SAD?

[Leothebear]

Any SADos out there? Not a good time for us. Day after day of grey. You look at the forecast and grey is predicted for the next 6 month!
Hang in there and keep taking the vitamin D. Best wishes

Leo

[Crazbe7]

It's due to be sunny in Kent on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You need to move

Crazbe7

[Leothebear]

It's due to be sunny in Kent on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You need to move

Crazbe7

Bit of a trek moving all the way from West Sussex....

[Gerry557]

So you don't.......

Play relaxing sea rolling in sounds on the WiFi
Have a nice beach pic showing on the big screen
Turn the SAD lamp onto max
Turn the central heating up to 25
Lie back on your sunloungers, dragged out of the garden shed
Make cocktails and keep them ready on your side table
Tie a knotted hankie on your head for effect
Then say to yourself, Arrh this is the life.

So just me then.

[idpickering]

It's due to be sunny in Kent on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You need to move

Crazbe7

Bit of a trek moving all the way from West Sussex....

Even more so for us as we live in Orkney, where right now we're living through an amber weather warning, with rain, strong winds and snow!. We've lived here 7 years now having moved from Nottinghamshire.

Ian.

[Tedx]

I've always been meaning to ask how you are coping with that Ian.

I've lived in Moray pretty much all my life. I quite like the climate (most of the time!) and I am used to it, but Moray is a completely different kettle of fish weather wise from the Orkney Islands.........Particularly if you have come from down south (although when you hear someone on the news from the islands either from to Hebrides or the northern isles), they all sound English!

[servodude]

I've always been meaning to ask how you are coping with that Ian.

I've lived in Moray pretty much all my life. I quite like the climate (most of the time!) and I am used to it, but Moray is a completely different kettle of fish weather wise from the Orkney Islands.........Particularly if you have come from down south (although when you hear someone on the news from the islands either from to Hebrides or the northern isles), they all sound English!

I spent Christmas in Kiruna once
- I was much more miserable in Hobart with the in laws (where you can't help but get sunburn)

[idpickering]

I've always been meaning to ask how you are coping with that Ian.

I've lived in Moray pretty much all my life. I quite like the climate (most of the time!) and I am used to it, but Moray is a completely different kettle of fish weather wise from the Orkney Islands.........Particularly if you have come from down south (although when you hear someone on the news from the islands either from to Hebrides or the northern isles), they all sound English!

To be honest my mood and feelings about our move here changes akin to the weather. It's very fickle weather wise here, as you may know. I'm not keen on the tourists that come here, thinking they can just do as they please. With regards to the accent, they regard themselves as Orcadians rather than Scottish. The split between true locals and incomers like us is about 60/40 ish. There's about 350 people live on our island, whivch is about 13 miles in circumference.

Ian.

[idpickering]

I've always been meaning to ask how you are coping with that Ian.

I've lived in Moray pretty much all my life. I quite like the climate (most of the time!) and I am used to it, but Moray is a completely different kettle of fish weather wise from the Orkney Islands.........Particularly if you have come from down south (although when you hear someone on the news from the islands either from to Hebrides or the northern isles), they all sound English!

To be honest my mood and feelings about our move here changes akin to the weather. It's very fickle weather wise here, as you may know. I'm not keen on the tourists that come here, thinking they can just do as they please. With regards to the accent, they regard themselves as Orcadians rather than Scottish. The split between true locals and incomers like us is about 60/40 ish. There's about 350 people live on our island, whivch is about 13 miles in circumference.

Ian.

Further to the above, my Wife says about 220 people live here, not 350 as I said above.

Happy New Year all,

Ian.

[tjh290633]

I've always been meaning to ask how you are coping with that Ian.

I've lived in Moray pretty much all my life. I quite like the climate (most of the time!) and I am used to it, but Moray is a completely different kettle of fish weather wise from the Orkney Islands.........Particularly if you have come from down south (although when you hear someone on the news from the islands either from to Hebrides or the northern isles), they all sound English!

We had an Orcadian MO at one station when I was doing my National Service. His accent seemed to have a Welsh tinge to it. Very pleasant to my ear.

TJH

[mtk62]

One thing that I like doing that might help with the time of year - dull weather - is wearing outrageous tops!
I like gaudy cycling tops - such as Stolen Goat + Ugly Frog (check Amazon).
I wear these to go shopping - along with walking trousers.

Today I was wearing just the top, trousers + back pack - temp was 6-8.
I walk fast and the backpack helps to keep warm too - I did have gloves + bobble hat (blue or bright orange).
Doing something like this makes you feel good - and sometimes people smile - assuming that you must be bonkers!

I'm naturally a pessimist and depressive. Being outdoors whatever the weather helps.
The only thing I don't like doing is cycling in constant rain.

The other thing you might want to consider is a SAD lamp?

[mtk62]

One thing to remember is that the days are now getting longer - even if slowly to start with.

Another thing is to see how early in the year you can sunbathe.
The earliest I have managed is mid-February!
When it is still and the sun is up - it's quite strong.
Just a cyclist's tan - arms + legs.

I used to commute by bike - 12 miles of mainly dark rural roads - I always set out at about 06:15.
It was interesting to see how early in the year you could get some daylight.

[Dicky99]

I always set out at about 06:15.
It was interesting to see how early in the year you could get some daylight.

Similar timing and distance to me except my daily commute was at 06.30 by car into London from Hertfordshire.
Valentines day was the day every year when darkness had lost the battle by mid journey.

[Sunnypad]

Hi all

I have really bad SAD and this year I finally found something really helpful - light therapy glasses. Various brands available, not cheap but some companies offer money back guarantee. Definitely better than a lamp.

Only downside is insomnia, which I'm used to but I cope less well with it now. I'm probably going to limit use of the glasses now as the worst part is over for me - it's usually November and December but of course it varies according to how many dark grey days we get.

[UncleEbenezer]

Hi all

I have really bad SAD and this year I finally found something really helpful - light therapy glasses. Various brands available, not cheap but some companies offer money back guarantee. Definitely better than a lamp.

Only downside is insomnia, which I'm used to but I cope less well with it now. I'm probably going to limit use of the glasses now as the worst part is over for me - it's usually November and December but of course it varies according to how many dark grey days we get.

Agree. I think I can very precisely define the miserable season. It starts at the end of October when the clocks go back and the deep darkness descends suddenly. It ends on Twelfth Night, when the lights and other tat of Humbuggery get put away, by which time it's still dark but the evenings are perceptibly lightening. The fact that it's at least going in the right direction makes a huge difference!

I also have some daylight bulbs in the house, and I like them. This autumn (my first with them) they played a neat trick on me. If I had them on in the bedroom and saw the room from the (windowless) en-suite or from the hallway outside, the effect was that I thought there was actual daylight coming through the window, when in reality that had gone. One more variant, but a rather pleasant one, on getting caught out by the rapidly-advancing dark.

[stewamax]

Firstly, apologies for being a contrarian to this thread, and my genuine commiserations to those with SAD.

I live in the countryside.
I positively welcome November with its early nights, its creeping enshrouding mists and hints of the run-up to Xmas.
December and January are prime time for snow and various countryside pursuits (like them or lump them) – trail hunting, late shooting, preparation for point-to-point racing and so on: a time to meet friends (very important) in the open air. It may be cold, it may be overcast, but on such meetings hinge mental wellbeing. Once returns home or to a friend's house freezing, is enveloped in a warm fug, has a hot drink or something stronger. Ahhhh...

I realise I am lucky. And if it snows I will build a snowman!

[mtk62]

stewamax wrote: I realise I am lucky. And if it snows I will build a snowman!

I suspect that you might be a youngster!
I'm a 62 year old youngster.

I too live in a rural area (just outside the Peak District).
Most old folk around here dread snow & ice as they fear a fall leading to broken bones.
Breaking a hip in old age can literally be a death sentence!

A hip fracture is also associated with a higher mortality (death) rate in older adults compared to those who do not suffer a break.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-dangerous-is-a-broken-hip-when-youre-older-2223520

[moorfield]

One thing to remember is that the days are now getting longer - even if slowly to start with.

Due to the Equation of Time however the sun continues rise later into January - it will not do so before 8am (SE England) for another week, the same as early December but the day length will be a half hour longer at the other end by then. The opposite effect in late June, the sun starts to rise later while the long evenings remain.