S.A.D. Seasonal Affective Disorder (add pics)

I´m wondering of my change of attitude towards the winter darkness here.

June has the longest day of the year, meaning at one point in June there is a day which has the longest hours of daylight, which here means a day of nearly all daylight. In Norway, Sankthansaften, which is celebrated June 23, is the celebration of midsummer, or summer solstice (the day of the year which has the longest amount of daylight). In Bergen, in June, that is approximately a sunset of nearly midnight, to a sunrise of about 3am. Then, each subsequent day gets slightly shorter, til winter´s shortest day, approximately January, with a sunrise of approximately 10am and a sunset of approximately 3pm.

Coming from living in places which had a huge amount of sunshine hours, it took me a while, though I don´t remember, getting used to having such extremely short days there was only a few hours of sunlight each day, and imho dull at that, even on a sunny day, let alone an overcast one. It wasn´t saddening or depressing for me, just odd, different, unusual. Ditto the opposite, though also exciting to have so many hours in the day of sunlight to explore, enjoy, stay out. Either way, I was able mostly to sleep, or stay up.

At some point I realized, it was just like having six seasons: spring, summer, winter, fall, dark and light.  As I enjoy all seasons, all weathers, most terrains, or combination of, it was just another combination. Beach plus sun plus snow. Mountains plus rain plus cold. City plus all daylight plus summer. Winter plus darkness plus candlight plus holidays. etc.

It got me wondering though, why does it affect some so awfully, and yet others like me not at all?

I´ve read that studies say people who can deal with change, negative situations, stress well have something in their brain which help them notice positive things, such as smiles rather than frowns, or solutions rather than problems, or adapt in general regardless of situation.

I keep wondering should I try getting a costly daylight simulating lamp or bulbs; try to take more vitamin D vitamins; exercise more; get out every day...but then I realize in winter as most times of the year, I already do a lot:

 -vitamins
-eat fresh fruit and veggies
-eat red meat as it does make me feel better
-try to get out to enjoy the sunlight, "tan" my face wearing full winter gear, just to enjoy the sun
-see friends or hibernate with comfort foods
-hobbies, hiking outdoors to quilting indoors
-learn something new, sightsee, do the touristy things, do things locals do

I do notice that when I am cooped up indoors in winter time too much, rather than being cozy, comforting, hibernating catching up with me or family time, I do feel cranky, blue, maybe a bit bored and annoyed if more than a day or two too much!

One woman I heard in the US bought a home in Oregon (now there´s a place I could never live!) to save money on a lovely retirement life and cozy home, but from the moment she moved there the first winter, she got more and more sad and deeply clinically depressed. The fourth year she was told she must take heavy medications, which also caused her to gain lots of weight and feel not herself. The sixth year she sold the house and moved back to Florida, as she thought it was not worth it to live somewhere where she had to take medication all year long just to simply be able to live there. Wow, I feel lucky to not have had that happen to me! As I´m sure the weather can be more rainy, cold, miserable, dark here than in Oregon, but for me atleast being able to be outdoors, walking rather than driving everywhere really makes a huge difference!

I wonder how many expats must take drugs here, or suffer through horribly sad winter depression; or locals for that matter. Wonder what others do to cope, which has been a big discussion with others in winter with those both local and not from here--what we do, other options and ideas to cope.  If it did affect me, and none of the above worked, I would definitely try the daylight light bulbs and lamps, and I think that the tanning beds too might help---with their warmth, and light. It does work for some. It´s good to know!

As much as I like the nearly 24 hour days of daylight here, I am excited to have some actual darkness! Maybe in a few months I will be sick of it by then, but for now, it is nice to be able to snuggle in bed in darkness even with the curtains fully opened, and get a break from a bit too many months of near total daylight. It´s all good, but good it goes in cycles!

Enjoy winter. Candles. fires in the fireplaces. Snow. snowflakes. Midnight shop sales.

Must remember to get more light bulbs!,)  and tea lights and candles and order firewood.....



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PS edit to note that the current sunset is nearly 8pm with a sunrise a bit past 7am.