Re: Winter Blues

October 27, 2011

McKella, I think a lightbox is a good idea. My therapist highly recommends one and uses one herself. I've always loved winter and the darker days, but I can understand why it would get you down. I think you're right to switch gears a bit and do the activities that appeal to you now. If you feel you are being too sedentary, maybe try adding one more active routine, but definitely keep it manageable. If you are already down, putting pressure on yourself to be active can backfire. On the other hand, being active can help your mood, so maybe add a short walk in the mornings before you start writing or working. But take it slow.

As far as anti-depressants go, maybe adding one at a very low dose can help you get through the winter months. I take a non-therapeutic dose of an anti-depressant and it really works for me and is very subtle and doesn't cause side effects because of the small amount. Something to consider anyway.

Mimi

Subject: Winter BluesTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 10:13 AM

It's that time of year again. I've struggled with "winter blues" since I was a child, and I feel it coming on more intensely than usual. I think that's because I'm more aware of my body and emotions, but I'm having a hard time dealing with the low energy and enthusiasm, cravings, sadness, etc.I've done very well with IE this year and I actually reached my natural weight. I thought I'd gotten a good handle on things, but now all I feel like doing is eating and sleeping. I'm an artist and a writer, I usually love taking walks and doing yoga, but I'm finding that I'm not as interested in the things I love lately. I'm more drawn to reading and watching every episode of Fraggle Rock again, and I fully intend to let myself indulge in these comforts, but I don't want to be a vegetable for the next six months. My stomach feels bloated and heavy from eating more than I need to and I've been sleeping more. I'm reading about nutrients that should help,

and I'm thinking of getting a light box. I've tried anti-depressants in the past and I really don't want to go down that road again. Does anyone else struggle with winter blues? Do you have any advice?McKella

October 27, 2011

McKella, I think a lightbox is a good idea. My therapist highly recommends one and uses one herself. I've always loved winter and the darker days, but I can understand why it would get you down. I think you're right to switch gears a bit and do the activities that appeal to you now. If you feel you are being too sedentary, maybe try adding one more active routine, but definitely keep it manageable. If you are already down, putting pressure on yourself to be active can backfire. On the other hand, being active can help your mood, so maybe add a short walk in the mornings before you start writing or working. But take it slow.

As far as anti-depressants go, maybe adding one at a very low dose can help you get through the winter months. I take a non-therapeutic dose of an anti-depressant and it really works for me and is very subtle and doesn't cause side effects because of the small amount. Something to consider anyway.

Mimi

Subject: Winter BluesTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 10:13 AM

It's that time of year again. I've struggled with "winter blues" since I was a child, and I feel it coming on more intensely than usual. I think that's because I'm more aware of my body and emotions, but I'm having a hard time dealing with the low energy and enthusiasm, cravings, sadness, etc.I've done very well with IE this year and I actually reached my natural weight. I thought I'd gotten a good handle on things, but now all I feel like doing is eating and sleeping. I'm an artist and a writer, I usually love taking walks and doing yoga, but I'm finding that I'm not as interested in the things I love lately. I'm more drawn to reading and watching every episode of Fraggle Rock again, and I fully intend to let myself indulge in these comforts, but I don't want to be a vegetable for the next six months. My stomach feels bloated and heavy from eating more than I need to and I've been sleeping more. I'm reading about nutrients that should help,

and I'm thinking of getting a light box. I've tried anti-depressants in the past and I really don't want to go down that road again. Does anyone else struggle with winter blues? Do you have any advice?McKella

October 27, 2011

> It's that time of year again. I've

struggled with "winter blues" since I was a child...

"Winter blues", otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (with

the awful acronym SAD), is a medically-recognised problem.

Some people suffer from this. The hypothesis is that the primitive

hibernation function is partially present in people with SAD.

I don't suffer from SAD, but some people close to me do.

Your first stop is your doctor, who can diagnose whether or not you

have it, and, if you do have it, give you some practical advice.

Good luck.

Paddy

October 27, 2011

> It's that time of year again. I've

struggled with "winter blues" since I was a child...

"Winter blues", otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (with

the awful acronym SAD), is a medically-recognised problem.

Some people suffer from this. The hypothesis is that the primitive

hibernation function is partially present in people with SAD.

I don't suffer from SAD, but some people close to me do.

Your first stop is your doctor, who can diagnose whether or not you

have it, and, if you do have it, give you some practical advice.

Good luck.

Paddy

October 27, 2011

> It's that time of year again. I've

struggled with "winter blues" since I was a child...

"Winter blues", otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (with

the awful acronym SAD), is a medically-recognised problem.

Some people suffer from this. The hypothesis is that the primitive

hibernation function is partially present in people with SAD.

I don't suffer from SAD, but some people close to me do.

Your first stop is your doctor, who can diagnose whether or not you

have it, and, if you do have it, give you some practical advice.

Good luck.

Paddy

October 27, 2011

I definitly get the winter blues. All those dark, cold, dreary days really bring

me down. Funny you mention this because just the other day I was in this store

called tone and I was looking at those lights. They were kind of pricey

there but I am going to look elsewhere for another one. Something I find that

does help is going outside for a walk. I have a treadmill in my basement but

actually getting outside and breathing the air seems to help me a lot. Once the

roads are like ice skating rinks though it's hard to do but even if I go out and

play w/ the kids for awhile just getting fresh air helps. I went on

antidepressants for it once but felt it wasn't worth the side effects for me.

Barb

>

> It's that time of year again. I've struggled with " winter blues " since I was a

child, and I feel it coming on more intensely than usual. I think that's because

I'm more aware of my body and emotions, but I'm having a hard time dealing with

the low energy and enthusiasm, cravings, sadness, etc.

> I've done very well with IE this year and I actually reached my natural

weight. I thought I'd gotten a good handle on things, but now all I feel like

doing is eating and sleeping. I'm an artist and a writer, I usually love taking

walks and doing yoga, but I'm finding that I'm not as interested in the things I

love lately. I'm more drawn to reading and watching every episode of Fraggle

Rock again, and I fully intend to let myself indulge in these comforts, but I

don't want to be a vegetable for the next six months. My stomach feels bloated

and heavy from eating more than I need to and I've been sleeping more.

> I'm reading about nutrients that should help, and I'm thinking of getting a

light box. I've tried anti-depressants in the past and I really don't want to go

down that road again.

> Does anyone else struggle with winter blues? Do you have any advice?

> McKella

>

October 28, 2011

Thanks for all the help! I've been taking a high-quality vitamin D and fish oil

supplement and I've recently increased my dose. I also go outside for a walk/run

as soon as the sun is up (which is getting later and later. Sad.)

I love the idea of finding winter things to look forward to, like ice skating.

I'm an artist, maybe I could do snow sculptures when it starts snowing

McKella

> >>>

> >>> Subject: Re: Winter Blues

> >>> To: IntuitiveEating_Support

> >>> Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 2:00 PM

> >>>

> >>> I definitly get the winter blues. All those dark, cold, dreary days

> >>> really bring me down. Funny you mention this because just the other day I

> >>> was in this store called tone and I was looking at those lights.

They

> >>> were kind of pricey there but I am going to look elsewhere for another

one.

> >>> Something I find that does help is going outside for a walk. I have a

> >>> treadmill in my basement but actually getting outside and breathing the

air

> >>> seems to help me a lot. Once the roads are like ice skating rinks though

> >>> it's hard to do but even if I go out and play w/ the kids for awhile just

> >>> getting fresh air helps. I went on antidepressants for it once but felt it

> >>> wasn't worth the side effects for me.

> >>>

> >>> Barb

> >>>

> >

>

October 28, 2011

BTW, my doctor recommended to me that I take 2000 IU of vitamin D daily to increase my levels. Hope this helps

October 28, 2011

BTW, my doctor recommended to me that I take 2000 IU of vitamin D daily to increase my levels. Hope this helps

October 28, 2011

BTW, my doctor recommended to me that I take 2000 IU of vitamin D daily to increase my levels. Hope this helps

October 29, 2011

McKella,

If you have seasonal affective disorder, a SAD light will do the trick within a

few days, without the side effects of anti-depressants. It HAS to be 10,000 lux

to do the trick, so avoid those blue light ones which carefully omit telling you

the dose. 30 minutes a day is the standard dose, and it must be as close to

first thing in the morning as possible, since it adjusts your circadian rhythm.

People who have a Bipolar I diagnosis must avoid SAD lights, as well as strobe

lights, as they can bring on mania. A friend who has Bipolar II was prescribed

a SAD light though, since Bipolar IIs don't get true mania. If you don't have

seasonal affective disorder, a light box won't do anything for you. I find that

it only takes a few days for it to take effect. If I miss one morning, I'm

fine. Two days, and by the second evening I'm crying. I did have one winter,

right after we were blessed by adopting a long-wished-for daughter, when I never

needed to use the SAD light at all, but typically I use it from September 1st to

April 1st - but I live near the arctic circle, so we have long winters here.

Before I got my SAD light, I used to gain weight every winter, then work it off

in the summer. With the SAD light, it's no longer been the season, but crises

in my family which have determined weight fluctuations.

I found my SAD light at a yard sale for $50. I've seen them given away on

freecycle. Some pharmacies rent them, so you can try and see if it helps before

shelling out $300 or whatever the new models cost nowadays. They are getting

small enough to take along when traveling. Just make sure it's 10,000 lux or

it's a waste of money, according to a psychiatrist friend I asked after one of

those little blue light ones I thought I'd " upgraded " to left me weepy. I

returned it to Costco for my money back.

I hope it goes as well for you as it has for me. I am thrilled to have left

anti-depressants behind. The SAD light leaves me perky and energetic without

any side effects. I do my quiet time in front of it, and a friend does her

computer time. Someone else told me they bought one of the small portable

models and use it on their desk at work first thing.

Jane