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?

For me, the dark afternoons haven’t lasted long. Already it’s light enough at 4 pm to take my dog to the park. Every day, it’s noticeable that the days are getting longer.

Hate these horrible dreak days been foggy all day

My theory is it’s because we had such a long lovely summer, makes the winter hit harder!

Taking daughter back to uni tomorrow im fine but dog is whining already at the loss of her person

You mean long and dark like every other winter before?

Well this winter is categorically more cloudy & rainy that last winter. Last year many many areas broke sunshine records for months on end.

I hate the dark mornings - it’s awful when it’s dark at 8am. And that has seemed to drag on and on. Just checked and finally it will be light at 7.58am tomorrow. Woo hoo.

We really need to get to Feb to start getting a decent amount of light.

January is like and endurance challenge.

A good friend of mine always reckons people should hibernate and re-emerge late Spring. I think it is all the snowy weather and the ice that followed will make sure we enjoy Spring weather. Also the places I go to are only opening up as of last week eg a social club, exercise class etc.

I think it’s been particularly dark this winter. Lots of horrid stormy rainy days, more so than usual. Can’t wait for it to be over.

It's been muddy and wet where we live. Everything is covered in mud.

I agree OP, January is grim. Christmas was bright and dry but the following cold was intense and miserable.

For various reasons I won't get into I was really dreading winter this year. I read a great book called Wintering which was recommended here and it really changed my outlook on winter.

Life is still tough but January just doesn't bother me at all this year, whereas often by now it feels like winter has been going on absolutely ages.

I'm in the opposite camp. I've had loads of fresh sunny walks this winter. I have a good walk everyday that it isn't raining and I feel like that has been more days than not.

I get it. I’m feeling it much more than normal this year. I don’t know why.

I must be one of the few people who doesn't look forward to spring as I know once it arrives,it's not long until summer is looming with the possibility of hot weather. Which I absolutely hate. I'm not a lover of very cold weather,but I can cope with it as it is easier to warm up if it's zero degrees outside,than it is yo cool down if it's 32 degrees. I'd be happy at a constant 22 degrees.

It’s actually felt very short to me

It’s been really dark and rainy today. Got up at 9am this morning and still felt like it was the middle of the night it was so dark!

I am too. Maybe it’s all the stuff going on in the world too with the bad news on a loop.

It’s not even been a month yet.

The perpetual rain doesn't help, it's so dank. Another one here who picked up a nasty virus which limped on for a long time (cold or flu, I dunno). So I have less tolerance for weather conditions this year.

Yeah I don’t think that helps. The first week of Jan was constant awful news stories.

I feel this too. I generally hate Jan and Feb though. Cold, everyone's poor from Christmas, often it rains a lot.

I read the same book and it’s really helped shift my mindset. Genuinely enjoying it this year

We had some great dry, bright days in Nov/early Dec, even round Christmas. But January here has been mainly gloomy except for big snow day when at least it was bright.

I hate Nov to Feb for dark nights and gloomy days..Roll on spring.

According to the Met office, Winter officially started on 1/12. I expect it's a combination of you having a virus and busy with Christmas. So many people have this romantic illusion of Christmas, then the downfall. My dks,gks had norovirus from Christmas eve, oldest DD abdo surgery on the 23, I stayed with her as she's single. We had a casual "Christmas" on Saturday. Oldest DSs girlfriend had to work, Christmas day,so eldest DD and they are coming round in a few weeks time. The rain hasn't helped. I keep some fairy lights on, not Christmasy ones, table lamps, warm white bulbs. Table decorations, greenery and battery tea lights,to cheer things up..