Struggling so much with the endless grey dark weather

[Tipsandtricks22]

Its making me miserable. Its not uncommon for me to feel like this in the winter and at the beginning I really tried to be more positive about it and prevent it getting to me but today, the house is literally dark because its just completely grey and horrible and overcast outside. In a way I'd prefer if it was pelting down with rain, at least I like the sound of rain. I get that I live in England but as I'm unable to move to the Canary islands, how to I stop it making me feel so depressed?

Sorry @Allthings didnt mean you, replied to the wrong comment

Me too @Tipsandtricks22 . I wake up in the dark, get up im daylight but the house is dark. Just another 3 months of it to go.

Oh, thats quite a negative approach from you there.
I read the comments and went out for a walk which made me feel a very little bit better and I also looked at sad lamps online as thought it might be a good christmas present. So maybe dont be so quick to make assumptions about people.

I'm not sure we can say that it's going to be grey in April May or June 2026 with any confidence! Or March even.

But yes if you can make it sunny for the next 6 months @deplorabelle that would be great thanks 🤭

I don't think that comment is very negative, what makes you think that? Actually I think the houseplants idea is quite good, I know something in me craves green as much as sun.

Getting outdoors is so important to my mental health, and it was actually why I started gardening in the first place. There really is a very short space of time between everything dying back and the new shoots sprouting, but you need to get out there and close up to see it.

If you just look out a window it is all a lot more dreary

If you read what I wrote, it wasn't negative and I gave you some genuine, actionable advice. I was commenting on the way these discussions go, and was making a general comment as you hadn't come back to the thread. I am glad you feel a little better now.

There's definitely something in angry walking! I had some bad news not so long ago so I took myself off for a long walk, effing & blinding as I went and felt so much more calm & positive when I got home!

I used to feel like this, it’s really hard. Things that helped me include buying lamps with a timer or smart plug so they come on as soon as it gets dark and I don’t come home to a dark house, getting outside every day in all weathers and being really present to see what the clouds are like or the wind feels like that day or how gnarly the trees are etc., exercising really hard to work up a sweat each day, cosy hobbies like reading, painting, puzzles which have an end so I’m working towards completing something, booking fun festive activities like going to markets or ice skating, and generally improving my mental health.

I listened to this podcast the other day which was interesting. It includes some practical tips and also talks about how powerful it is to expect to feel down in the winter

I understand the feeling OP. The answer for me is to have things arranged to do and also getting out in nature or just fresh air, even if it is cold, grey and wet. It does make a big difference.
Saying that, I've been lucky today it seems, as I managed a 6 mile walk in sunshine.
I'm out to pilates tonight - I know I'll enjoy it, even if going back out in the dark is unappealing.
Also main lights on in the house if rooms seem dark in the daytime - makes a big difference to me. DP tells me off, but I start to feel lethargic otherwise.

It hasn't really been grey and miserable here yet, even today when it's raining it's still quite nice. It was a glorious summer and has been a mild bright and beautiful autumn so far. I would suggest trying a sunrise alarm clock in the morning. They are a game changer for the winter months.

I know what you mean OP. It never used to bother me but with two young children and feeling a bit low recently it has affected me this year and last. I am trying to stay positive and looking forward to longer days.

I started gardening because I hate the summer heat (it makes me ill and gives me summer variant SAD) and I wanted to give myself something to look forward to about summer. It isn't a complete cure, because nothing will be given I can't move to Norway, but it does help a lot.

I think lighter evenings would be more socially useful. Even with reverting to GMT people wake in the dark and by the solstice are commuting in the dark anyway. In the darkest weeks of the year, at least children could have an hour of daylight for coming home from school, play and sports even if it's of limited use for full time workers.

When we had that November lockdown "firebreak" in 2020, I tried getting the DCs to parks that had some useable path network and decent play equipment rather than our local mud-swamp and toddler park. By late November I had to give up as it was too dark by 4pm to be worth going anywhere by the time we arrived. I was trying to keep them active in lieu of their usual sports. An hour of daylight after school would have been more useful than coming and going to school in the twighlight of GMT anyway.

My Lumie helps with waking up.
I agree with outdoor exercise, even if it's twighlight or fully dark.
Look for the details in nature. Berries, leaf buds, fungi.
Appreciate the views opening up as the leaves come off.
Plant pots of spring bulbs and winter bedding.
Have a range of bright and soft lighting for different purposes. Pick warm whites.
Count down to the solstice/ Christmas. Put some soft, spring decorations up in January to plug that dark void. Count down until the evenings lengthen in late Feb.
Winter sun if viable.

It's not March- Oct, but it does help break the gloom down into something more managable.

I’m eying up garden saunas.

Expensive yes, but I am messaging H any articles on the endless health benefits to plant the seed.

I’m convinced they are the answer.

I used to want the dark hours in the mornings but as our teens go to college earlier than school, and lots of people travel to work that time I think it should stay as it is.

Being out, at work, college, exercising, just out of the house helps. Then home isn’t endless hours of the same building.

Who doesn’t like getting home on a grey day? Music on, dinner cooking, shoes off. It’s the change from work to evening that helps.

I agree with get out as much as you can. I have just changed jobs where I am outside loads. Staff who were inside moaned about it raining all afternoon whereas we noticed the breaks, a bit of sun and a chunk of rainbow.

Other than that you just have to hold the faith that it will be getting noticeably lighter in January; then all downhill until a glorious summer 😁

Also get fit now when everyone else is blobbing and overeating. You’ll be amazing in the New Year.

Yes but then we wouldn't have the lovely light evenings when the clocks go forward in March. The sunlight would just creep forward in the evenings by a couple of minutes per week

I hear you @Tipsandtricks22, it's a hard time of year for a lot of people. Clocks going back to the solstice. Yuk. Just gets darker and darker. All the people wittering on about crunching through leaves and crisp autumn days clearly don't live anywhere near me, and people who wang on about snuggling under blankies with the famalam and a hot choccy just make me stabby with rage.

Changing the clocks makes not one iota of difference as it does not conjure up any more daylight. You just get that daylight at a slightly different time of the day.

Few things which I have found out help.

Vitamin D - the high dose stuff. Plus a general multivit.

SAD lamp - mine is a Beurer one, they will definitely have black Friday deals around. It's about the size of an ipad and you don't even have to look directly at it, just have it shining on you for a bit.

Getting out into the daylight when you can and when the weather allows. Even 5 minutes sitting on a bench with your face turned to the light.

Counting the days to the solstice - 41 as of today. That's not even 6 weeks. And after that it will start getting lighter every day and by mid-January you'll be noticing the difference week on week. You can do this.

I take Vitamin D all year round but a double dose in Autumn and Winter. I also purchased a SAD lamp earlier this year and this has just reminded me to start back on it. I hate the short days at this time of year.

Life is too short not to embrace the seasons. I love a grey day as much as I love a sunny day - its how you spend your time that counts.

To use this weekend as an example - it was sunny one day so got washing out, big walk with our kids, soaked up sunshine, ate lunch out on our walk. The other day was grey so used the time to get housework/ironing done and caught up with some friends. Nice food, bath and fire to feel cosy in the evening.

Can’t read all the comments, but read a few above and agree that if you keep busy, active etc, you actually dont focus on the weather. I get out and about all year (will happily have a picnic in January out on a walk!) and I think everyone should. If it’s torrential rain, get the boring stuff done and get out when the weather is better.

I'm more southern, and most of the last week has been very dark in the house.

It's grey today but I don't feel like it's been, "endless" - we have had some gorgeous Autumn weather. And the trees are still colourful in the main and those that have lost their leaves have that interesting silhouette against wintery sky vibe. It's not for everyone but I find outdoor swimming great for helping me appreciate each season, as well as morning walks wrapped up warm. Yes I love summer and the long evenings but there are things to appreciate about Autumn too.

We’ve barely had the heating on (only had the fire on as love Autumn and feeling cosy rather than an actual need). Half-term had one day that was mostly rain and could get out all other days (some days beautiful).

One thing we can’t complain about this year is the weather! It was solid sunshine most of Spring/Summer and seasons should be seasons. Bring on the frosty cold days - those are my favourite days.

I agree with you OP - I have found the relentless grey autumn v depressing this year. Considering a SAD lamp