Just a small observation for myself re S.A.D. ...

[electric_blue68]

(Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder)

I always get some. I can get really draggy sometimes from Nov through Feb/March beginning to perk back up in *April, other times more cranky ( I'm not habitually a cranky person). *Unless it stays much grayer than usual through much of Spring- it has happened ?twice and I stayed at lower energy levels till it got more sunny.

Anway, I'm pretty sure that a lot drumphf and Co actions/non-actions are making this year's SAD worse. I look at the 4:30PM sunset out my window, and go BLARGH!!!
More likely previously I usually just sighed, with infrequent bouts of real annoyance! Grrrrrr.

I kmow *longer days will return up here in NYC! 🥰👍 But for now- blargh! 😄

* I was totally shocked when on a gifted vacation to Puerto Rico that sunset was around 5:30PM! Wth?!!
If I had thought about the Earth's tilt - I'd have expected it.
But up here green trees, and more flowering equal longer days till June 21. Even then they stay longer for a good while.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Have you tried solar spectrum lighting ?

I'm not sure what they call it nowadays, but you used to be able to buy fluorescent lamps that simulated the color spectrum of natural sunlight. It was supposed to combat SAD, but opinions were mixed.

[electric_blue68]

2. No, never tried them...

I just read something recently about them having mixed results.

[multigraincracker]

3. I got some relief today.

Old guy told me an early winter means early spring.

[perfessor]

4. I have found that vitamin D supplements

… do a good job with me. I take 10,000 IU per day.

I am not a doctor. YMMV.

[hunter]

5. I think I could sleep twelve hours a night in the winter darkness.

Alas, I've rarely had the opportunity to try it.

[Zackzzzz]

6. Look on the bright side.

Winter Solstice is on December 21!!!!

My Aunt Lil would walk around the block, [Chicago]
in the morning, in summer and winter, everyday.

I am always cold, but since I walk, outside,
20-30 minutes, I rarely get that chill.
I use trekking poles because it helps my breathing.
If it's bad weather, I do physical therapy exercises, inside.

Since I have been doing this, I am
more accepting of the early darkness.

[electric_blue68]

8. True, it won't be that long till Solstice. And the sunset starts to get longer (incrementaly at first)after the 9th.

The assisted living place I'm in the hall is a good city block long, and I walk it often 6xs, 8xs, 10xs back and forth.
We have lovely back yard that I go to about mid April through mid Oct.

I might try walking to a particular section up around the corner of my nabe in later April. In my previous (also Bronx) neighborhood I had a smallish park I could walk about 3-4 blocks uphill to after 2 block walk to get to that hill.

I used to love walking around my Brooklyn neighborhood which was nearish to the northern end of Prospect Park, and before that Grand Army Plaza and the nabe one next to it in thevother direction. Previously to that for many years I had a big park that was about 4 blocks away. Glorious.

Covid really messed w most of us to various annoying, upsetting to tragic degrees [my peeps were very lucky], and it threw my whole walking routine out whack never totally restored.
Going to try and do better this coming year!.

Anyway...yes, I saw someone 15+ yrs back using those treking poles. I think I asked them, and seemed to be a European thing to use.
Do you think that since they engage your upper body that; that improves your breathing?

[ShazzieB]

7. I think I may have a touch of SAD, too.

I take antidepressants all year around to keep my major depressive disorder from rearing its ugly head, but there are always stretches of time during the winter months when I'm tired all the time and want to sleep a LOT more than usual. So far, it has never lasted long enough to cause serious concern, but I may bring it up at my next appointment with my psychiatrist to see what he says.

[electric_blue68]

9. Could be, and I totally get that! Good luck!