klmama Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I have winter blues. Every year about this time my mood sinks. No sun, cold, dreary. I always think I'm going to be okay this time around, and I'm not. Besides spending the big bucks on a light box, what other things bring you up with this? I'm just not at my best, and it stinks. It makes homeschooling harder, it makes housekeeping harder, and it makes life harder. Ideas, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I'm about to head outside, can you go out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Rising earlier and getting out in the daylight earlier (no matter how cold), a half-cup of coffee first thing in the morning, and 100 mg of 5HTP along with my coffee (and preferably once in the afternoon too). Without these things, I'm a droopy, snappy mess. With them, I'm practically skipping around the house :tongue_smilie: ETA, though, that a friend of mine has been doing light therapy and taking a melatonin supplement and has seen a total turnaround in her sleep patterns and mood during the day. She has to keep to a pretty steady routine of it, but has beaten a few issues that have dogged her her whole life, SAD being one of them. So maybe the lightbox would be worth the money? Edited November 17, 2008 by melissel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 What about seretonin(sp?) Isn't it available as a supplement and doesn't it help moods affected by light? I don't know anything about seretonin but I'm thinking it might be able to help. Hope you feel better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I went through this many years! I did buy a sun light and I sat next to it many mornings, enjoying a mocho and reading. I kept it on many hours - homeschooling, cooking, etc. It did help me. I also bought some candles and little tea cake type treats that I kept put away and in the morning I'd get up, turn on the sun light, sit and have my coffee or tea and one treat and read... it helped me find peace in the winter time. As for energy, getting out for a brisk walk or putting on a exercise video helped a lot. Get yourself going with some exercise that gets your circulation going... Well, that helped me, anyway :). If I couldn't get out for exercise, I'd look into some equipment at home... well, if the economy were better and I had money to spend on that:tongue_smilie:. The only other thing that has helped is having a friend... having someone to tell about it and let her know about my goals. In my case, my friend and I shared goals and I had teens to help with babysitting and we'd exercise together. But, when that wasn't happening, I'd call a friend who'd listen. And sometimes getting up and setting 1-3 goals for the day... pay a bill, clear a dresser, freshen up the windows, wipe inside and outside of the front door... shovel snow or mow a yard (summer time)... get something done that you can check off of the list and feel good about. Success breads success. Go for it! Find an idea and give it a try. Best wishes, I've SO been there, Bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Vitamin D. Lately they've been discovering that most people who live in more northern climates esp. are deficient. I would try supplementing at least 400 IU of vitamin D. I take tons more but that is because I had a blood test that showed that I'm seriously deficient. If you are going to take more than 400 IU (the recommended dose) I would strongly suggest that you get a blood test. Vitamin D is not water soluble so you can get too much. But not enough of it in the winter months can make you feel draggy, tired and even depressed. If you are seriously deficient like I am it can lead to bone problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Rising earlier and getting out in the daylight earlier (no matter how cold), a half-cup of coffee first thing in the morning, and 100 mg of 5HTP along with my coffee (and preferably once in the afternoon too). Without these things, I'm a droopy, snappy mess. With them, I'm practically skipping around the house :tongue_smilie: ETA, though, that a friend of mine has been doing light therapy and taking a melatonin supplement and has seen a total turnaround in her sleep patterns and mood during the day. She has to keep to a pretty steady routine of it, but has beaten a few issues that have dogged her her whole life, SAD being one of them. So maybe the lightbox would be worth the money? Hmmm... I do get out early for a walk in the daylight. I can't handle caffeine at all, though. I'm not sure what 5HTP is. I take melatonin at bedtime to help me sleep at night. Is that when your friend takes it, or does she take it in the afternoon? I read somewhere recently about doing that, but I haven't tried it. Maybe I need to just order the stupid light box.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I have winter blues. Every year about this time my mood sinks. No sun, cold, dreary. I always think I'm going to be okay this time around, and I'm not. Besides spending the big bucks on a light box, what other things bring you up with this? I'm just not at my best, and it stinks. It makes homeschooling harder, it makes housekeeping harder, and it makes life harder. Ideas, anyone? A friend of mine gets this very badly, to the point of being suicidal depending on the weather. He asked my opinion about what he could do- he gets plenty of sunlight- and I suggested seeing a homeopath. He did, and it has been virtually miraculous, the difference it has made in his life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Vitamin D. Lately they've been discovering that most people who live in more northern climates esp. are deficient. I would try supplementing at least 400 IU of vitamin D. I take tons more but that is because I had a blood test that showed that I'm seriously deficient. If you are going to take more than 400 IU (the recommended dose) I would strongly suggest that you get a blood test. Vitamin D is not water soluble so you can get too much. But not enough of it in the winter months can make you feel draggy, tired and even depressed. If you are seriously deficient like I am it can lead to bone problems. Bone problems like osteoporosis? I come from a long line of ladies with that. I did just start taking some vit. D today, 1000 IU. Do you think that's way too much if I only take it for four months? By the beginning of March there is enough light that I feel fine again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I hate the adjustment to the fall/winter seasons, especially after daylight savings ends. On days when it's really gloomy and you don't want to try to get through school, how about a trip to a museum or some other outing? Sometimes just getting out makes me feel better. Or stay home and have a "game day" or "indoor olympics" and just have fun with the kids? Here's to a short winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 One word: Wellbutrin. It's an antidepressant that works very well for seasonal affective disorder, which is exactly what you have described. Talk to your doctor. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Bone problems like osteoporosis? I come from a long line of ladies with that. I did just start taking some vit. D today, 1000 IU. Do you think that's way too much if I only take it for four months? By the beginning of March there is enough light that I feel fine again. Yes, if your vitamin D is low enough it can cause a problem called osteopenia that leads to osteoporosis (if I understood my Dr. correctly). I'm not a Dr. but I just read a news article yesterday in our paper that recommended supplementing kids with 400 IU for the winter. So I think that 1000 IU for an adult probably sounds about right. For the record I'm taking 10,000 IU for the winter (5000 in the non-winter months) but that is strictly under Dr. supervision and I get a blood test every 2 mo. to check my levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Hmmm... I do get out early for a walk in the daylight. I can't handle caffeine at all, though. I'm not sure what 5HTP is. I take melatonin at bedtime to help me sleep at night. Is that when your friend takes it, or does she take it in the afternoon? I read somewhere recently about doing that, but I haven't tried it. Maybe I need to just order the stupid light box.... Definitely stay away from the caffeine then! If you don't already consume, you're better off avoiding it. 5-HTP is a supplement that increases your brain's ability to create serotonin (it also decreases appetite a bit, though that's not why I take it). Here's some general info, but you might also want to check out the book The Mood Cure. I believe she actually discusses SAD/winter blues and pinpoints causes and treatments. I don't recall what she says about it because my issue is different, but I know she discusses the light therapy, for sure. Ah! I found the Google Books preview: http://books.google.com/books?id=SdZFPeTQyX4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22the+mood+cure%22#PPA31,M1 Page 31 addresses SAD and light therapy (as well as Vit. D supplementation), and page 383 is the index page that will point you to other pages on dealing with the issue. Not all the pages are there, though, so if you want to see more, you might need to hit up your library. I hope you feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Baer Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I'm about to head outside, can you go out? these lights. I don't recall where she got it, but she says it really works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in the NH Woods Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 "I did just start taking some vit. D today, 1000 IU. Do you think that's way too much if I only take it for four months? By the beginning of March there is enough light that I feel fine again." My doctor actually recommends between 2,000 and 4,000 IU's ! (My vitamin D levels were low.) Check with your doctor of course. She also mentioned to me that there is no documentation of actual toxicity in those doses. Just food for thought. I have been taking 2,000 IU's and feel a difference. Sometimes it makes me a little nauseated, so I would take it with food unless you have an iron stomach.:D Hope you pick up soon~ I know how you feel! Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I've struggled with winter blues, or SAD, ever since I moved here 16 years ago. The first four years were the hardest. I do a few things that help out some. One is that all of the lights in my house are full spectrum light bulbs. The cheapest are Reveal by GE. To be truly full spectrum light, they must have neodymium in them. They put out light using the complete light spectrum. Initially, they seem darker than a regular incandescent bulb but they put out true white light rather than dull yellow light. Here's a true story about how different the different bulbs are. I took a friend up to the top of my stairs where can see into two different bedrooms. I turned on the lights to both bedrooms to show him the difference. He said, "Yeah, I can see what you mean. Of course, it would be easier to see if that room wasn't painted yellow." He was shocked when I told him both rooms were painted the identical color of pinkish tan. When you seeing the full spectrum is helps trigger something in your brain. Living in a dull, yellow world doesn't help. The other thing I do is find something I really look forward to that I can only do during the winter. I years I skied were the best years. When I knew I was going to be skiing the coming weekend, I was in an awesome mood regardless of the weather. In fact, I welcomed the cruddy weather because it meant better skiing. Finally, a lot of people use natural supplements or antidepressants to get through the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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