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.

The weather is different in the south It’s regional weather. It’s less sunny and bright outside if it’s overcast with grey rain clouds, and it rains less here.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/metofficegovuk/pdf/weather/learn-about/uk-past-events/regional-climates/southern-england_-climate---met-office.pdf

The sun shines in Bognor Regis for longer than anywhere else in the U.K. it is the sunniest area.

are we getting confused by daylight and brightness? During the day the sky will be light, but there are different levels of light depending on the weather and position of the sun. There are different diffused lights through the clouds and there is direct sunlight. Heavy grey clouds can cause a darkness as they obscure the sun, and when it rains it is often not bright. You might even have to put your car headlights on in the day if it’s really grey out. Have you ever waited for the sun to come out, or to go behind some clouds? It changes both the heat and the light when that happens. there isn’t just one level of light from dawn till dusk, the weather varies the amount of sunlight you experience. Where I live in summer it is often clear sky or all white clouds (which are still bright) but I can even tell the difference between what streams into my south facing bedroom depending on the weather. Today it’s cloudy so the light is not overly illuminating my whole room, it has an element of diffused light to it. On a sunny no cloud day, my south facing room is completely brightly illuminated by the sun. Both direct sunlight and white cloud brightness can affect my vision and make it difficult to see. It’s easier to see on a ‘dull’ type of day.

There are some quite patronising comments on here from people who love the sun and think it must be very sad for us and we should just pull ourselves together.

Frankly it is frustrating, I would love to enjoy being in the sun but unfortunately it makes me ill and so we have adapted as a family.

DM and DD also struggle in the sun. DM has vertigo which can be triggered by bright sunlight, also a weird skin reaction plus she's on drugs that make her burn easily. She once came back from an October UK holiday with toes burnt to chippolatas.

DD is half Indian but unfortunately has inherited our sun issues and so wears a big hat and prefers not to go out in very hot days.

I get headaches, migraines, two different kinds of rash, can feel panicky if I'm stuck somewhere hot and can't even think if the sun is on my head. Once I'm in the shade I'm like a completely different person.

I am never going to enjoy sitting in the sun and I'm ok with that. It's quite dull anyway.

Your experience is extreme. If we all had to think about every single variety of outlier we'd drive ourselves mad. Most people are fine in the sun in the garden for a few hours and enjoy it.

Why would you associate it with depression? I can’t stand the summer and I’m definitely not depressed and don’t have any medical issues. Autumn is by far my favourite time of the year.

I detest heat & sun, OP. 🌻
I'm a similar age to you, & don't give a toss if others think I'm odd. I think they're odd- well, we're off to each other I guess.

For me, I'm just not into the heat- never have been- but I'm also a hayfever sufferer, am ND & prone to headaches which doesn't help.

I can not imagine anything worse than paying to sit/lie on a hot beach- in fact you'd have to pay me!

I'm a lover of autumn & any season really other than summer. I do agree that summer looks lovely- blue skies, flowers in bloom etc, but the endless, suffocating, nasty heat? Yuck- you can keep that!! 🥵

@Damnspot I don't think I'm that much of an outlier. This thread is full of people who can't tolerate the sun or heat for a variety of reasons and a weird number of sun lovers who seem to think our lives must be terribly sad and depressing because of it.

Yes, you are unusual
A few posts on mumsnet where generally people have a high degree of contrary behaviour doesn't make that less true.

"I get headaches, migraines, two different kinds of rash, can feel panicky if I'm stuck somewhere hot and can't even think if the sun is on my head"

This is not common.

(And I'd think anyone who had those symptoms because of a type of weather was very unlucky and I'd find it utterly depressing, yes)

I’m trying to go out in the sun more (for vitamin D) but much prefer autumn weather. Mind you, these days it doesn’t help that I’m menopausal and often boiling hot and the fact that my neighbour has a 5ft fence and thinks it’s perfectly normal to drag me into a conversation every time I so much as peg a bit of washing out 😡

Why would you associate it with depression? I can’t stand the summer and I’m definitely not depressed and don’t have any medical issues. Autumn is by far my favourite time of the year.

Fresh air and sunshine are well known to correlate with better mental health. I like Autumn too and I can imagine not liking intense heat but I think anyone who actively shuns sunlight and lives indoors with the curtains drawn must be unwell.

It's one thing to avoid hot weather but actively avoiding sunshine and fresh air is miserable. Sorry, I think it's such a depressing and limiting (and unhealthy) way to live.

My eyes are very sensitive to light, but I can manage with sunglasses. Do you have light coloured eyes by any chance? My optician said very pale eyes can be more sensitive as they let more light in.

I’m the same as you OP. I HATE the sun with such intensity!
Im always indoors, occasionally sit in the garden late evening if it’s cool enough.
Roll on Autumn.

i hate sitting out in the sun too.
ive fainted before in the heat or feel dizzy. Also get migraines from too much sun.

Ive been to hot countries before and it seems different, less stifling and more sensibly set up for the sun.

Hot weather and bright sun: some like it and some don’t. Do we really have to have a bun fight about it 😂

I agree.

I love the spring and the summer. Unfortunately the sun does not love me. I'm extremely pale, and I burn so so easily, I mean within half an hour. It's actually quite dangerous for me to spend too much time in the sun. I can't go to really hot countries as in extreme heat I burn even with high factor sun cream on.

So, unfortunately I spend most of the summer indoors, or if I am outside I have to be sat in the shade. Even if I cover my whole body there's still my face to worry about!

@Beezknees even with suncream? I'd go red within half an hour without suncream, many do. I manage a bit longer with factor 50 though

Hello mums , If my ultimate aim is to have my son admitted to grammar school in year 7, what's the better choice between schools Kew college prep and Dulwich prep? He will be 3 soon!

@Sree19 are you drunk

Some people struggle more with the heat than others. Especially post menopausal woman.

Depends how hot it is, in these temperatures I am ok with sun cream on but I'm always paranoid that I've missed a bit 😂 in more extreme temperatures (30 degrees plus) I burn even with cream on and I use factor 50.

I understand that the sun is the same sun wherever you live, but surely countries with less pollution in the atmosphere above them are going to have a slightly brighter sun?

However, the point I was trying to make, love, is that you are not known for your large number of sunny days, so how on earth is it so stressful for all the seemingly delicate flowers who simply cannot cope with a bit of sunshine on their faces??? How on earth do people in the rest of the world cope? Anyone would think it was full on sunshine for 365 days a year the way some of you are carrying on.

“Less pollution in the atmosphere” - by that token northern Scotland is sunnier than London, yeah?

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/09/92-of-the-world-s-population-lives-in-areas-with-unsafe-air-pollution-levels-this-interactive-map-shows-just-how-bad-the-problem-is/

This map shows that Scotland has pretty clean air so Scotland has one of the sunniest climates in the world?

And you live in a country which is nearer the equator, has cleaner air, yet almost all its inhabitants have very pale skin and eyes?

Everyone understands the point you are TRYING to make. You are just wrong.

Please show me where I said I lived in a country nearer the equator??? Nor did I say almost all the inhabitants have very pale skin and eyes - I said the majority of the population does not have dark skin and eyes, "very pale" was never mentioned.

Nor did I say countries with less pollution in the atmosphere were sunnier than those which aren't. Sunnier and brighter sun are not the same. You seem to have difficulty comprehending simple statements - or it it that you just can't read?