that contain no blue light. Using one on a evening makes such a difference to how less tired my eyes feel.
Vitamin D plus co-factors. I'm all for getting D naturally but I think supplementing it must have helped. Co factors k and magnesium are very important.

We have lots more signs of spring than usual. Plants like cleavers are appearing very early. The trees are full of buds and catkins. Better days aren't far away.

I second this. I've been taking Vitamin D daily since September-ish and I've noticed a massive improvement in my sleep, mood and overall mental health.

Usually the winter doesn't bother me but this year I've felt really miserable. Hate caving to puf the heating on all day. Normally I'd get away with a few hours here and there.
We also had a lot of snow which is very unusual so being stuck in the house didn't help.

Opposite for me. Its striking how quickly the days are lengthening and we've had a fair bit of sun.

I think this is the worst week if winter. I hate the lack if day light but actually I don’t feel like this winter has been any worse than others. Do you take high strength vitamin D tablets?

Exactly how I feel.
I could live in a permanent late summer / golden Autumn , I feel like I have a cloak of gloom over me during winters darkness.
Christmas card winter would be lovely - probably also impractical ! but dank wet dullness is so depressing.
I do think this one has been particularly dark and January sooo long but I have definitely heard more birds lately and seen buds so it won't be to much longer.
Meanwhile candles and fairy lights and books in bed on earlier nights help me get through it.

I forgot my quote !