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?

Horrible in what way?

Who said I was staying? I didn't. I am leaving early next year.

A lot of my friends have moved abroad too. The U.K is not a good place to live.

Give it six months

Rain, wind, cold, damp

If you say so. But nowhere is perfect and many places worse than UK

It's actually been quite mild and sunny here.

Just get out in it, brisk walks then coffee and cake out. Fairy lights and candles at home. Embrace the cosiness.

Definitely get out for exercise during the day.
I currently do the school run twice day which means a 20 min walk at 8am and 20 min walk at 3pm - & unless it’s torrential rain we always walk.
Pre-child days, when I worked full time, I would still go out for runs before work at 6am in pitch black, or a lunchtime walk.
I don’t suffer from SAD, but of course enjoy a bit of sunshine over constant grey skies - but I honestly believe if you can get out for exercise and fresh air during the day you will find it less noticeable.

Oh right. Not in my experience. The weather has been mostly really good where I am (South West) this year. It might be turning colder but that's kind of what you expect in winter

It barely rained between March and September in our area of the UK this year. As much as I enjoy the sunny weather, totally ready for a break from it. Working an office job in the hot weather, still having to do all the day to day things which never stop no matter what the weather is (school runs, housework, cooking, on top of work) in sticky hot weather is no fun. Yes lying by a pool in the sun is great but not most people’s day to day life. Most people I know enjoy the change of seasons.

We live in a popular area for tourists and the Autumn/Winter is definately embraced by the locals.

Coffee and cake I will live with!!!!

Not where I live either!! Negative Nelly

It’s been very grey and damp here with a fair bit of wind thrown in for good measure. We have not had much sunshine at all. It’s however not been that cold. It’s the lack of light which is the biggest issue for those with SAD and wet weather doesn’t help either as it can prevent people from getting outside and catching what little light there is.

I’ve started to wear bright yellows and pinks ! It makes you feel better !

@deplorabelle, I agree what you wrote wasn’t negative at all!

I have house plants in every room, which I am adoring right now. The green is very calming.

I consciously make an effort to appreciate the seasons.

My DH, whatever the season turns the lights on in the house because dusk is my favourite time of day and left to me they would never go on.

I love winter!

Today we had such heavy rainfall. SE of England. I love it, I find it invigorating.

Tomorrow, I will plant bulbs, crocus, tulips and daffodils, and live winter, until the spring bulbs start to shoot.

Although, because it has been quite mild, I did see some daffodil shoots, I am afraid!

Hunker down!

So because it’s sunny where you are the ops exaggerating?
Im 350 miles away from the Shetland Isles and yesterday and today it has been grey, misty and damp. Bloody awful.
Yes it’s been mild but the op isn’t complaining about that.

I taught myself to crochet via YouTube during the lockdown. I too desperately hate the grim grey days. But I have found that by crocheting it distracts me and I don’t notice the weather so much. I mainly crochet in the winter as I can get out into the garden during the summer.

I’m currently making Xmas decorations and throws, it’s so therapeutic, good for the soul. My husband tells me I need to find victims for my creations, cheeky sod. Last year I made the same throw 7 times, it was pretty popular. I don’t charge, I do it for my sanity and enjoy treating people 🤗

I agree,we've had a beautiful autumn most places on the UK and a glorious spring/summer.

You need to check if other things have vitamin d in as it is not good to take too much.
I take a daily vitamin d but also take an iron supplement which I’ve only just realised also has 100% RDA iron in it.

They are relentless though! It’s the same with the yoga/ wild swimming/ be in nature* advocates.

*which gets a special 🤢 - it’s called ‘going outside’ ffs

Get yourself a SAD lamp.

Both DP and I get seasonal depression, but a SAD lamp really has worked wonders.

When spring hits and that first hit of golden morning sunshine starts peaking through it feels like a shroud has been lifted, and we love it, but the SAD lamp has made the cold dark winters and shorter days so much better. We've gone from days where we don't want to make any plans to really embracing the coldness and the dark.

Also, ditto the fairy lights. Everything looks so comfy and cozy with them.

Also having a list of things I want to do in winter really helps.

I look forward to making eggnogg, and having a nightly eggnogg latte from home, and making sugar plum turkish delights.

We love to do a drive round the estate when the christmas lights are all up with DC, and making paper baubles, snowflakes and paperchains.

In the new year I love making plans for the garden and being prepared for when spring finally springs into action.

I don't think I'd do any of these without 20 minutes in front of the SAD lamp though, because all I want to do is stay in, eat crap, sleep, and cancel plans without it.

@TheCorrsDidDreamsBetteri don’t suppose you could share the Turkish delight recipe could you? Sounds incredible.

I hate the early darkness. I bought some rechargeable lamps to put in some dark areas of my room and hallway. It’s a nicer light and changes my mood.
I make sure I go for a daily walk during light. Even if it’s raining (as long as it’s not stormy).
I take vit d and k2 combined (you need that combination) and try to keep the house as clean and tidy as possible so it’s nice to stay in and feels relaxing.
I’ve got books to read from the library, tv to watch in my list and arranged some catch ups with friends and some time with family.
I’ve also signed up for an online course.

Vitamin D and a SAD lamp. Start them in September. Honestly sorts you right out. SAD runs in my family. Not an ideal option but a quick run to a sunbed helps too if you are in dire straits.

All right so you hate hot chocolate and scented candles (me too btw bleurgh) and you also seemingly don't fancy yoga or going outside. So what coping strategy are you using instead? Because people are only trying to share what works for them.

There is also a rigged insistence on this thread that it's been grey skies for weeks, which is honestly implausible for the vast majority of the country. As I've said, I get summer variant SAD (which is deeply fucking lonely since it's a minority experience). I used to find myself complaining about "endless relentless sunshine" and I had to force myself to recognize that often it had only been going on for a few days and it wasn't that bad yet, and it was time to up my coping strategies.

The UK is for sure a low sunshine country but it's not a no-sunshine country. I have every sympathy for people who suffer with the dark (physiologically it affects me too but I'm so grateful it's not hot that psychologically I'm great with it). You have to find something that helps mitigate it for you and lean into it, and try to get it in proportion.