I find being outside in the garden intense

[vamper]

My husband says I'm a vampire... I prefer to be indoors with the curtains closed. I do enjoy the garden a little bit, but if it's too hot, I can't be out there for long.

Even under the parasol. If there's a breeze it's OK. But I do find it quite bright and exhausting to be out there for too long.

I'm happy to be in the sun when I'm on holiday by the pool or at the beach, as you can go and cool off properly. I prefer the pool as it's not as exhausting as the beach. But I mix it up and go to the beach for a bit sometimes. The whole day at the beach is a lot, but a couple of hours is fine.

I could never just go to a park and sit in the blazing sun for example. I used to be able to when I was younger. Am I just getting old ?

I prefer spring and summer. It's definitely my season of choice. But I do struggle with the brightness and heat if I'm sitting out for too long and prefer to be inside for most of the time. Right now the curtains are drawn because I'm keeping the heat out, but I quite like that it's a bit darker in here than usual. Bright light is just too much for my eyes sometimes

Am I a vampire ? Or just heading towards middle age. I'm not 40 yet.

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I don't think your preferences are the norm but they're certainly not that unusual. I can completely identify. I find the heat draining and bright light makes me frown. Sunglasses irritate my hot sweaty face. Its bareable on holiday because well you're on holiday and can flop. You have a pool next to you and aren't thinking about defrosting those chicken breasts for tonight's dinner. Oh and no bra and flip flops.
In fact any time it's bright enough to produce a shadow it's too bright for me 😆i have regular eye check ups and they're fine. I do have some sensory processing issues so find 'flickering' light hard to handle. If the sun is shining through a tree I find the dappling effect irritating. I also luuurve a breeze, even on cooler days.
As long as you're both willing to compromise idont really think it's a major issue, no more than one of you disliking spicy food or jazz.

I hate summer - too bright and too hot/stifling for me. I'm ok when out in the shade, but I tend to hibernate on the north side of my house until around 5pm. I literally feel like a wilting flower until then. During the hottest days I prefer going to work and being indoors with air con. I have astigmatism and bendy joints. Never connected it to my medical conditions but I spend a lot of money on the best sunglasses I could buy.

This is after growing up in an extremely hot and humid country.

I also really struggle in bright light, I have prescription sunglasses for driving that I use year round as it's about brightness rather than heat. If I'm driving during sunset or sunrise they are essential for me. I also don't like being out in the hot weather long (yes current weather is hot to me, like the OP I live in a new build with big windows that gets very hot), the other week I was out with a sunhat for 30 mins and still felt headachey and horrible. The sun gives me headaches

I am the same. I prefer the winter and autumn but as you said if away I like the hot weather. I know a few people that were born in the winter like me who like cold weather. Perhaps it's just a coincidence though.

Does anybody else ALSO struggle with not enough light i.e. I'll be at somebody's house and they'll have a small light or none at all and it's not enough for me because it makes me really struggle?

Yes, I do @Gwenhwyfar. SIL likes sitting in low light and has light bulbs that barely give out enough light. I can't read in low light levels.

Do you have lightish coloured eyes? I discovered in my 30s my retinas are very pale, which makes me particularly sensitive to light.
Personally I dislike feeling sweaty and avoid being out in intense heat. My ideal is a sunny day in Spring, no more than 18 degrees.

Feeling dizzy and sick is the first sign of heat stroke.

I don't stay indoors in the heat, or if I do, I have all the windows and patio doors open. I wouldn't sit in the sun though without shade, and I prefer to be sitting under an umbrella or those tent things they have on holiday whilst looking at the lovely sunshine.

It's good to expose your skin without suncream to the sun for about 20 min a day though so I sit out to have one cup of tea then go back in.

Sunshine enhances my mood, love to see the birds, the trees, but I don't sit right in it, I'm extremely white and burn easily so it would be a right faff to cover myself entirely with cream, get sticky hot and flustered, then come in again,. Just enjoy it how you like.

I have to wear sunglasses in bright sun, I find myself getting hotter if I'm not wearing them. I also like being in a darker room sometimes, but I also like being in garden out on the sun etc.

@Squirrelsnut that's interesting about pale eyes, mine are very pale and I have to wear sunglasses.

I understand where you’re coming from, OP. I like beach/poolside holidays but I’ll spend all day reading a book in the shade, with sunglasses, big hat and factor 50 on. I’m happy like that but my sun-worshipping family think I’m a vampire as well!

I’m 35 but have been like that since my early 20s so not sure it’s an age thing. I just feel faint and dizzy in direct sun, hate feeling sweaty and worry a lot about UV damage to my skin.

I live abroad now somewhere where it gets really hot and the sun is very strong, so I do as the locals do - big sunglasses, loose linen/cotton clothing, staying in during the hottest part of the day… no walking around or even sitting out at midday in little strappy tops and shorts because you will get heatstroke/sunburn. Doing that always seemed a bit bonkers to me!

I have pale skin and blue eyes, and the advice I always get from local people is to buy very good sunglasses and wear them all year, and to sit in the sun for 15-20 mins in the morning (with sunscreen) every day in May-June to get my skin “used to” the sun before the hottest part of the year. So that’s what I do. Although in July/August I still avoid being outside if I can between about midday and 6pm because I find the humidity especially unbearable!

I really don't like being in the sun!

I feel like my head is being bruised by it somehow. Just pegging out the washing yesterday was too much, I had to retreat indoors.

I can tolerate sitting in the shade for a while but even then if it is too bright overall I have to back inside to a nice, dark room.

@vamper why didn’t you ask to sit in the shade during your work meeting? It’s not unusual to want to avoid sitting in the sun in black work clothes!

I’m very similar.
I really can’t cope with the heat and the bright sun.
Your skin will thank you for it later I’m 56 with no wrinkles.

There was no shade on the terrace my colleague wanted to sit on. I did, towards the end, ask to go inside again. I just had a bit of a rough time, as I'm in a new job and was feeling extremely unwell this week and had to keep pushing through it because I didn't want to seem weak and not up for the job. Slept in the toilet at work.

It's been a tough week.

I still have problems even when it's not hot. I also do t like heat but that's not necessarily linked to the sun issue.

I can't stand cloudy but glarey days nor low winter sun, I just can't tolerate sunlight.

I do have atypical migraine with photophobia though, makes summer holidays quite difficult.

Yes! My eyes are terrible in dim light.

In future, definitely have a plan for staying out of the sun at work, I'd have just said, (in a nice way) I need some shade, is that ok, and gone indoors! I never sit in the midday sun for more than 5 min max!

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!
i’m with you OP.
5 mins in the sun is fine and then I’m done. No health conditions , not overweight - I just hate being hot and sweaty.
My childhood was spent in the sun so maybe it’s an age thing for me…

I wear a hat and dark glasses in the hot sunlight.

Also like the cool of the house and the shade of the umbrella.

I have very blue eyes and a slight astigmatism too.

Never linked the two before!

Wishing to sit in the shade is not a sign of weakness and doesn’t prove a lack of ability in your new job. Next time just say ‘sorry, can we sit somewhere cooler? I need to be in the shade’.

I completely understand your reluctance to be outside in the heat as I’m exactly the same.

perhaps it is all the screen use have harmed our vision?

No, mine are dark brown. I still struggle in bright light without sunglasses.

I definitely don't like sitting in direct sunlight, as I'm a redhead and burn very quickly.

I also get hot easily so stay in the shade, wear a sunhat or stay indoors.

I have a UV umbrella for when I have to walk somewhere in the sun. It makes a huge difference.