Moving to sunnier climes

clare_boy

Hi,

I posted about this in the fitness forum but probably more appropriate here:

The clocks have gone back and now it's dark at 5pm. Agh! I hate this time of year.

The thing I want to ask is this: is there such a thing as the 'winter blues'? Do people believe in it and, if they do, what can be done to beat the blues?

There was a study done to say its real, but would prefer to hear what people think....

*********.

What I'm wondering is this: Do people have concrete ideas for beating the 'winter blues'. Some people move to sunnier countries/take a holiday, does that work?

mood

As far as I know it is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

I don't know anyone who suffers from it as far as I know so can't really comment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder

Overheal

I looked it up about 2 years ago. an effective treatment was Lamp Therapy. The correct lamps are not cheap though and I doubt they are covered by Medical Cards. However you still need to speak with a GP about it.

krudler

SAD, what a load of crap, just an excuse for people to whinge about dark evenings, I love the winter, no more of this staying bright til 10pm nonsense, evenings feel like evenings again.

bohsboy

So what do you do in the evenings....in the dark?

LegacyUser

krudler wrote: »

SAD, what a load of crap, just an excuse for people to whinge about dark evenings, I love the winter, no more of this staying bright til 10pm nonsense, evenings feel like evenings again.

How very unhelpful of you. So it doesn't effect you - it seriously effects other people. Lucky for you.

OP - I bought a blue light which eminates a certain amount of lumins (light power) which is meant to eleviate the symtoms. I used it for one winter but....

The only thing I found for the winter blues was to spend as much time in daylilght as I could. I work for myself so I can be out whenever it's bright - apparently it doesn't need to be sunny.

As for heading for sunnier climes well, I am trying to work it that I spend two months of winter in a hot climate.

It used to be so bad that I would happily have hibernated for winter.

Exercise is extremely important to buoy you up. Kayaking or surfing are good as you get to be outdoors and it doesn't really matter if it's raining or cold (okay, it can be a bit cold) but I'd happily be out for a couple of hours feeling cold and exhilerated to get me through the winter months.

Overheal

krudler wrote: »

SAD, what a load of crap, just an excuse for people to whinge about dark evenings, I love the winter, no more of this staying bright til 10pm nonsense, evenings feel like evenings again.

Ill leave that to the medical community to decide.

I for one fully acknowledge the benefits of healthy doses of daylight on body and mind.

Nervous Wreck

I have a friend with SAD. It's very real and can be very serious. See your GP.

krudler

To me it jsut seems like people needed a name for not being able to deal with a few weeks of rain and cold(which is what most of our summers are like too ironically), its the same as how kids cant just be kids any more, oh your kid gets likes to do silly things and is easily distracted? well thats not because he's 3 years old and has an active imagination as all kids should, he has ADD! he must need psychiatric help, if you dont like cold, rainy days, you're living in the wrong country tbh this isnt Alaska where the sun sets for a month at a time, we still get plenty of daylight in the winter just use whats there to keep active

Oh The Humanity

Its 5 months of dark actually. And well for you if you never suffered. Its very real alright.

Op there are light boxes you can get. I have never tried them but I believe they are good.

Nervous Wreck

krudler wrote: »

To me it jsut seems like people needed a name for not being able to deal with a few weeks of rain and cold(which is what most of our summers are like too ironically), its the same as how kids cant just be kids any more, oh your kid gets likes to do silly things and is easily distracted? well thats not because he's 3 years old and has an active imagination as all kids should, he has ADD! he must need psychiatric help, if you dont like cold, rainy days, you're living in the wrong country tbh this isnt Alaska where the sun sets for a month at a time, we still get plenty of daylight in the winter just use whats there to keep active

SAD isn't confined to showing in the Winter. It can happen in all seasons (though Winter is the most common).

krudler

krudler wrote: »

SAD, what a load of crap, just an excuse for people to whinge about dark evenings, I love the winter, no more of this staying bright til 10pm nonsense, evenings feel like evenings again.

Do you believe every illness you don't suffer from is crap? Do you think people with depression are just moaning because you feel fine? :rolleyes: It is a real condition. My aunt suffers really badly from it. She has a light box and goes to hot countries a few times a year (it helps that she can afford to!)

herya

krudler wrote: »

SAD, what a load of crap, just an excuse for people to whinge about dark evenings.

Tell it to people in Norway or Finland. It's a recognised condition. Certainly you won't get it because of a slight sun deprivation but it surely exists.

Overheal

krudler wrote: »

To me it jsut seems like people needed a name for not being able to deal with a few weeks of rain and cold(which is what most of our summers are like too ironically), its the same as how kids cant just be kids any more, oh your kid gets likes to do silly things and is easily distracted? well thats not because he's 3 years old and has an active imagination as all kids should, he has ADD! he must need psychiatric help, if you dont like cold, rainy days, you're living in the wrong country tbh this isnt Alaska where the sun sets for a month at a time, we still get plenty of daylight in the winter just use whats there to keep active

You can take that opinion over here. ADD, Depression, Alzheimer's, Dymensia, Schizophrenia, SAD, are all not just made up illnesses and psychology is not a made up profession. And I dont think you'll find many people in PI that agree with you.

OP one thing i consistently found that rose my spirits in winter was a roaring fire. if you have one, stock up on peat moss and go nuts.


edit: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055724569

LegacyUser

Hi Clareboy,

I know exactly what you mean (ignore Krudler, he's a ....) I went to Tenerife last year in the last week of November and it was the best thing that I ever did. Was feeling really low at the time, not about anything in particular, but just sort of ground down by the rain and the cold (probably made worse by the fact that our summer was crap last year).

Anyhows, it was great. Definitely recommend it. After a week of sunshine (not terribly warm - but a lot warmer than here!), just plenty of sunshine. It felt great.

If you can get out there, then do it. And on top of that Tenerife isn't all that expensive at all. I think you'd have a blast.


And Krudler, seeing as you seem to know so much about everything, maybe you could inform us all about empty vessels....know what I mean?

Regards to all,
AKeane

clare_boy

Thanks A Keane. Holiday sounds just the plan!

Tinkerbell09

its a real one allright. i know because i have a mild version, for ages i didnt know what was wrong with me - and im generally healthy so usually dont see doctors more than a couple of times a year, if that. but i was finding i was exhausted after work and needed a nap, then i was up later because i had a nap when i came home, and couldnt sleep when i needed to. now i try to get out for a walk at lunchtime, and go to bed a bit earlier.

LegacyUser

I finally copped on I had SAD about 10 years ago after too many years going into hibernation for five months.
So I take my holidays in November every year.
Over the last few years I've gone to Oz, Caribbean, Egypt etc and the couple of weeks of sunshine and brightness does me the world of good.
Tis also cheaper than going away in the height of summer when the kids are off school!

You can also get lightboxes which are apparently very helpful.

Krudler, you haven't the first idea what you're on about. It's got NOTHING to do with weather, rain or cold. It's got EVERYTHING to do with lack of natural sunlight.
Offices in Sweden routinely use these specific high-lux lights to help employees.

A Keane

Hi Clareboy,

Meant to say, if you want any advice on going there, drop me a line.

You could also check out a mate of mine's blog.

http://vivacanaryislands.blogspot.com/

He's a complete Canariesophile, and will probably end up living out there full time.


Regards,
AK

A Keane

Hey Krudler,

I was doing some other reading and I came across this, and I thought of you.


http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195



And oh yeah, you muppeh.


Regards,
A Keane

rabtazers

It's probably triggered by low levels of VitaminD(3). This is typical in northerly latitudes and cloudy countries. Go to your GP to get the level tested and take supplements to get your blood level up to a healthy range. Worth a try.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Silverfish

A Keane, I appreciate you are new here, but personal abuse is not permitted on this forum.

Thanks.