How do you cope with winter?

[Wintercopping]

Posting for some traffic and advice.

Being in the UK for nearly 20 years; grew up in a country near the Ecuator with no seasons.

I wonder if I ever going to get use to the English grey skies and darkness; especially in winter.

I do meditation, yoga, take magnesium, vitamin D, have a SAD lamp. What else can I do? DH and kids don’t seem affected by it.

We can’t move for the moment; our jobs are here and would like youngest to finish school, currently in year 9.

I grew up in Northern Europe with just two-three hours of daylight in winter and even I struggle with UK winter. It's not the matter of getting used to it, unfortunately. A couple of years ago I just decided to go with the flow. As soon as the clocks change, I actually naturally sleep later. I take on a lot of "hibernation-type" activities in winter - reading, drawing, crafts. And prioritise outdoor activities and vigorous exercise in summer. I also make sure to take a long trip to a sunny spot in early Spring. Places like Tenerife or Malta is a cheap holiday in Feb/March and gets me a great boost before Spring is properly started in the UK.

This is mumsnet so you'll be told how wonderful it is to snuggle up under blankets and drink hot chocolate.

It is hard OP. I've booked a couple of 3 night winter sun breaks to try and break it up a bit.

Thank you. I think I need to embrace it somehow. We do lots of holidays overseas. Will book a holiday in February I think.

We have horses so winter can be horrific. We hibernate a bit, I put on half a stone, I make a room in my house super cosy and sit in it and read. Drink red wine. Go to bed earlier. Cook and eat more. I hated it for decades and now I look forward to it.

We also go away in Feb for some sun!

I do:
Vit D, lumie lamp, as much garlic in my food as I can get away with, nasal spray if I think I'm getting a cold, as much outdoor time in the daylight as I can manage, planned evening activities (just like cinema or yoga class), things like planting bulbs or seeds feel hopeful and I also like going to glass houses in botanical gardens.
Given the choice though I'd move to California from October to march!

I don’t mind winter and since we have no choice but to get through them I look for positive or practical ways to make life easier.

I keep my house warm and I make sure it’s as cosy as possible by having nice warm bedding, blankets, fairy lights and candles lit.
I enjoy Halloween, Bonfire night and the run up to Christmas. Having nice things to focus on helps me.
Something as basic as having a warm coat and boots/winter clothing makes it more bearable.

Don’t get me wrong - I can still find the rainy days bleak but dwelling on it makes me miserable so now I focus on the positive side and have seen a big change in my mood over the years.

I've read that making the effort to get outside close to noon, and spend 5-10 minutes in what sunlight there is, helps to keep the body clock right.

The other thing is to avoid making it too bright inside later in the evenings. This also helps to reinforce the natural daily cycle of light and dark.

The other things that help to keep my mood up are lively music on when cooking/baking. It's so easy to slip into inactivity and almost a semi-hibernation, but I find that leads to me feeling restless and makes it harder to rest properly. The other thing along the same lines is to go outside for a walk even if it's raining. It's almost like I have to prove to winter that it isn't going to keep me inside for five months.

This is mumsnet so you'll be told how wonderful it is to snuggle up under blankets and drink hot chocolate.

😂

Thing is, most of us just grumble a bit, accept it for what it is and get on with it as Britons have been doing for countless millennia.

Then when we've had enough of being stoic, we are rewarded with the glorious English springtime. Wouldn't like to live where OP grew up with no seasons.

I honestly cant cope with a British wìnter i get SAD and I'm utterly depressed.
Sad lamps dosnt realky make any difference to me. Its the constant grey and dark. I moved to as sunnier climate to be honest

It's not the grey which gets me, it's the dark. It was dark by 4.30pm here yesterday and it's only the first week in November. There is nothing that you can do to change the hours of daylight and it's rough, I look forward to the solstice and the knowledge that we have turned the corner. November and December are far more depressing than January and February when it's getting lighter every day - today we have just under 9 hours of daylight, by the solstice that's under 7 hours, by mid-february we're back to 10 hours. It makes a huge difference.

Agree with what others say about SAD lamps, and getting out at midday makes a huge difference if possible.

Ah, you poor thing, I know how you feel. I’ve also been here for 20 years and miss the heat of my summers and the sun. Oh, the sun!
This is how I handle it:

• Every year I go on holiday to a hot country over the winter months. SE Asia is far and tickets are expensive but once there, the accomodation and food is cheaper than travelling to Europe so it’s worth it.
• whenever there’s a clear/ sunny winter weekend day, i go walking in the countryside for the entire day, to get as much light and sun as I can.
• i have a fantastic electric blanket that I cozy up with so I never feel the cold at home.
• i make a big deal out of Christmas, so with the prep and everything that’s another 2 weeks of winter gone.
• i have a hobby which can take quite a bit of time and which I neglect in the summer when I’m gardening but overdose on in the winter

I've lived here my entire life and from the moment the clocks go back I'm willing summer back, I hate it, dark mornings and early evenings, wet, cold, three bloody thirty yesterday it started getting dark, what is that!?

Washing doesn't dry, it's not cold enough for heating, so waking up it's chilly, coat or jacket?

I like my warm sunny evenings.

I put all my focus into Christmas, because I love that, gets me to Dec, then it's count down to spring😫

I look forward to Christmas and the days getting longer after that.

It’s like we all live in an ice cream tub. And when October / November arrives someone puts the lid on. the sky is always overcast, grey and gloomy.

and the lid doesn’t come off until Spring.

However on those bright sunny winter days - I am so grateful for the sun. Crispy leaves and a walk. Just wish we had more of it!

Get a long puffer jacket and a nice hat and the cold is less intimidating! Feel for you though

I much much prefer summer but there is something like in all seasons. I would hate to live somewhere without the variety of very different seasons.

The trick with Nothern European winters is to go outside as much as you can when it is light. Also lean in to it. A lot of Nothern European winter customs - winter festivals, lights, heavier food etc.. are adopted for a reason. Finally remember this - another 8 weeks or so and we will have tirned the year and and be on the slow march towards lighter evenings again.

I feel you, SAD got hit me pretty hard last year and I was determined for that not to happen the same way this year. So far I am feeling good this season. The biggest things for me have been going to the gym 3x a week (for physical health of course but I enjoy my workouts so much it helps my mood be less affected by the grey weather & endless rain and mud) and increasing group social activities where I can so I'm not just sitting at home moping about the weather and the lack of light - I have something fun and creative and social to look forward to. I do have a Lumie SAD light but not sure what impact it's having. I think that's one of those things that gives you a little lift but won't make all the difference.

Those of us that come from northern Sweden think all of the daylight you have in England is a blessing!

We embrace winter with candlelight, songs, foliage and preparing the ground for spring. Mid winter is short lived, and we have milder seasons now. Find a way to use the time productively.

I’m in northern Europe, where there are only a couple of hours of day light. Spend a lot of time in the fresh air if you can, before lunch!

Our houses are always warm, but I sleep with my window open no matter how cold it is outside. At day care the children sleep outside.

We have lots and lots of smaller lights on everywhere in the house. Lots of light in the mornings to activate the brain is important. Not too much coffee.

Do not watch TV in the dark with only the light from the TV. It’s really bad and can cause depression. Vitamin D. Nice winter food. Open the windows a bit every day for fresh air. Have small things to look forward to, like maybe going to concerts.

Fool your brain by only thinking about what you enjoy doing and not what you don’t enjoy (the dark and how tired you are 😂).

Lots of nice (not tacky!!) lights in our gardens, trees and bushes, especially December-March. When you drive into our road it’s like a festival of lights, it’s beautiful.

Lower the expectations on yourself. It’s natural to be more tired.

I have an open fire. It really does work to keep the winter blues away.

Can anyone make a list of comforting food? I’m cooking chicken casserole (slow cooker) for tea with roasted veggies today.

But I run out of ideas quickly and it would be nice to have a little inspiration.

I frequently do beef stew and dumplings and chilli but would love to do more!

I agree with this.

I love gardening and there is always something to do, or a new treasure to see. At the moment, my hellebores are making new leaves, the cotinus is turning glorious colours and the sparrows are very grateful for their daily feed.

I came on here to say this 🤭🤭🤭

I'm sorry op, whilst I do love this time of year the most, I appreciate it can be hard.

Do you not have some favourite tv shows to watch? I use this time to prioritise rest - do you have to some indoor things you've been wanting to do? Books to read or recipes to try?

If you're able, embrace it, as you have a lovely excuse not to have to do those obligations you don't want to x

I really struggle, my mental health takes quite a hit 🙁 I'm a dog owner and will rer means mud, constant cleaning of mud, bathing the dog etc... I love my dog but I really don't cope well in winter.

Go outside. Be in nature!! I love taking photos of moody foggy landscapes and frosty leaves. It makes you appreciate winter for what it is. If you're up north, look for the northern lights. Decorate your house in fairy lights and appreciate the darkness.