Winter blues already

[Sunny B]

We have had a lousy summer in Cornwall - again. I had a great week away, it was nice to see the sun! But after nearly two weeks back under the almost constant cloud cover and with the evenings drawing in my spirits have plummeted. My husband is fed up, he says it is the same every year, as soon as the sun goes I turn into a total grouch.
I have found via the internet that we have 250 hours less sun a year then the South East of England - I feel cheated!
And as I sit writing this I can smell mould and damp, very early in the year for that.
My friend bought herself a lightbox last winter, she said it was the best £100 she had ever spent, maybe I should invest in one too?

[madmum]

Do buy a light box if you can stretch to it I bought one a couple of years ago for my mum(she suffers fromS.A.D).Within a week she was sleeping better ,her appetite had increased,and within a month she was much better able to cope with things Since then she has refused to use it prefering instead to fall prey to the winter(or in her case all year round )blues.I have decided to start using it myself as it was too expensive to go to waste and anything that helps me sleep and cope with the norfolk gloom must be worth a go

[Sunny B]

Now you mention it, I haven't been sleeping so well lately, either. I hadn't associated that with the winter blues.

Light box to go on the Christmas present list? Can I wait that long??

[madmum]

Hi sunny b ,the sooner you can start using one the more effective it will be,anyone buy you an early christmas pressie?

[Sunny B]

Hubby might think it is worth the investment to cheer me up, perhaps?

[SHewson]

Whats a light box ?

[Sunny B]

What is light Therapy?
This treatment consists of sitting in front of a special bright light for a session each day. Light intensity is measured in lux. Ordinary light bulbs are not strong enough as they only give out 200-500 lux. To treat SAD you need a light source of at least 2500 lux (about 10 times that of ordinary light bulbs).
From: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Seasona ... sorder.htm

The idea behind it being that we don't get enough light in the winter for our brains to produce enough "feelgood factor"

Or you could try asking Dave!

[Bollybarb]

I haven't tried light box but i do put myself and OH ( who is worse than me with SAD) on St John's wort, which seems to take the edge off. we might have to look at a light box.......

Sorry that you are feeling blue already but there is a distinct autumanal(?sp) air around

[kate egg]

Sorry that you are feeling blue already but there is a distinct autumanal(?sp) air around

Here in Notts we call it Goose Fair weather, that is always the first weekend of October but we have already been saying it the last few nights....

[rubyhen]

I started using a light box a few years ago and would really recommend it. For me it works after about 4 days and the difference is amazing - I sleep better, get up without a struggle and feel more motivated.

I've also noticed the autumn 'feeling' and haven't been sleeping as well lately but hadn't thought of using the light box yet - usually Oct for me - but will give it a go!

Ruby

[Meanqueen]

We had a discussion about this once before, you might like to read what was said.
Light boxes, do they work?

Ilona

[Mrs Fuzzywig]

This may sound like a joke but I'm being serious, can SAD work the other way round? I do feel sorry for all of you who are suffering at the moment, I simply can't imagine feeling depressed at the onset of Autumn, it's my favorite time of year, the shortening hours of daylight actually make me feel more alive and I start to come out of the slump that the Summer has put me in. I have the opposite problem to the rest of you and really can't bear the thought of long, hot sunny days. I can't be the only one who's body clock is back to front, it's 6.30 in the morning, it's cloudy outside, there's a chill in the air and I'm raring to go!

[Steve the Gas]

I must admit I do like fresh/crisps Autumnal mornings and cool nights- but less now - not sharing my body heat at the mo

[4pigs]

I also love Autumn and live on the edge of woods so it is quite stunning when the leaves change. I like the smell of Autumn!
I am also enjoying the chickens going to bed earlier and getting up later - it means I get more sleep.
My mother gets very down and miserable this time of year and has done for years. We think she has SAD but she wont try a light box.

Jo

[Mrs Fuzzywig]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one to love Autumn. I'd love to live on the edge of a wood, the sight of the changing seasons in the trees must be breathtaking.
This is as close as we come to a wood, looking right out of the first floor window onto the by-pass.