I'm finding the dark days and nights so difficult. What can I do?

[FlippertyFlopperty]

Just that really. It's having a massive effect on my mental health and I'm feeling very much like I can't cope. Life seems so bleak. Any tips to help me get through to spring?

Get out as much as you can for walks. Exercise as much as you can. Maybe invest in a SAD lamp. Talk to your GP as you might have Seasonal Affective Disorder ?

I go out for a walk in daylight, usually in my lunch hour. I appreciate not everyone can do that though. I also take vitamin D supplements.

Hibernate until Spring.

Make the most of the daylight then fairy lights and candles everywhere .

Highly recommend a lumia alarm clock for the dark mornings. Plenty of lights on in the evening too.

Get out for a walk in "daylight"
Take photos of nature. It's subtle at this time of year, but go in for close-ups of moss, leaf colours and by new year there are little bud tips developing to prepare for spring.
Make sure the house has warm lights.

They are small consolations!

This Autumn has been absolutely beautiful. The colours on the trees are great and it's been dry. Yes, grey and misty but it's much nicer than last year. I look forward to hibernating a bit. I always start exercising and drinking less so I can emerge in March looking and feeling ready for Spring. Could you get outside and really look around you and try and appreciate the seasons?

Have a 'Thanksgiving' meal. Like Christmas dinner but in November! Pumpkin pie is lovely and quite easy to make.
You could do a winter barbecue, with people wrapped up warm, sparklers, dancing in the garden with fairy lights. Basically Invite people round, have a laugh.
Movie nights with popcorn and Bailey's hot chocolate?
Quiz or game night, where everyone donates a small prize?
Making sure you are outdoors as much as possible during daylight. So maybe meet people for lunch or window shopping followed by a nice cosy pub?
There's lots of stuff to do in the colder months, and socialising I think helps.

Try to remember it is lighter than this time in December.

Try to look out at/get out into daylight as much as possible.

Try to enjoy the autumn colours.

(I hate it too. Hate coming home in the dark. Having to drive in the half dark is shit)

I absolutely second getting a SAD lamp. I used to be like you, used to really struggle with it until I got one of those lamps that I sit in front of for at least half an hour every morning. It’s made such a huge difference that this is now my favourite time of year!

Get as much natural daylight as you can during the day as well

Recently there's been hardly any sun here in the north west. Dry yes, but the lack of sun even during daylight is getting to me. I don't mind so much it getting darker earlier if it's been sunny during the day.

It’s winter. Thats what it is. 🤷‍♀️

Yes, we've been living through it for years and survived.

Buy a 1500 lumen daylight temperature LED bulb for the room you spend most time in. It's made an ENORMOUS difference to me. I work from home and I found it almost impossible before I got these lights because I was stuck in the gloom. These make a huge difference - I have them in 2 rooms. You need lamps for the evenings or it's way too bright but they're really worth it for the day time.

Take a high dose of Vitamin D every day and get outside as much as you can - even if it is grey and miserable.

But there's no harm in me asking for help when I need it.

Do you do any of the things people have suggested?

I am the opposite. I love this time of year. I revel in it but I suffer quite badly in the Summertime because I simply hate it. So I understand that feeling of pulling the curtains in the morning and getting that sinking feeling. I don’t have any solutions OP but I can honestly understand how the lack of light, or in my case abundance of light can have such a negative impact on your mental health.

@FlippertyFlopperty

Make sure you still get outside as much as you can during daylight hours. Also, remember it’s only the dark! You can still go out in it. Walk, run, or just wrap up and sit outside.

I sat out for an hour reading my book today.
Woolly hat and a big fur blanket around me.

I detest the winter months too, I get it. The SAD lamp stopped me sleeping, even though I only used it for the minimum amount of time recommended, that was annoying.
Definitely agree that getting out and walking in daylight has to be done every day, no matter how cold, just wrap up.

My own solution for the last couple of years has been to have a winter sun holiday to break it up (have a week in Egypt planned for February) but I appreciate that I am lucky and it is not an option for everyone.

Book a little weekend break somewhere sunny? Rome, Tenerife, Majorca

Not yet.

I’ve always disliked the winter, if I had my way I’d love it to be summer 12 months of the year!
I always feel so yuk in the winter, this year I’ve started feeling like that so much earlier and I think it’s because we’ve hardly had any sunshine this summer!
it doesn’t help the fact I start work 7 am and finish 4/5 pm, so most days I hardly see any daylight!

If you’re working inside all day, go for a walk at lunchtime!