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?

Oh, and I plant indoor bulbs like hyacinths and narcissus. This is the right time to get them potted up. They come up after Christmas and their scent and colour gets me through |January and February.

Keep busy and make plans. I really enjoy the dark nights when I’m doing something. Rotting at home is when the blahhhh feeling sets in.

Have a look for Yoga With Tim on YouTube. He does videos on a beach in Bali. I play it on the TV and I love having the sun and the waves crashing into my living room - it's relaxing and makes me feel good. Even ten minutes sets me up for the day.

Re the going abroad, I went to Morocco in October one year, so had sun for a few days but I found it made that winter feel interminable. So I would recommend going in the New Year instead when there's hope on the horizon.

I like the idea of getting a plant - something where you can watch the shoots coming through. I'll get a lovely scented hyacinth for the kitchen.

Winter sun in Tenerife is cheaper than summer "sun" in Cornwall too!

Last year I brought a flowery garland, stuck some coloured fairy lights in it and put it up to fill the void when the Christmas decorations come down.

Yes to the counting down to the 21st Dec. Then Christmas/ New Year is distracting. By the time normality resumes, you've got 15-30 mins more light than at the solstice. By the end of Jan, daylight is until 5pm, the end of Feb 6pm.
That doesn't help with quality of light like at the moment with the perma-gloom. TBH I'm often relieved when its finally properly dark on days like this.

Cold water swimming can be really euphoric if there's any venues nearby.

In Oct 2020 I bought pots, bulbs and pansies for something to look forwards to through what looked like it was going to be an interminably long winter. It did help.
I put the pots into the flowerbeds so the flowers are easier to see than they are directly in the ground. They prefer it to my cold waterlogged clay too.

Can you get out in the morning as soon as it is completely light. Early in a day is when the light is at it's whitest. Late morning the light takes on a yellow shade.