(no subject)

[oyceter]

First post of the year... this feels odd, like it's supposed to be momentous. Oh well.

I'm really sick of winter. Not that I wasn't before, but now that Christmas is over, I want it to be summer again. Or spring at least. I think I definitely have some version of seasonal affective disorder, because all this dark is driving me crazy. It's weird because I'm such a night owl too! But I work from 9-6, so there's that brief glimmer of day during the ten minute drive to work, but usually it's grey and cloudy. Then inside all day, and not even close to a window =(. Then by the time I leave, the sun's already set! Argh. I miss my hour-long lunches in the park soaking up sunshine... those helped a lot. Now it's too cold to do that.

Well. I will keep in mind that when summer does come here, it comes full force, with sun till 9!

Comments

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

:sigh: I know that feeling. Can you put a full spectrum light on your desk? And perhaps a flowering plant?

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much a mole too, but I know what you mean by dark and gloomy. Unfortunately, winter is only just beginning for us in Toronto! I don't know how it is in California, but we've had fairly warm weather (for late December) and I know the snow storms won't hit until January-March. It's not gonna be pretty! Last year (or was it the year before?) we had a freak blizzard in May! Freakin' May!

(My icon is not totally ironic. I do like snow. Just not that much.)

Light

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Makes me miserable too, and I'm in South Carolina! It's already day until 5:30, but I won't be happy till March. However, I did buy one of those lights with the "real daylight" bulbs and am using it a good bit. Not the same to my mind, but maybe my body will be fooled.

I truly hate winter--the heavy clothes, the early dark, the COLD (by my standards). The only thing I love is the delicate bare branches of the trees, especially agains the dark red sunsets. Doesn't quite compensate, but at least it's something. But I'll be a different person when spring comes.

take your vitamins!

[knullabulla.livejournal.com]

Run over to your local GNC and pick up a B-vitamin complex. Vitamin B6 is primarily obtained through sun exposure and winter-time can result in a deficiency. B6 helps regulate moods (among other functions), so there's probably a connection between it and SAD. Take the B-complex because B vitamin intake should be balanced. I've been taking a B-complex for the past month... definately effective: I'm finding that I'm not needing my usual afternoon nap like I usually do during this time of year and I'm not feeling so sluggish at work.

I'll bet everyone's gonna say

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

"Buck up, chica, you live in California for god's sake!'

But everytime I look out the window, "Yep, still overcast, rainy and cold."

[oyceter]

Full spectrum light sounds like a pretty good idea! Actually, any sort of light sounds like a good idea ;). I feel kind of bad because I know I should not waste electricity, but bright rooms make me happy. It drives me crazy when I go to the boy's parent's place, because they turn off all the lights and only light candles! Nice for atmosphere, but I can't see or read at all.

Poor plants will probably die =(. My apartment's shaded by trees and facing inward... I had a calla lily in here and it was extremely unhappy.

[oyceter]

We've gotten a few nippy nights lately (read: 50s F, hee), but it's mild. I keep telling myself it would be ten times worse in Princeton. Mostly I'm giantly glad we're past solstice and the days are getting longer gradually. I'm ok with cold mostly... it's the lack of sunlight that gets me =(. Grey clouds, yuck yuck!

May blizzard?! Whoa! I was freaked out when it snowed in NJ in April!

Re: Light

[oyceter]

Mmm, yeah. I feel kind of wimpy for complaining when I live in California too! I feel very bad for my poor sister, who's got to go back to Ithaca.

I know what you mean about the silhouettes of the trees! I love that and the big snowfalls (back in NJ), watching the snow swirl down and transform everything. I start hating it about five hours after the fact though, when I have to trudge through. Then it melts and turns into slushy ice. Ew. And I hate sweaters! I can never find nice ones that don't have to be dry cleaned, and I hate wool because it itches my skin. And I miss my bright colored summer clothes.

Re: take your vitamins!

[oyceter]

Thanks for the info! I never knew that! I always thought the sun was important for vitamin D or something.

Re: I'll bet everyone's gonna say

[oyceter]

Heh, I feel kind of weird for complaining, especially since it's ten times better than NJ. No snow! Days end at 5 instead of 4 at least. No biting cold that makes you feel like all extremities will fall off!

But still, no sun =(.

it's good for vitamin D too :)

[knullabulla.livejournal.com]

technically speaking, B6 is composed of 3 different vitamins... so I'm not sure which one is from the sun.

Take a look at www.wholehealthmd.com. It's my absolute favorite resource for home remedies. They've got extensive information on herbs, suppliments, and foods used to treat/control/manage different conditions.

Oh, but work your way up to the higher potency B-complex formulas. I had gone from the whimpiest one to the strongest one... normally I could take the whimpy one at any time of the day... but not so much with the strong one. I took at dinner time last night, and I was bouncing off the walls until 3am. It definately increases your energy, heh.

Re: it's good for vitamin D too :)

[oyceter]

Hee, better than caffeine ;). Better for you too!