getting through the winter?

Question

I hate the winter so much. It snows and it's dark. It's cold and the days end too soon. You wake up and it's dark and you have no motivation.

I don't have SAD, I just really hate the winter.
I don't want to do winter sports.

Suggestions?!

Answer 1

I live in New Hampshire. I love the winter, but it is kind of frustrating waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark, then coming home in the dark in the dead of winter...

If you feel that SAD is kind of over the top for what you are feeling, you might want to consider that perhaps you simply suffer from a milder form. You did mentioned that it was dark three times in three consecutive sentences...

Here are a few things that might help - or at least some things to look into:

1. Get as much exposure to natural sunlight as you can
2. Buy some Multi-Spectrum lights (Daylight lights) from your local hardware store
3. Look into the effects of Melatonin - it regulates your sleep/wake cycle. Diminished sunlight diminishes your levels of melatonin Yes, melatonin is for sleep, but it blances out the other end of the sleep/wake cycle - which is disurupted by the shortened days.
4. Pick up some posters of sunny destinations. The power of suggestion can be a wonderful thing :-)
5. Plan a mid-winter trip to a warmer destination if possible. We took a trip to a warmer/sunnier place one year and it was the highlight of the winter. It was just enough to get our "fix" of warmth and sunlight. We looked forward to the trip for the first half of winter and then relished the trip for the second half of winter. It doesn't have to be anything exotic. Depending on where you live, you might be able to get extremely reasonable airfair to southern destinations in the winter. For example, with a little bit of sleuthing around, we were able to find round-trip airfair to Florida for $99. Look for promotional prices/packages to Disney in the "off-season". If camping is your thing, some campgrounds stay open year-round and are heavily discounted in the "off-season".
6. Beat the cold with heat. If you own your own home, install a fireplace or wood stove. The warmth does wonders for chilled bones. You can rent a cottage with a wood stove for the week/weekend and crank it up nice and hot. It's a unique, wonderful experience. Alternatively, you can visit a ski lodge if there are any in your area. You don't have to ski - you can just hang out in the lodge. It's a wonderful cozy atmosphere - usually complete with hot soup and a fireplace.
7. Keep up the activities. Depending on where you live, there might be plenty of things to do in the dead of the winter. For example, in Manchester, NH there are INDOOR Rock climbing facilities. Indoor Hockey is another popular sport. Keep on keeping busy to bust the blues.

These suggestions might seem obvious, but these simple things can be pretty effective. :-) Cheers to getting you through this next winter!

Jon G.

Answer 2

I lived in Minnesota for 14 years. I had enough of winter, too. Now I live in NC on the coast. We have winter, but if it gets 45 degrees, we call it cold. I love winter in NC.

Answer 3

Take a new outlook on the winter. Make yourself believe that it is awesome. Build a snowman and embrace the holidays.

Answer 4

My parents in massachusetts like to do puzzles in the winter. Lots of reading, and crafty stuff.
However, I live in Florida, so I like to walk on the beach...LOL

Answer 5

guess what?
I used to live in NJ
Now if Las Vegas .
It is such a paradise. Flowers blooming. Green grass.
Warm days.
Just move out west and you can be happy like me.

Answer 6

Take up more than one new hobby. So as you get tired of one you may switch to another etc. Try reading more, working with your hands. Get started now! Good luck!

Answer 7

i love the winter...cosy nights indoors..looking out on the rainy/snowy weather...sounds like with your feelings towards this season..you may as well hibernate because there is nothing you can do about the weather!