2025/26 SAD thread

[Idstillratherbepaddleboarding]

It’s 1st September tomorrow so we’re back for another year’s SAD thread.

Welcome all old and new who struggles in the cold and dark months for advice and general moaning!

The only rule is no talk of snuggling under blankets, crunching in leaves (which will realistically be a soggy wet mulch, or pumpkin spiced anything!

Advice from previous years’ threads:

A SAD lamp can help as can a daylight alarm clock.
Try to get outdoors when the weather/ light allows it.
Try to keep up with your exercise routine or start a new one!
Remember to take your vitamin D and multi vitamins.
Try to have something to look forward to.

It’s been pretty meh here today but I enjoyed seeing the mist over the fields when I took DS to school this morning. I don’t know why but it always makes me nostalgic for my horse ridding days as a child. I wish it wasn’t so expensive or I’d start up again!

I’ve got my blood tests and ECG tomorrow so I’m a little anxious today 😫.

Good luck- really hope the results are positive.

I used to go horse riding too as a child- until the horse bolted with me and although I managed to stay on i was too scared to continue lessons. These days my physical health would sadly prevent it! I used to enjoy cycling up to a nearby field when I was a teenager to pet the horses there.

Lovely sunshine today . Soaking it up rather than doing the more important things on today’s things to do list 😂

It was lovely, warm and sunny here too!

I had my blood tests, results will be back tomorrow and my ECG- heart rate is a bit slow at 45bpm but otherwise fine. I went to the desk after to book a next appointment and I thought it was next Tuesday but the receptionist has written down the Tuesday after! So another 2 week wait 🙈. By then it’ll be 5 weeks since I first contacted the doctors and I won’t even be referred to the eating disorder clinic til after that 😡. I kind of hope there is something wrong with my blood, just so she gets me in sooner!

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding hope the tests went okay and the anxiety hasn't wiped you out too much.

I'm a perimenopausal mess but 💪💪i have almost got through the day. Had an unexpected spend today so haven't been able to rebuy the sad lamp yet but I have made sure I've been outside. Had a potter in the garden and walked the dog.

Love your dog @Idstillratherbepaddleboarding! What a gorgeous one.

I have been doing well the last couple of weeks as the weather has been good and I have been outside plenty. Some stunning days.

October now which means that Lanzarote is this month!

@Lookingforwardto2025 thanks, he’s growing up fast 🥰. Jealous of Lanzarote!!

@mrsdiddlydoo thanks, the tests went fine, everything is on the low side of normal except, funnily enough my vitamin D and iron which are low. My heart rate was low at 45bpm but it always is, although TBH I thought it was just that my Apple Watch isn’t that accurate. Apparently it is though!

Something about the waiting room, maybe the smell, triggered memories of rushing to the vets with my late dog which made me feel… I don’t know, anxious, sad? Not very nice anyway 🙁.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding sending strength and solidarity. I'm glad most things were good for you.

We've had some sun and blue sky so it makes the chilly mornings bearable. But I still have that sense of sinking dread for the dark days ahead.

@lyingonthebeach thank you!

The next few days are looking awful here 😭. Does anyone else just not want to go out in autumn/ winter? I must be the most rubbish friend ever as in summer, I want to be out and about all the time and then now when people are trying to make plans I want to tell them to fuck off (I don’t obviously as it’s my problem not theirs).

Im sort of the opposite, my mood suffers more if im at home too much in winter, especially in the day time. Being out with other people helps distract me. In the summer I'm happy in the garden.

I make plans and force myself to go out and socialise (day times only) in winter as it's part of my coping strategy. But if i didn't have plans I probably wouldn't leave the house for days

I’m usually OK once I’m out but o get a full day of dread first 🙈.

We had the most hideous lunch time walk 😭. Even my puppy hated it and tired to run home. We both got absolutely soaking wet. Then I got home and DH asked me to go to the bakery to get lunch and I couldn’t park nearby so I got soaking wet again and managed to step in a massive puddle so now I have 2 wet coats, trousers, shoes and pairs of socks. I literally cried in the car on the way home!

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding oh no! The weather is shit here too. I find being a dog owner in winter really hard! And wet clothes /coats/shoes are a bugger to get dry in the house.

Rubbish weather here too. My elderly dog won't go out in heavy rain which is just as well as I use a mobility scooter and the battery wouldn't cope well. I just miss the usual routine of getting out. I feel so trapped on days like this. Even light rain would be ok albeit I still feel miserable without the sun.

I think I will start using my sad lamp soon..

Awful weather here too. I was actually glad to be stuck in a busy office all day.

Recommendations for a sad lamp on amazon please. I want one but am at a lost which to purchase.

@Idontknowhatnametochoose I’m sorry you’re not able to get out in heavy rain 🙁 mind you, not that you’d want to in this! Our dog is a puppy so he really needs to run or he gets a bit manic!

I was woken up at 6am by the power coming back on (must have been a power cut) and I can’t get back to sleep 😭😭. I’m soooo tired!

@Goneonholsbymistake mine is just a cheap one off Amazon but it does the job! It’s several years old now though so I can’t recommend the same one as it’s not there anymore.

The weather here is hideous 😡🥴. Teasing hints of sun then grey, bucketing rain, hail and repeat. And all the time blowing a hoolie🤬

Just about to head to bed but managing to move away from being a hormonal mess. To being just a miserable mess with the doom and gloom!

@Goneonholsbymistake I plan to buy a Lumie vitamin L but waiting for a good offer. I missed one once I made my mind up, then had a bad experience on amazon warehouse. I think you need it to be able to do 10000lux and some of them are rated as a medical device. No idea if that makes any difference.

Oo I thought I would have a look on amazon because it's a prime day and there are a few offers on SAD lamps. The Lumie mini is down to £39, and quite a few on offer. Worth a look.

Grey overcast day here in the shire.
I should be getting a wriggle on but not feeling it. Feeling old and creaky with sore joints.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding glad the test results were fine. I'm usually on the low side of normal too. Are you taking vit d and iron? That is a low heart rate!

I hate waiting rooms. Any kind. And waiting for appointments. I go into freeze mode waiting for them.

Hope some of you have sunshine today. I think we're stuck with grey all day, but not cold.

I've gone wild and instead of buying what I planned to I've ordered these. I like the idea of having the lamp set up in the home office but as I sometimes work from the office, so the mini beurer one will be good to take with me and also on the rare trip away.

@mrsdiddlydoo ooh they look good and a good price!

TBH I keep forgetting to take my vitamins 🙈. I know it would make me feel better to take them! My heart rate is always pretty low, the nurse took the ECG to the doctor who asked if I do a lot of exercise and I said yes but when I thought about it, I only do an hour of pole dancing a day so it’s not like I’m a marathon runner. I’ll talk to the doctor about it more on Tuesday.

I’m definitely feeling super low today. I feel like I need a quick dopamine hit but I’m not sure what would do the job!

I’m a member of our village social committee and we had a meeting last night which made me feel so flat, it’s the most anti-social social committee ever! I also have 2 events I have to volunteer at at the weekend that o have no interest in what so ever. I am also guilty of being an anti-social member of the social committee!

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding sounds like you are a busy bee! I'm more a hide away from people person. Would setting a reminder on your phone to take your vitamins help?

I've just tried using one of my SAD lamps and have turned it off after 15 minutes because I'm getting a headache! I'm interested to see if they help me.

@mrsdiddlydoo that’s the problem, I don’t want to be a busy bee 🐝😂. I want to hide away, cuddle my dog and pole dance! but there are too many expectations on me (mainly from DH if I’m being honest who is a social butterfly). When I have to go out, I spend the rest of the day beforehand full of anxiety and dread 😭.

I have a reminder set, I forget to notice it 😂😂.

I do think you need to build up the time using the SAD lamp. Sorry I forgot about that as I’ve been using one for years! Also, try putting it to the side of you so it’s not right in your line of sight and also if there’s different settings, start with the lowest light level.

If you're prone to migraines like i am be extra careful as the lamp can trigger them.

Lots of sunny days down south so haven't needed mine yet!