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!

When I am tired it does make my eyes stream a little and a little headachy. The light just gets a little bright and then I turn it off and feel much better!

I've certainly used it for much longer. I do tend to notice that my sleep times can get affected so that's an important one to keep an eye on - that the lamp isn't affecting sleep and therefore increasing SAD!

On the Lumie I bought the expensive £100+ one but I think they come much cheaper about £30 and I'd probably get a cheaper one if I was getting it now.

The slightly annoying thing with it is that the light fades on, so the last 30 mins of sleep tend to be lighter. If you are like me and tend not to have enough time in bed then it can be annoying. I like to stay in a coma like state for as long as possible.

Morning mood warriors! A few days of sun here.

I have been tired but that's my own doing - a couple of nights of good sleep and food and I'm a little better.

Light box on full today while I try maintain my positiveness.

Morning @PamperGoals2024! I’m trying to be more positive too. Trying to find at least one thing to be positive about each day. Yesterday was DS making us an amazing sausage casserole with sweet potato mash that was full of autumn colours and today’s is my cute autumn outfit 🥰. It’s bloody cold though and my Raynaulds has started already 😭.

I am WFH today. The weather is glorious! I'm having lunch in the garden and planning on working here for most of the afternoon
Bliss! I am going to hold on ro this for as long as I can.

Checking in for tips. I am using my Lumie alarm clock and started my light therapy 1st September. I plan to continue exercising 3/4 times a week and try to get daylight when WFH in particular. No social plans in November, as I know I won't feel like it and it removes pressure.

I’m pleased to say it’s been lovely here

i have got myself in a total muddle. I’m the type who gets out of bed right away when I wake but since falling in the hole last week I feel awful when I wake. So I carried on with 20 mins light in spite of the sunshine and today made myself so hyper I couldn’t work properly. Luckily no deadlines so I did a hard (for me 😂) workout at lunchtime and thought I’d work later as my brain has settled a bit.

I think no light box for me until a more normal time, I’ve definitely never used it in September before. But I don’t want to fall in the hole. So confusing.

It came out nice here in the afternoon too. I had a lovely dog walk after work and soaked up a bit of vitamin D 🥰.

@DropOfffArtiste I’m the opposite, I always have to have a social event in the horizon to look forward to! Are you taking your vitamins too?

@EmeraldRoulette I could do with a bit of hyperactivity right now 😂.

@Idratherbepaddleboarding ha ha,I know what you mean, but it really was the totally unproductive kind. Like when Ross ate too much maple candy in that episode of Friends.

@DropOfffArtiste You’ve reminded me - I hate going out in November usually. My life has changed so much, I’m not sure how much I’m going to have to factor this in now - but I might not actually mind. I remember one November going to the ballet, I’m sure it was beautiful but I was too low to appreciate it and my friend was so enthused while we walked back to the station and I was thinking “note to self - don’t book expensive stuff in November”!

I do need to get on it with the vitamins. Yeah, I am really social the rest of the year always out and about so I give myself permission to just take a break in November, hunker down and be more enthused for Christmas stuff afterwards.

@DropOfffArtiste I bought some gummy vitamins for adults. I am way more likely to consistently take these. I also use the Better You Vitamin D and K2 spray just one spray a day.

I have to confess I am really struggling with getting out of bed. ----I used to wake up and have no problem either mentally pulling myself up or physically feeling like getting up.

I think I am going to have to remove my phone from the bedroom, that's always helped in the past.

I take max strength vitamin D (but will also be outside as much as possible today to get more of the natural stuff) and over the last couple if years I have found that a daily vit B and and an iron tablet have helped a bit with the knackered crash that accompanies winter/grey weather.

Having a nice thing to two to look forward to helps me in the winter, but theatre etc has to be a matinee and any gathering during the day. I can't make myself leave the house after dark. One of my friends who has SAD goes to bed at 3pm most of the time in winter, as she says it's the only way she can cope!

@lyingonthebeach I’d love to have time to go to bed at 3pm 😂.

It’s absolutely gorgeous here today. I tried to take a leaf out of others’ book and WFH in the garden but my computer overheated and went crazy 😂.

Bed at 3pm sounds lovely 😂

I bloody love a matinee. I am planning to have a look and see what's on, winter is a great time to see a show as it lifts the spirits and it's around people.

@PamperGoals2024 you mean struggling since it became autumnal?

Sorry if this isn’t strictly relevant... I am absolutely exhausted today. I can’t make any sense of it. It may not be related to anything seasonal- but I think the early SAD lamp use caused the hyperactivity …which is now causing the weird exhaustion. exhaustion started around 11am this morning.

My energy level was perfectly normal. It’s a real nuisance to suddenly have all this weirdness just because I used a SAD lamp too early? I suppose it proves that it works on me!

This is a really busy week with deadlines and I feel I’ve lost two days of it.

@EmeraldRoulette No I've been tired for months. It comes in waves. I'm on citalopram and it started when I started this. Usually improves when I drink or eat but it's a constant battle.

I read through your posts about falling in a hole and trying the SAD lamp- I would say try not to stress as the body is adjusting to a seasonal change and maybe just observe/monitor how you feel. If need be strip things back to basics to give you a sense of achievement. It may be bugs going round this time of year with kids going back to school and coincided with the lamp.

However I think there are potential side effects of SAD lamps like feeling a bit hyper and irratibility so it makes sense to stop or reduce to get a sense of your baseline and wait until you feel you really need to be energised.

@PamperGoals2024 thank you, I think you’re right about the lamp.

After a few sunny days, it's now dark and grey. I want to cry and feel soooo low and listless. The change in my mood in just one day is incredible. The lamp will be coming out and I just feel a sense of dread 😭

Oh no! @lyingonthebeach , it’s still lovely here if a little colder! I know what you mean though, I literally feel on top of the world when it’s sunny! I’ve been able to spend a lot of time in the garden while WFH but I’m in the office today 🙁.

My suggestions.

A holiday even just a weekend away between Christmas and Easter.
A regular sauna.

@lyingonthebeach oh no, I feel for you

that sense of dread is so palpable isn’t it, hence why I went too early (for me) with the SAD lamp. I’m going to need it from Monday according to the weather forecast

I’ve ordered another super bright lamp in prep as I’d rather light up the whole room than get hyper from the lamp again

I was using a workman’s lamp in previous winters but it’s not very attractive 😂

@Idratherbepaddleboarding @EmeraldRoulette et al.

Thank you. Just having this thread helps :)

Agree on the sauna!

This weather! It was lovely yesterday here, quite warm. Today its cold and I'm contemplating heating.