Today started out with a blue sky and sunshine, but it didn’t take long for the weather to go downhill. It’s now cloudy, chilly, and just plain gloomy and I’m trying to shake the fogginess from my head. Can I be honest, though? This kind of weather and the impact it has on my mood is making it difficult to share that amazing airport story I’ve been wanting to write about since Saturday. It’s filled with so much good, but I just don’t feel good right now. Maybe if I had worked out and completed today’s burpee challenge before sitting down to the keyboard I’d be in a better space to write a happy post. Actually, I’m pretty sure I would be because exercise, especially running, always boosts my mood no matter what the weather is like outside.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a Big Fat Jerk
Honestly, this happens to me every time the weather is cloudy and gloomy. It’s like I literally can’t get my eyes to focus and my head feels like it’s filled with mush. Worse though, is that this time of year is when it’s more intense. I have a feeling Seasonal Affective Disorder, SAD is the appropriate acronym, is partially to blame. Every year I try to prepare as fall creeps in and winter is waiting to pounce from just around the corner, but I never seem to do enough. I mean, I don’t expect to be chipper and joyful every single day, but this just plain stinks. I’ve increased my Vitamin D and I’m considering buying one of those “Happy Lights”, but I’m not sure if it would be worth the investment. Have you ever tried one that you’d recommend? If so, please share because I’ll take all the recommendations I can get.
Goal for tomorrow: exercise in the morning, cross fingers for sunshine, and finally share that super-dee-duper airport story.
My husband struggles with this every year, too. We’ve never gotten one of the lights, but I think Casey at Moosh in Indy has one and likes it.
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Thanks, Nichole. I’ll have to see if there’s one in particular that Casey would recommend.
I didn’t know that they made things like “Happy Lights”. The dark seasons affect me a lot too, so I’ll have to look into those.
Yes, Denise, they do! And I’ve heard a lot of great things about them, so I think it’s times to purchase one.
I have a friend that suffers from this too. I can’t wait to get out of town and head south for some fun in the sun! Maybe try a roadtrip to somewhere sunny!
It’s been way too long since we took a winter trip to our favorite sunny place, but I think I’ll make it a priority next year. Sigh. We live as Northeast as you can get, so a road trip to a sunny spot would literally take days.
I feel like this right now too. I want to go somewhere sunny and warm!
Oh gosh, can we Dawn? Can we please do that, like, right now?
OH man I am feeling SAD bad this week! I am in need of some vitamin d!
Glad I’m not alone, but boy doesn’t it stink, right? A new bottle of Vitamin D is on my shopping list!
A cousin of mine suffers from this as well during winter. I’m the opposite and prefer cold and cloudy and the sun just makes me want to hide indoors and being that I live in Florida makes it hard on me. It’s weird I know, most people cheer at the sight of a sunny day.
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I’ve definitely never heard of sunshine having this type of impact on a person. Winter here is definitely rough.
Aww, it’s crazy that this can sweep in and hit you this way. SAD is terrible when you need to be motivated too!
Exactly, Liz. It’s just so frustrating and draining.
I have the same problem every winter. It doesn’t help that there are no windows in my office and I get to work so early the sun isn’t up yet. I’m lucky to catch the sunset on my drive home and that just doesn’t cut it. I was thinking about getting one of those lights for work but I don’t know if they actually do anything
Ugh, it’s so hard, isn’t it? I’m wondering the same about the lights and thinking this might be THE year to invest in one to see for myself.
I’ve always lived in sunny places and I actually like the dark days but has never seen them for a long time like you guys in the Northern Hemisphere. The SAD acronym is indeed appropriate! I hope you feel a bit happier soon! Maybe those lights can help!
We’ve talked a lot about moving to the South. Well, I’VE talked about it a lot, but it might be a few (or 20) years before I can make that happen. Thank you for the happy thoughts. Don’t ever take that sunshine for granted! 🙂
Well, it sounds like you are doing all the right things! I have never tried one of those lights, but I’d love to hear about it if you do. Feel better and maybe try to get out with friends more- being extra social when it’s this time of year might help too.
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Thanks, Milena. We moved several months ago, so I don’t have any friends where we live (yet), but you are very right about how much socializing can brighten a gloomy day. Here’s to hoping Spring arrives super fast!
I have friends who have those lights. I want to get one, but every year goes by and then I don’t! Maybe this year – though.
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Same here, Andrea. Every year I talk about them and then never hit the buy button. This year, though, maybe.
SAD is very real; I’m so sorry you’re having such a tough time with it. I am the opposite – I love cloudy, gloomy weather. And stormy weather when it’s warm! Nothing soothes my soul like rain and I’d have it every day if I could. I think I’d love the Pacific Northwest. Or someplace coastal, where it would be warm or at least mild year-round. It would be sunny most of the time, but anytime I’ve ever gone to the beach here on the Gulf Coast, storms would roll through every afternoon, then clear off. It’s blissful.
So…I did have a point. I have SAD, but it’s not affected by gloomy weather or more darkness, but by temperature drops. I just can’t with cold weather, and in Alabama we have really mild winters except for a few days.
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Thank you, Kim. Yeah, some days it’s really, really rough. I think if we had MOSTLY sunny days and only a few cloudy/rainy/gloomy ones it wouldn’t be so bad, but when it’s several days in a row (and cold) I just can’t handle it. I’m thinking you might need to relocate to someplace like Seattle and I’ll head to San Diego. 😉