SADD that time of the year

[hirakukibou]

I have a light meant to treat SADD. I think it helps. I used it in the morning when I have my coffee. It doesn't completely "cure" my depression which I struggle with even in the summer, but it does take the winter edge away.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

sundial- you would be so proud. I went out and rode in the rain for an hour. I swear I have never been in rain that intense. I rode for about an hour on trails with plenty o roots. I made it and the guy I rode with likes to ride in the winter. I can't believe how much better I felt, except I still had that sleepy feeling I get when it's cloudy...one day at a time...

[Mr. Bloom]

Outstanding!

[CyclaSutra]

You might check with your local mental health organization. Our community counseling center has an outreach office called Mountain House, and they have full-spectrum lights that anyone can walk in and use. Yes, we live in an uber-rich resort community, so my idea of normal is skewed, but it wouldn't hurt to check and see if you can "borrow" a light instead of having to buy! You also might advertise on Craigslist or somewhere that you need one, and someone might give it to you for cheap or free.

[Flur]

I've had SAD since I was in college. Before I knew what it was I referred to it as "the slide down into the dark." I had a really hard time with college winter break, which was 6 weeks long in December and January.

I've found that what helps best is getting outside as much as possible. I've also found the exercise helps, and outdoor exercise is the best of all. Having a project that you can work on when indoors helps too.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

Another thing I found that is helping as the days get shorter is I switched to using soy milk. I get PMS so bad it's ridiculous and I noticed that this is the first month I didn't get 'the week before' craziness I always feel. It's actually a fluke that I started drinking soy milk but I'm glad I did. When aunt flo arrived I thought...whoa...what happened to 'the week before'??? I think it was more my mood that kept me from riding than the weather. I'll just keep riding and riding and riding. I also bought a TriNewt light so I can ride in the dark. Maybe I should just shine that on me?!

[Red Rock]

Thankyou all for this thread. I do not know if I actually have this or not but since I have been back in school and working at the same time, my grads have been worse during the winter months. Summer semester, which is usually the most diffucult, has been "easy" so to speak.

When I was a kid growing up, I did not notice these things as much. I will take the advise given here and try to be outside for a half and hour at least a day, somehow.

Red Rock

[NbyNW]

Another thing I found that is helping as the days get shorter is I switched to using soy milk. I get PMS so bad it's ridiculous and I noticed that this is the first month I didn't get 'the week before' craziness I always feel. It's actually a fluke that I started drinking soy milk but I'm glad I did. When aunt flo arrived I thought...whoa...what happened to 'the week before'??? I think it was more my mood that kept me from riding than the weather. I'll just keep riding and riding and riding. I also bought a TriNewt light so I can ride in the dark. Maybe I should just shine that on me?!

I'm not too familiar with the science of it, but as I understand it soy has phyto-estrogens than some women respond well too. On the other hand, some people find soy proteins impossible to digest . . .

For PMS, especially in the winter months, I've had pretty good luck with Women's Phase I supplement by Vitanica:

http://www.vitanica.com/supplements_05.htm

My mom introduced me to tofu & soy milk at a pretty young age, so I really have no idea whether I am better off with or without it. All I know is some people have had very positive experiences with it and others have had negative experiences. I guess I'm just in the middle and it's something I like to eat from time to time.

The literature in the light that I bought says that there are specific frequencies of light that help us to wake up. I'm not sure if a TriNewt would have those frequencies.

[crazycanuck]

Well, it's almost here. We down under have spent the last 4 months in our winter & am so happy it's almost summer. WAHOOOOOEYY!!!

During the blech months (June-Sept) I don't change many routines. I bike/swim when it's still dark out. Our group swims at an outdoor pool that's naturally heated. I'm a wee bit crazy.

I crave the days there's beautiful blue skies & spend as much time outside as possible. I did the exact same thing when I lived in Canada. Embrace the sun, a nice book, friends etc & you'll get through winter!

C

[michelem]

Well, with all the fog we've been having lately as well as it getting dark by 5pm, I decided to go ahead and follow my doc's recommendation to purchase a 10,000 lux broad spectrum lamp. It looks like a desk lamp so I can use it at work, but it is also portable enough that I can bring it home to use in the evenings and on weekends. I'm supposed to start by using it 30 min. AM and 30 min. PM. I'll let you know how it goes once I receive it and start using it. Thankfully it has a 30-day money back guarantee in case I don't notice a difference. These things are VERY expensive! But, it will be worth the cost if I don't end up feeling like crapola by February.

[Velobambina]

I suffer from SADD, too. This year, I bought a "happy light" that I use every morning at work. It seems to be helping. You can find them at www.verilux.com (I think that's the manufacturer). I bought mine from Giaim but later found out that verilux sells them directly.

I also started taking 1000 iu/day of vitamin D.

Only 12 more days until we start adding minutes of sunlight to the day.

[eclectic]

I don't suffer from SAD per se but I HATE getting up in the dark every morning so I purchased a "dawn simulator"

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com...tor_17_ctg.htm

(scroll down to see it)

I LOVE it ! ! ! ! It is a much more gentle way to wake up and I wake up ready to go instead of groggy.

I also try to swim 3 or 4 days per week in the AM - for some reason the bright lights and water of the pool work as therapy for me (I hardly ever swim in the summer.) It makes going out in -20 F weather much more bearable.
I swim in the pool where I work so it isn't too much of a stretch.

[Tokie]

I tried the full spectrum light - it gave me freckling and my opthamologist was not happy that I was using it - he could not endorse that it was not harmful to my eyes -- something to consider!!!! I tried Wellbutrin for 2 winters, if it helped it seemed like the placebo effect (not much help) this summer my MD put me on Vitamin D (Ergoclaciferol 50,000 units one capsule per week). He put me on it after testing my blood vitamin D level which was low normal. I am on it for my osteoporosis, but doc says this type of vitamin D therapy is now linked to prevention of colon cancer and other chronic illnesses. All I can say is that my SAD has never been better! It is fabulous. My doctor was puzzled, but I am a believer! Tokie

[michelem]

Hi Tokie,

Thanks for that information. I checked with my opthamologist, as well as my dermatologist, and both agreed that the type of light I purchased will not harm my eyes or skin. Whew!

As for the vitamin d, I was tested with a severe deficiency myself. My last test showed I am nearing normal. I believe it is improving my mood as well.

[salsabike]

The vitamin D thing seems to be the new piece of knowledge of the day for me. I got an email from a close friend about it two days ago--same thing, severe deficiency, prescribed the once-a-week megadose. Saw my rheumatologist today and she raised it and we had blood drawn to test it. There's a great Johns Hopkins article about its role in arthritis and pain. I had no idea till I got that email two days ago.

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/art...arthritis.html

And, PS, I got an alarm clock for my other close friend back east that does the dawn simulator thing and she says it's a huge help. She's an ICU nurse that does 12 hour shifts, and has to get up at 5:30 am--hard in those NY winters.