Guess it’s a depression remnant, whenever winter comes, I just kinda do nothing but stare into the glowing rectangle all day. How can I change that? Any ideas?
Edit: Thanks for all the advice people, really nice of you.
You can find SAD lamps made for this. I think there are even some that attach to your body. “Verilux HappyLight” is the best I could quickly find, not recommending it exactly, just as a starting point.
But I agree with the person who said “movement”. I get that’s kinda a “solve your problem by solving your problem” piece of advice, but it’s just kinda how it is. It just sucks a little but forcing your way through will make it better, and eventually you grind the habits in
I got the Sunsy A19. I very much despise the shorter days where we live so I got the “sunlight” bulb in hopes it would help alleviate some of the cabin fever, and lack of sunlight I think is driving some of that. I’d cautiously give it a thumbs up. I’m not sure if having that light really works or it’s psychological, but I do catch my brain thinking “sunlight” once in a while catching that light out of the corner of my eye.
Lotta comments here talking about vitamin D. It’s not going to hurt you, but the evidence that it improves mood is pretty slim at best to be honest.
Happy lights are great as is spending time outdoors/moving around. Try biking or walking to work if you can.
You can take antidepressants just during the winter or year round if you end up liking them. I didn’t even feel depressed but got on an sri for anxiety and it really increased my energy and concentration.
Other than that, taking care of yourself in general, seeing your doctor when you need to, etc. Any unmananged chronic health conditions you have can make you feel worse in general. If you’re a young person with a uterus, you probably have iron deficiency which can really affect mood and energy.
Take vitamin D3 with K2 (basically everyone is low, and the k2 massively increased absorption), try to get out and get at least some outdoor time ideally with sunlight (even if you’re covered up, the fresh air will do you good), try to set aside time for part of the day to explicitly avoid a screen. Something like yoga would be great, exercise in general, but yoga gets those good stretches to get the lymph moving
Eat well, sleep well, exercise - you know, all the stuff you already know but could always improve on. Do extra self care and make time to socialize
Maybe see someone to get on a SPARI/SNRI/SSRI, or increasing your dose during winter months. Or just schedule therapy… Even if you don’t have a specific goal to work on, talking to someone can help ground you
I know it’s nothing groundbreaking (and things we all should be doing more of), but depression is depression… You can reduce symptoms through good habits and coping strategies, but as I’m sure we both know, it both is and isn’t as simple as that
Just try to refocus on whatever helps you and be as active as you can going into it
Thanks for taking the time to write this. Already doing some of this, your comment feels very heartfelt and that made me feel a little better. Thanks.
I’m really glad to hear that, it makes me feel motivated to put more effort in as well
Taking vitamin D?
Already doing that
My mom tells me Magnesium is good too
Start going for walks in the morning and evening. Retrain yourself from thinking that dark outside = sleepytime.
Winter is my favorite season; my mood improves during winter so maybe my tips will help you.
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Make it a season of celebration rather than isolation: • A lot of things are closed during the winter, a lot of sports and activities, but other things open up, like winter sports, snowboarding, ice skating, skiing, and so on.
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Hot cocoa, hot tea, hot coffee, lots of nice hot drinks and blankets.
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Vitamin D, white LEDs or full spectrum lamps
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Christmas theme (if you’re into that) movies or other stuff if you’re into that, bright colored lights
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Keep in touch with people online and offline, find reasons to do things
So if your favorite thing about fall is pumpkin spice, make winter have its own “theme”.
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If it ever snows, try to get out to local walking spots to take pictures.
Invest in good winter gear so you don’t have to feel trapped inside, and can feel cozy even when it’s cold. Leggings are very important, especially ones that are both warm and moisture wicking.
when I started wfh I basically locked myself in a dark room for daylight hours 5 days a week and gave myself SAD after a month or so. going crazy following the light suggestions from these articles helped a ton
https://meaningness.com/sad-light-led-lux https://meaningness.com/sad-light-lumens
Do you try to force a daisy to bloom in winter? Do you insist a bear comes out of its hibernation? Must the bee produce honey or cicada buzz out of tune with its own nature?
We, too, have our seasons. It’s okay. Winter is a season of winding down, of the rest phase before renewal. Our societies demand we maintain productivity when our bodies tell us otherwise, and we do what we must to keep food on the table and a roof over our head but beyond that it’s okay to rest.
The Danes and Norwegians have a concept called hygge that embraces the cold weather season. It’s also why a lot of northern hemisphere countries (can’t speak for elsewhere, feel free to chime in) make it a season of lights and festivity.
I’ve also got seasonal affective and take vitamin D, and the reasoning above is how I cope with each year. Accepting the hibernation feeling and adapting with gentle love instead of force is not weakness.
Lookup seasonal affective disorder. SAD.
Could try light therapy. Buy a specialized light and spend time under it reading a book.
Also winter sports. Skiing etc…
You can also take antidepressants in the winter if a happy light + more outdoors activity doesn’t do the trick
Do doctors do seasonal prescriptions? Titration takes time to ramp up and down.
Yes, it’s definitely an option, at least in the US. Of course, some people prefer to just stay on it year round exactly because of what you said. Just depends on what you prefer.
Movement. Getting warm from moving myself helps me infinitely. Falling motivation for that, give a sauna a go.
Improve the lighting temperature and hours you’re exposed to
Get a bright light therapy box. Seriously. And do it now. You can get em for like $40. Cheaper if you talk to your doctor.
Half and hour at 10,000 lux, don’t look directly at it. Guarantee you, you will feel better.
Got any links to these lamps?
I’ve got a lamp that’s designed for reptiles that a lot of people have had good luck with, but it doesn’t seem to do anything for me.
Here’s an example one. Idk the quality of it.
They are for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Basically… exactly the symptoms OP described.
Cheers. I’ll have a look.
Go outside while there is daylight. It’s a small counter to the darkness without any side effect.
Seasonal depression. Really bright lights on a timer in the morning.
I used to use those halogen work light set up beside the bed with a special dawn simulator timer. But it looks like they are out of business. In the end, I just moved to Florida to avoid winter,
here are some commercial dawn simulators. Go for maximum lumens
https://www.amazon.com/dawn-simulator/s?k=dawn+simulator
