Fatigue

[Miranda]

I get the SAD very badly in the winter too. Some girls I know do a wee bit of the tanning bad. I'm super fair, so I don't. I saw a show once on a special type of light bulb panel a lady had by her treadmill that helped. I purposely keep all the window shades pulled way up to let as much light as possible.

As posted, I'll add another about over training. I never thought I would see the value of "taking a day off". But, wow... it was like someone kicked open a door on my fatigue level. If you want to keep the gym as your normal routine, is there something that is a recovery activity, or just relax? Does it have a pool or hot tub? Stretching class? A place to grab a healthy drink and just socialize?

Also, switching up part of the gym time to a new or different winter activity might help. My theory I'm testing is that it makes winter something to look forward to. I bought xc skis last year. And I have snow shoes on order. The children and I also bought rink skates recently as well.

[aicabsolut]

I get the SAD very badly in the winter too. Some girls I know do a wee bit of the tanning bad. I'm super fair, so I don't.

Just an FYI, the tanning bed lamps aren't the right grade (spectrum?) to treat SAD. They make special sunlamps for that, so while it doesn't matter for you, tell your friends to save their skin and get outdoors or look into getting a real lamp (they are $$$$) if their SAD is bad enough.

[firenze11]

Or mozy on down to Aust for some sunshine

Ah, that would be amazing, perpetual summer!

You can move to Texas where we have 300 sunny days a year. Although Hawaii sounds better.

I've been thinking about moving back down to the southwest, it might end up being better for my health/sanity. Winters here are just too much snow and gray! Snow is pretty for the first couple days, then I start thinking "Make it STOP!" I should really try snowshoeing or something. I used to love snow in MD when it would happen every once and awhile.

Hey Firenze, have you always been in Montreal?? That's pretty far north. I had some issues with feeling very low energy when I lived in Paris in winter, which is the same latitude as Montreal. For comparison, New York City is the same latitude as Madrid.

I haven't always been here, I was actually born in New Mexico so maybe my body just really needs more sun. I just moved up to Canada from the States about 6 years ago and since then I've been having problems in the winter. I just realized the past 2-3 years I've been going to my doctor in December/January asking her to do some blood tests because I'm so tire. It's only this year that I realized I wasn't anemic or something else and started looking into SAD. I never thought of the latitude thing, but this is certainly much further north than I ever thought I'd be.

I can see the language thing adding a little bit of stress into my life. I'm trying to improve my French, so it's another thing that my brain is focusing on a lot. Although, I feel lucky that I can pretty much just speak English when I need to.

And regarding the lights, the doctor told me I needed to get one that is 10000 lux. Apparently regular rooms are like 100 lux, so it's way brighter, helps mimic what the sun does, and the spectrum they use helps to reset the circadian rhythm. I have one on the way so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it helps.

Also, just as a side note, I was a bit shocked by my appointment. Even though I'm not experiencing a mood change/the depression side of SAD, he told me that he preferred to put people on antidepressants between October and March. I had done research beforehand and everything said light box first and foremost along w/ exercise, eating well, etc. I was just really surprised that drugs would be his first choice. . .maybe it's because he's a university doctor? I don't know. I was also surprised that most insurance companies wouldn't cover the light therapy but will cover medication. Hm. (I know the medication works wonders for many many people and I'm not against it for the right situation, but it just felt very wrong for me and my situation).

Whew, that's a long one! Thanks for all your help, advice, experiences!

[Aggie_Ama]

Who cannot want to come back to the Southwest? I want to move all over Texas and even into New Mexico. Too bad I don't have a willing nomad at home!

Any chance you can go to another doctor? I have had too many friends get put on anti-depressants as a first choice and regretted it. Sucks about the light not being covered, it seems like a nice option at least for my friend.

[Miranda]

Just an FYI, the tanning bed lamps aren't the right grade (spectrum?) to treat SAD. They make special sunlamps for that, so while it doesn't matter for you, tell your friends to save their skin and get outdoors or look into getting a real lamp (they are $$$$) if their SAD is bad enough.

Ahh, that's good to know. I knew there was something "special" to the type of light, but didn't know what. Maybe it mentally makes them feel better if they look like summer (tan). I'm always just trying to not fry with sunburn or die of skin ca.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

Ahh, that's good to know. I knew there was something "special" to the type of light, but didn't know what. Maybe it mentally makes them feel better if they look like summer (tan). I'm always just trying to not fry with sunburn or die of skin ca.

I will sheepishly admit that I did my one and only visit to a tanning booth last year in a crazy attempt to find sunshine in New England in winter. I can see why people go to them in the winter. It felt really good while I was there. BUT that night I felt like a piece of bacon. I swear I was sizzling in my bed. I only spent 2 minutes in the lowest wattage one (I know the owner) and I just couldn't figure out how people could be in it longer. It was pretty intense.

The weird thing for me is I actually get out more at night and walk my dog in the peace and quiet and feel better being in the cold air. I know what I'm missing and it's being outside and the sun, so I think I'm going to put money towards a vacation this winter somewhere warm, or maybe a couple of flights to Florida.

The thing about living in the Sierras is that even though you are buried under snow, the sun pops out after every storm. And with all that snow around you, it is that much brighter. So here when the sun goes in I wilt.

Yes you will find that taking a day off makes you stronger. Everything gets to relax and rebuild. It was one of the lessons I should of learned but I'm getting there. It's just that I like to bike

[tulip]

Almost two years ago I did something that had never done before--I went south in February. My stepmother and I went to Nicaragua for 10 days. It was WONDERFUL. When I got back, it was almost March, and in these parts, that's a bearable wait until spring.

Interestingly, aside from Nicaraguans, the most people I met there were Canadians.

[TrekTheKaty]

I know in the winter, if left alone, I will hibernate. When it gets dark, I'm ready to crawl in bed by 8. I tried to get up at 6:30 for a bike ride this morning, but the sun wasn't up--so I rolled back over and went back to sleep!

To counteract this--in the evening, I make an effort to turn on every light in the house--this keeps me awake until at least 9 pm. When I worked in an office, I went to the gym every day after work--that also kept me up a little later.

[Tokie]

I get SAD, and I live in coastal southern california! I tried the full spectrum lights. It was inconvenient - you expose yourself to the light (shining into your eyes) for I seem to recall 45 minutes in the am, first thing upon arising from bed. I read the newspaper. I got some tanning/freckling. And my opthamologist was not cool with it. And it didn't work. Tried Wellbutrin - I think it worked - a tiny bit- because of the palcebo effect. this spring, my internist started me on Vitamin D (50,000 units of ergocalciferol) he checked my vit D level first with a blood test. I am on it primarily for my osteoporosis (along with fosamax and estradiol) but he said it is also linked to reduced rates of colon cancer and heart disease. But I noticed that once the days started getting shorter, I wasn't getting the short days blues - for me it's a remarkable improvement. I am quite pleased, and apparently my bones, colon and heart will be too. Tokie

[firenze11]

Here's a bit of an update but more of a, hmm, question, maybe.

Thanks for all your responses, I am finding that if I get out in the sunshine for a walk I do feel a lot better and less tired. Waking up to some sunlight in the morning seems to be helping. I have a light box coming, so I'm going to give it a try. Can't hurt, right? I still think I probably have mild SAD, winter blues I guess they call it.

I'm wondering more and more, though, about this overtraining business. It never really crossed my mind until I posted. . .and I'm having a hard time believing I could have overtrained because I'm only doing 3 hours of workouts a week and I always thought overtraining happened to those 6-7 days/week 1+ hour hardcore athletes. But lately my legs have started feeling heavy and tired when I do pretty basic stuff like walking up the hill to my apartment or walking up the library stairs, and my knee and ankle joints are feeling sore and achy (I've never had this before). It's all pretty darn mild, but noticeable enough for me to question where it's coming from because it feels like each week is a little more noticeable. And it feels different from DOMS.

So at this point I don't know if I should suck it up and stick with my spin classes until they end in a few weeks or take a break. I'm hesitant to take a break because I really really enjoy being active and I already paid for the classes ( Does that make me cheap or something?)

Ugh! Sorry, I guess mainly I'm venting some frustrations.

[jobob]

I'm wondering more and more, though, about this overtraining business. It never really crossed my mind until I posted. . .and I'm having a hard time believing I could have overtrained because I'm only doing 3 hours of workouts a week and I always thought overtraining happened to those 6-7 days/week 1+ hour hardcore athletes.

That's precisely what I thought too back when I was having fatigue problems last year - I didn't think I was doing enough to be "overtrained" ! Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't - but all I know is, once I took some off, I felt much better when I did start up again.

Have you had a checkup recently to rule out any other possibilities? Thyroid issues, that sort of thing? (apologies if you already discussed this).

That's a drag that you already paid for spin classes. Is there any way they could defer your membership, if only for a few weeks?

Wishing you the best.

[OakLeaf]

What about your protein intake? I get sore and tired when I'm not getting enough protein. I seem to need way more protein than I think I ought to - fish after every hard strength workout makes an enormous difference to me. If you eat fish. I have issues with protein powders

[Crankin]

Glad you are making progress with the fatigue. I get over training symptoms very easily, so you don't have to be "hard core" to have it.
And Aggie A., I never want to go back to the southwest. Living in the inside of an oven for 16 years was tiresome. I love the change of seasons and everything that goes with it. Endless summer is not all it's cracked up to be!