2024/25 SAD thread

[Idratherbepaddleboarding]

Link to last year’s thread

Hi again, I thought I’d start a new thread for this season of SAD 😭. It’s definitely starting to feel autumnal here 🥶.

If you’re new this year, please join us for tips to get through winter, chat and general moaning!

@Idratherbepaddleboarding thank you. I am working from home today and it is so overcast and grey that it feels like winter 😢and I feel teary. I need the lights on the see the keyboard. Why? Just a bit of blue would make such a difference. I really just want to go back to bed and hide from it all. And it's only the start of September. RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Definitely feeling it in the mornings, it's still dark when I wake up now!

Yes yes yes.

I just came here looking for this. I was on the old one for a while under a different name.

Just today in the south east its cloudy and I have been wondering why my mood is slightly dipping.

Shall we do a summary of some top tips of what worked last year? Given that SAD is like amnesia every year!

I'm going to email John Lewis to get a new SAD box. It broke under a year which is not acceptable.

I'm also going to order the vitamin D and K2 spray. Would rather tablets but I have to confess I took high strength ones all summer and I think my vitamin D went too high as I started to feel very tired. I have some GP blood results to dicuss tomorrow with GP so will find out.

Am a gym member and managing to do twice a week so will build on this.

Ps this was hands down the most helpful MN thread for me I think! I genuinely think it could ve turned into some kind of local community movement.

Oh and also my Lumie Alarm Clock. I am feeling the need for it big time now so will use it again.

Need to set this up again!!

It's defo mid August that the dip starts. By logic then it's 3 weeks after clocks changing that the worst second dip starts. So mid Nov.

I must say I think this explains why I find August such a hard month. In between so I don't try. Need a better strategy for it next year.

Anyway 20 weeks until shortest day, here we go. I just want to keep to some kind of plan. That would be great!

Yes its wierd I stopped the last month or so.

Let's both do it and report back next week on it's use!

@PamperGoals2024 I have to admit I don't really notice it making a difference in the winter, but then it hits this time of year and the mornings are dark when I wake up and I realise it's been a big help!

Welcome (back) everyone! Some of us have been on the last thread all year since we haven’t really had a summer 😭.

The leaves are falling off the trees here, and Sainsburys is full of Christmas things and yes it’s soooo dark!

My top SAD tips are:

Vitamin D, iron and a strong multi vitamin. I’m also giving lions mane mushroom tablets a try and so far have more energy and less brain fog.
A SAD lamp for a few hours during the day.
Exercise, indoors if you can’t stand getting out into the cold.
Keep to your routine eg I finish work, walk the dog, have tea, pole dance for an hour then have a shower and put my pjs on. It’s too easy to get sucked into sitting on the sofa when it’s dark!
Don’t be afraid of antidepressants if you need them.
A weighted blanket for sleeping under.
NO snuggling, hot chocolate, hygee or candles unless it’s late in the evening and time to relax!!!

for me:

SAD lamp for a few hours a day.
Forcing myself to go for a brisk walk.
Vitamins D and B, plus iron and a multi vit.
I do go to be very early - I find the comforting bubble of the bedroom helps to shut it all out.
I make sure I have a few nice things planned - pamper day, weekends away, liquid lunches with friends (better than dinner in the winter).
Holidays in the sun - I've already booked Xmas in the Canaries and am planning to book another couple of cheap breaks there in November and Feb.
Connecting with SAD fellows here.

I will still struggle and moan but these things do help a bit.

I forgot my SAD lamp has an on switch 😂 It does actually work. I'd emailed customer service about it and everything.

Let there be light ✨️😂

These are great suggestions.

I need to do some kind of fitness challenge in September. I want to go to the gym 3 times a week (Sun/Weds/Fri) and do 1 cardio class on a Sat. I've booked Zumba this Sat as it's quite fun.

Hey everyone, I'm new here, just found this thread while pootling around looking for threads to read! So glad I've found it - I tend to struggle with SAD more in January and beyond when I don't have Christmas to look forward to, but I should really start trying some things now to prevent January being such a big dip for me.

I started on Sertraline for anxiety back in May (low dose), so it will be interesting to see if that has any effect on this too.

I've found sertraline helped in the past.

I was looking at some old notes and it hit worst in December for me.

Motivated a bit by this thread, plus have been looking for a while, I have taken the plunge and booked 5 days of winter sun for January to Egypt. 5 days cheaper than 7 and will be plenty of time in the sun.

Although now I am wondering if I should have done early December!

I gave it a bit more thought and have just changed the holiday to mid December. Fortunately could do that as it was within 24 hours. I feel guilty for doing something for myself but need to get past that.

@PamperGoals2024 goodo! You will probably feel better for the earlier sunshine hol and can then get another in during that horrid end of January/Feb dip. That's what I try to do and I swear it helps.

@PamperGoals2024 that sounds like something to look forward to. Funny thing is, I actually love the changing seasons and crisp mornings with frost. I even like the dark… it just doesn’t do much for me over a prolonged period. I find my lightbox helps… this thread has reminded me to go and dig it out again

I love the cold and the dark too! Just not when it reaches a sense of impending doom. I've found vitamin D and the light box to be a godsend. It's just remembering to start them at the right time.

I've bought myself essentially a ton of crap, but I'm playing it off as self care - a big fluffy blanket, some fancy hot chocolate, some little cosmetic bits

Flipping heck! It's so dark and grey and has been absolutely tipping down since 6am. It feels that any attempted summer has just up sticks and gone elsewhere 😒 😫

Same here!!! Freezing cold as well so it'll be tough to drag myself to the gym but I refuse to left go of my healthy habits

It’s actually been really nice here! The grey clouds are looming and when I was walking the dog at lunch time, I was reflecting on the fact that ‘not hideous’ has been the best we’ve had all ‘summer’ 😭.

@NeedSomeAnswersPlease you’ll feel better once you’ve dragged yourself to the gym! I make my pole dancing a top priority as I get really grumpy if I can’t do it. Although I have a pole at home so don’t actually have to go out 😂.

I went and I do feel better! Missing my outdoor walk though 😢 have to get out tomorrow at lunch so at least I have that, I'm going to go through the freezer with my mum in a bit and work out a proper meal plan for the week

It's really hitting that it was so dark by 8pm today.