Seasonal affective disorder?

[jramy278]

It's the time of year - cold, dreary and grey Michigan. Despite having lived here for more than 6 years now, I do not handle this weather well at all - I get totally bummed out by the lack of sunshine, my insomnia seems to get worse and of course all my grad school woes coincide extra nicely (experiments not working blah blah) I'm pretty sure I have some form of seasonal affective disorder! Does anyone else go through this? If so, do you have any tips that work for you? Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[Huldak]

I'm sorry to hear you are getting the blues. I live in the Northeast and I definitely used to, not so much now. Make sure you get enough vitamin D -- you might have your doctor check that with a blood test. I really find that taking my vitamins helps my mood. At one point I bought one of those lamps meant for replacing sunlight, I don't use it anymore and honestly I can't tell whether it did anything.

You might also ensure you are getting enough exercise. Not that I do.

Good luck!

 

[jramy278]

Thanks Huldak! I've heard conflicting things about the lamps too. Exercise...sigh. I don't get enough of that in the warm months even! I just can't motivate myself to get off the couch in this weather. It's so horrendously dark at 4pm! Sorry, don't mind me. I'm just being a whiny baby, haha. I will definitely try harder.

 

[ChristineRose]

I am also in the cold and dreary state of Michigan. I've heard we're the cloudiest state in the union. Probably just a line though.

The classic treatments for SAD are light boxes. The good ones are not cheap and it's worth talking to a doctor first. I recommend dawn simulators as well. The good ones are also not cheap. There are a lot of alarm clocks with a little light stuck on them that won't do you much good. You want around 70-200 watts of incandescent light (or the equivalent) if your lamp is a meter from your face.

 

[Maisie]

I live in England and I use a light box from September through till April. I hate the dark days and gloomy weather. My moods really drop and my anxiety issues seem to get worse. If I didn't use my light box I would be a lot worse, I know because I didn't use it one year and I really suffered.

 

[vc10um]

We're also in Michigan. DH has recently changed the lightbulbs in our offices to ones that are closer to daylight in light "temperature"...I've only had mine since Tuesday and I've already noticed a difference in my productivity and my overall demeanor. You are looking for bulbs with a temperature of about 5000 degrees Kelvin...standard incandescent bulbs clock in at around 2500, I believe, and real bonafide sunshine is somewhere between 6000 and 7000. It might be worth looking into! I also find bringing potted plants into my home (I like succulents...they're hard to kill!) helps. That touch of green is really uplifting!

ETA: the numbers I gave were rough estimates...this wiki article has a chart that somewhat falls in line with the above numbers...

 

[jramy278]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your helpful ideas, voicing it out truly helps alleviate some of the misery!

Christine and Maisie - do you use these boxes only in the mornings? I met a girl last week who said she just puts one on her desk at work and sits by it all day!

vc10um - This is very useful, I will check it out, thanks so much!

 

[monarch64]

Yes to the bringing plants inside! I have a kitchen herb garden, several houseplants, a Meyer lemon tree, and I bring in my lettuce seedlings and other greens from the outdoor greenhouse when it gets seriously cold. I live in southern IN, so not quite the same climate, but as the days get shorter I feel like hibernating and my motivation really decreases. Growing stuff inside is good for the soul!

 

[jramy278]

Ah yes. I used to have a little clover plant that ended up with some nasty white fly type infestation so it died Suggestions on low maintenance, hard-to-kill little plants?

 

[monarch64]

Succulents are small and don't require much care. You could make yourself a nice terrarium. Air plants are nice. Gardening in miniature is also fun. Here are some pictures I took at my local nursery recently. I like to walk through the greenhouses because it's nice and warm and humid inside and all kinds of exotic stuff is growing in them!

 

[monarch64]

Here's my kitchen herb garden--basil, thyme, oregano. Takes up very little space, and requires pretty much zero care besides watering.

You can start all of those from seeds or even from buying fresh from the store and then planting cuttings. It's actually really satisfying and gives you something to look forward to during the winter months (or really, all year). Bonus: you can eat it!

 

[jramy278]

Ok! Gotta get me some green! My labmate has one of those aerogarden things, they seem cool too (of course much more expensive). I don't know the first thing about potting soil etc...might just start with a potted cactus type plant! Thank you for the pretty pictures...just looking at them makes me feel better compared to the snowy slushy view from my window!

 

[ChristineRose]

Hi jramy. There are a whole bunch of boxes and some are much brighter than others. The ones they did medical research on are very bright and I don't think you'd leave it on all day. That's why I say I'd check with a doctor before I spent a lot of money on a light. A light box should give off 10,000 lux or it isn't going to have a medical effect. A typical office light is 700 lux. There are a lot of people selling cheaper things and claiming you can get good results by leaving them on longer or whatever but there's no research proving any of it.

 

[Maisie]

I use my box for a minimum of 1.5 hours per day, usually more - up to 3 hours. When I first start using it in September I have to be careful because it makes me feel quite nauseous and gives me headaches. That normally wears off after a couple of weeks. Some light boxes are stronger than others and there are some that only need 30-60 mins a day.

 

[kmarla]

I live in Central Canada and the winters are long! I have taken 2500 IU of vitamin D for years per doctors instructions. This year he wrote a script for a SAD light. Beware that they aren't all created equal. The one I have is 10,000 LUX and should only be used first thing in the morning for max 30 min. At first it made me feel nauseous and jittery but after using it for 2 weeks now those symptoms are almost gone. I definitely notice I have more energy now.

 

[Maisie]

I was also advised not to use my light box later in the day or it might stop me sleeping.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Ah yes. I used to have a little clover plant that ended up with some nasty white fly type infestation so it died Suggestions on low maintenance, hard-to-kill little plants?

You can get some basic plants from the grocery/multi-purpose stores that are from tropical climates, such as chinese evergreens and crotons. One plant that is pretty much impossible to kill is a ficus tree. They do have periods where they drop leaves and that is often during seasonal changes. I have two of one kind of plant in my house that does really good even if I forget to water them called a Peperomia = which has a bunch of varieties, so the one that does great has smooth leaves.

 

[distracts]

Welp, I have seasonal affective disorder. In order to get diagnosed as having SAD rather than recurring depression, I had to see a psychiatrist for several years and she mapped my moods. Middle of October - BAM depressed! Longest day of the year - I'm often suicidal. FUN. I'm on antidepressants all year (even once it's summer, if I had a particularly bad winter the depression can be hard to kick). It sounds like you are not that bad so that is not what you are looking for.

In terms of non-prescription treatments, the most useful for me is the sunbox.
http://sunbox.com/
I have the Sunbox Jr and a desk lamp one. My mood is definitely more even and mellow when I am using it. Your doctor will usually prescribe you minutes and a distance, and then you adjust it from there - I do thirty minutes at fourteen inches. I apply my makeup while using the sunbox because it's a pretty rad light supply (just, uh, please note that any imperfections will be extra obvious). When I first got it, I tried reading, listening to music, etc but I was never able to do it consistently but using it as my makeup light works. You should definitely pay attention to use guidelines - when I first started using it I started at less time and longer distance than what I use now, and it still made me nauseous and weird. You should also only use it in the morning because it can reset your sleep schedule.

Another nonprescription treatment is negative ion therapy. Usually it's suggested to get a negative ion machine and leave it by your bed. Honestly, I'm not sure this did anything for me and I didn't continue it when I went to college.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_air_ionization_therapy

A treatment I wouldn't necessarily recommend but has nevertheless works for me is tanning beds. I go in covered in sunscreen, lol (I wouldn't tan anyway, only burn). But the moment the tanning bed starts doing its thing, I feel like it's summer, no matter how effing cold the tanning salon is. Please note that medical professionals do not advocate this as a treatment and discourage use of tanning beds under any circumstances.

 

[Maisie]

You sound like your SAD is very severe Distracts. It must be awful for you. I was on anti depressants for 3 years after I had a breakdown and I didn't get SAD at all during that time. I'm really tempted to go back on them to help with my anxiety disorder which would hopefully stop me from getting depressed every winter.

 

[sparkle45]

I'm in Seattle and am experiencing the same thing. I haven't found anything that helps.... but I will say to be cautious if you're using melatonin to help manage your insomnia. I was feeling Extra Depressed for a few months, and couldn't figure it out. It was so bad, I was constantly snapping at BF, and it was affecting our relationship. Then I happened to have the melatonin bottle on my bedside table and was laying on my side looking at it and noticed a depression warning. Apparently, melatonin can make depression symptoms WORSE. Ironic, for a medicine that many anxious/depressed people turn to to help manage their insomnia.

 

[monarch64]

Jramy, you're welcome! If you are close to a greenhouse (maybe one on campus?), nursery, or even a Lowe's or Home Depot, take a stroll through it or the houseplant department. It does lift the winter spirit a bit!

You don't need to know much about plants or soil to get started. Just get something basic and enjoy. Maybe your interest will "grow" from there!

I was also going to say (not recommend) that a very minimal amount of time in a tanning bed may be helpful. I stopped tanning years ago, but some Februarys are bleaker than others and I have spent 10 minutes in one just to feel warm and well lit.

 

[jramy278]

Thanks again everybody for the help.

Christine, maisie and kmarla, thanks for the info on the light boxes. I'll definitely look into it.

Distracts, I'm so sorry to hear than out your terrible SAD. Like you said, I don't think mine is that bad, but I can't even begin to imagine what you go through. Hope it gets better with time.

MC, thanks for the suggestions on easy plants, I'll go take a look this weekend at the grocery stores.

Aprilmay, i do not take any medication for my insomnia. I did a round of CBT a couple of years ago which helped then. However I have not continued to follow up on any of those, and so I'm back to square one again grr. I do get super frustrated a couple times a year and down a spoonful of NyQuil I know what you mean about snapping at the boy though! Poor guy has to deal with all my crankiness and sudden breakdowns.

Monarch, I'm not sure if there's any greenhouses nearby, but I do live pretty close to Home Depot. I'll give it a shot this weekend

I managed to drag all my labmates to Ben and Jerry's today (it's raining but temps are in the late 30s) and so I'm feeling much better after the sugar rush haha. I'm hoping I can keep it together as best as I can until the end of March when I leave to go home and get married. It will be absolutely scorching in India then, so I won't need he tanning beds haha. Thanks y'all, you guys are awesome.

 

[lknvrb4]

I take Now Foods liquid D3. It is the same kind of vitamin D that you get from the sun.

 

[vc10um]

Thanks again everybody for the help.

[...]

I managed to drag all my labmates to Ben and Jerry's today (it's raining but temps are in the late 30s) and so I'm feeling much better after the sugar rush haha. I'm hoping I can keep it together as best as I can until the end of March when I leave to go home and get married. It will be absolutely scorching in India then, so I won't need he tanning beds haha. Thanks y'all, you guys are awesome.

Well there's one way to lift the doldrums! Any chance your Ben and Jerry's is located next door to a second local ice cream shop and near a big national coffee retailer that's under construction and a national toasted sandwich chain? (If so, you're at my alma mater and I live not far from there, so we could also schedule a GTG to check out some bling...that should lift some spirits!)

And congratulations on your impending marriage!

 

[jramy278]

Thanks again everybody for the help.

[...]

I managed to drag all my labmates to Ben and Jerry's today (it's raining but temps are in the late 30s) and so I'm feeling much better after the sugar rush haha. I'm hoping I can keep it together as best as I can until the end of March when I leave to go home and get married. It will be absolutely scorching in India then, so I won't need he tanning beds haha. Thanks y'all, you guys are awesome.

Well there's one way to lift the doldrums! Any chance your Ben and Jerry's is located next door to a second local ice cream shop and near a big national coffee retailer that's under construction and a national toasted sandwich chain? (If so, you're at my alma mater and I live not far from there, so we could also schedule a GTG to check out some bling...that should lift some spirits!)

And congratulations on your impending marriage!

Yes indeed, that's where I am!! Thanks for the wishes. Also...guess what I got as the ultimate pick-me-up last night? I have a post in SMTB...should be up in the clouds for a good bit

 

[vc10um]

Thanks again everybody for the help.

[...]

I managed to drag all my labmates to Ben and Jerry's today (it's raining but temps are in the late 30s) and so I'm feeling much better after the sugar rush haha. I'm hoping I can keep it together as best as I can until the end of March when I leave to go home and get married. It will be absolutely scorching in India then, so I won't need he tanning beds haha. Thanks y'all, you guys are awesome.

Well there's one way to lift the doldrums! Any chance your Ben and Jerry's is located next door to a second local ice cream shop and near a big national coffee retailer that's under construction and a national toasted sandwich chain? (If so, you're at my alma mater and I live not far from there, so we could also schedule a GTG to check out some bling...that should lift some spirits!)

And congratulations on your impending marriage!

Yes indeed, that's where I am!! Thanks for the wishes. Also...guess what I got as the ultimate pick-me-up last night? I have a post in SMTB...should be up in the clouds for a good bit

Well, j, I actually got the heads up on that from a mutual friend of ours (I had a sneaking suspicion this was you based on talks with her...)! The same friend that brought us to PS, actually. So, methinks the 3 of us should get together and show off our sparkles together, yes? Congratulations!!!

 

[jramy278]

[

Well, j, I actually got the heads up on that from a mutual friend of ours (I had a sneaking suspicion this was you based on talks with her...)! The same friend that brought us to PS, actually. So, methinks the 3 of us should get together and show off our sparkles together, yes? Congratulations!!![/quote]

Hahaha, I totally know who you are!! This is too funny Thanks, we should definitely do that

 

[monarch64]

Congrats, Jramy!!! Now that is a mood-lifter for sure!

 

[TooPatient]

Better lighting helps! We are (almost) exclusively LED at home so we can have things lit brighter and we chose the more "daylight" temperatures. Makes a big difference!

We can't have plants inside due to cats but my grandparents do and it is so nice to have them around! The African violets are one of my favorites -- hard to kill and lots of great colors!

I also try to have some sort of yummy food/drink thing in the house. I love soups/stews so cooking them makes me happy! Other "seasonal" stuff is great too -- apple cider, apple crisp. pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, etc.

 

[vc10um]

Better lighting helps! We are (almost) exclusively LED at home so we can have things lit brighter and we chose the more "daylight" temperatures. Makes a big difference!

We can't have plants inside due to cats but my grandparents do and it is so nice to have them around! The African violets are one of my favorites -- hard to kill and lots of great colors!

I also try to have some sort of yummy food/drink thing in the house. I love soups/stews so cooking them makes me happy! Other "seasonal" stuff is great too -- apple cider, apple crisp. pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, etc.

TP this reminded me of something, too! One of my friends consistently has stove top potpourri going in her house during the winter when she's home. Usually some sort of citrus and herb combination, like lemon and sage or orange and thyme or grapefruit and rosemary which makes the house smell really fresh and light...she just lets it simmer away on the stove in a big pot of water and it seems to perk her up. The same could probably be said for citrus-scented candles...