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?

I find this time of year very difficult.

I just got back from a four day break in the sun (25 degrees) and it has really given me a boost. I am aiming to get away in February too.

I try to get up early and out as soon as it’s light, walking the dog. That seems to help. Then in late afternoon I pull the curtains and light candles, pyjamas on. Lots of comfort food. Homemade vegetable soup is a firm favourite, it feels so nourishing and wholesome.

Get outside every day for a walk or a cycle.
Make the most of cosy evenings with baths and lots of candles.
Take vitamins every day and eat well.
Read books or watch movies you've been meaning to get round to watching.
Make soup and bread and invite friends round to join you and have a drink.
Join a club in the evenings- a sports group or a book group etc.

Get a cat. This always helps.

Wine

Get out and see the colours this year!!
Embrace hygge - hot drinks, blankets, red wine 🍷 🍷, arts and crafts? Declutter - I find watching declutter shorts quite motivating. Chucking stuff I don't use, just get rid, and am about to get the fairy lights out I think! Candles! Baths and massages and bed lol! Hibernation basically.

Once people start putting their Christmas lights up we always try to go out every evening (as long as it's dry). We walk to and through various parts of town and enjoy all the beautiful lights and decorations. Bring a hot drink in a travel cup if it's particularly cold.

You have to embrace the yang, to summer’s ying. Go big on candles and soft cushions and blankets, knitted socks, hats and gloves. Hot drinks in nice mugs, walks in great boots, clouds of steam when you breathe out, hot water bottles. Holly and Ivy and bare trees, robins and foxes and crows, mist in the morning

The opposite of summer. It is tough though, it’s dark when you leave the house, and dark when you get back. The Anglo Saxons counted age in winters survived, they had it much shitter than us.

@quirkychick funnily enough I do often think ‘well at least we don’t have reindeer’ when I watch her videos 😁

@FlippertyFlopperty forgot to say I really like the Better You vitamin D spray, it’s usually on 3 for 2 in Tesco and Boots.

I am not a grey-day lover either - but turn on the fairy lights and candles at night - and Vit D tablets. As long as I can tell myself "were not heading for winter, were heading for spring" I'm ok with that. And running, exercising and taking dog out. Oh and spending far too much time on Vinted.

You have to go for a walk in daytime every single day. Even if it's boring / wet.

And it's not just you. We have had an usually small amount of sunshine this month.

I have fairy lights up all year and lots of lights around my house.

Scented candles

Hot chocolate or coca with ginger cinnamon or chilli flakes or a chai latte

lots of upbeat music

Daily exercise preferably outdoors

prescribed doses of vitamin d and b12

diet rich in proteins and veg

I love the leaves and smell of woodsmoke at this time of year

Someone upthread mentioned cold water therapy, I turn the shower cold the last bit (start with cooler for a few seconds) helps your immune system, wakes you up and helps you acclimatise to the cold.

I feel exactly the same. The fact that it's been so cloudy, grey and drizzly lately has really added to my low mood at this time of year.

What gets me through is counting down to 21st December, which is the shortest day of the year and I remind myself that daylight gets longer again from then.

New year comes round, I get through January knowing February is a short month and then I get through February knowing the clocks go forward in March. It's possibly an odd approach, but I guess I'm getting through it bit by bit, rather than thinking it's five months+ of gloom.

It doesn't help they I don't like Christmas or new year! I hate everything about winter.

@Delatron , Wintering is a great book, I love it.

Go to Tenerife

My SAD lamp is a game changer.

The dark can be very oppressive. Would have been much better to stay on BST. It’s also been quite grey, very little blue sky. However, for once it is DRY! Much better than last year when it rained non stop.
On my days off I get out into the light wherever I can, as early as possible for as long as possible.

Firstly be up for when it gets light, secondly get outside first at least half an hour each day, thirdly put on lights until mid evening then lower lights

Not too long until the shortest day and then we're over the brow of the hill.
I'm inspired to get fairy lights on the go - thanks all.

It is! I think I’ll reread it at this time every year..

I don’t understand the claims about staying In BST being better. It makes no difference to the amount of hours of darkness/light

I really struggle with seasonal affective disorder, and as the summers have got greyer, and the weather generally flatter/ less sunny, I’ve found the last few years horrible.

I’ve invested in a SAD lamp for the first time this year. Other things that help:

Going for a walk every morning
Eating well- lots of fruit and veg etc
Getting enough sleep, but not going to bed TOO early
Fairy lights, everywhere. Makes the gloom seem cosy

Watch the comedies that make you laugh.

Then we had one storm after another.

Some great advice and replies on here ! The constant grey sky can be draining especially if you’re already prone to depression . I’m going to try some of the tips on here .

Get as much daylight as you can, even if you just sit next to the window as much as possible. Buy a SAD light - mine came from Argos - and put it on for a couple of hours each night when darkness falls. Give yourself small treats in the evening, like a lovely hot chocolate or a piece of delicious cake - you then associate the evening with something lovely. Fairylights. Candles in a beautiful lantern. I knit or sew while listening to podcasts or audiobooks, and it makes the evening pass quicker. The Winter solstice is on December 21st and after that, the evenings get gradually lighter heading to midsummer; I always try to remember that when the dark evenings make me struggle.