Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Katherine on October 31, 2023, 08:39:28 PM
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Does anyone else’s mood dip when the sun goes down at 4 or 5pm? It doesn’t seem to affect me if it gets dark at 6 or after. It’s more pronounced for me this year probably due to personal problems. I feel so
Much better when it’s sunny than when it’s dark. And there’s months of this to come :-\
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Does anyone else’s mood dip when the sun goes down at 4 or 5pm? It doesn’t seem to affect me if it gets dark at 6 or after. It’s more pronounced for me this year probably due to personal problems. I feel so
Much better when it’s sunny than when it’s dark. And there’s months of this to come :-\
Hi Katherine
I totally sympathise I detest the dark nights too defo affects my mood and wellbeing. I crave the sun and find this time of the year difficult too due to the dark gloomy weather. I am focusing on trying to listen to uplifting music to try and turn a brighter spin on the darkness and find exercise helps lift my mood. Big hugs we will get thru it. If your having personal problems too seem worse when no sun to cheer you up. Hope everything sorts out for you xxx
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I hate this time of year, I always feel miserable. It's dark and cold and when the colds and chilblains start. And as you say there's months of it to come :(. A nice sunny day lifts my mood too. Perhaps the rain has contributed this year too, even when it's light there's no incentive to go outside to get wet. Roll on spring.
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Does anyone else’s mood dip when the sun goes down at 4 or 5pm? It doesn’t seem to affect me if it gets dark at 6 or after. It’s more pronounced for me this year probably due to personal problems. I feel so
Much better when it’s sunny than when it’s dark. And there’s months of this to come :-\
Hi Katherine
I totally sympathise I detest the dark nights too defo affects my mood and wellbeing. I crave the sun and find this time of the year difficult too due to the dark gloomy weather. I am focusing on trying to listen to uplifting music to try and turn a brighter spin on the darkness and find exercise helps lift my mood. Big hugs we will get thru it. If your having personal problems too seem worse when no sun to cheer you up. Hope everything sorts out for you xxx
Thanks losingtheplot, I am going to try and get outside and exercise first thing every morning if I can as I know it would help me feel better but it’s hard getting out of a warm bed. I need to find things to distract me, to make plans for when it gets dark. I’m hoping to start on testosterone in December so that might help. We can support each other on here. I’ve got 2 big things coming up in November and December but hopefully things should start moving forward after that. Xxx
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I hate this time of year, I always feel miserable. It's dark and cold and when the colds and chilblains start. And as you say there's months of it to come :(. A nice sunny day lifts my mood too. Perhaps the rain has contributed this year too, even when it's light there's no incentive to go outside to get wet. Roll on spring.
Here’s to more sunny days Sheila. I find it helps a bit to make sure I get outside in the daylight every day and take photos then when it gets dark look back on them and remind myself my good mood will come back.
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My mood is lower this time of year and my anxiety increases. Trying to manage things naturally and exercise etc. Any tips on natural supplements would be welcome.
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My mood is lower this time of year and my anxiety increases. Trying to manage things naturally and exercise etc. Any tips on natural supplements would be welcome.
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I find magnesium is essential if anxiety and sleep are an issue and vit d3 for energy. Eating fresh salmon helps me too so I guess fish oils might help too. And vitamin c is another biggie. Even though my diet is pretty healthy I have always noticed a big difference when I have started to take any supplement. Vit b12 for concentration.
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Katherine this happened to me quite badly last winter. I noticed it was like a feeling of dread as the light levels dropped. The thing that helped was to to distract myself during that hour or two with say reading a book - and this is the important part - with the curtains closed so that you don't see the darkening. Once it was properly dark I seemed to be ok again. It was just the dreaded dusk.
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Me too, hate it. Mainly because these weeks lead up to the dreaded time for me.
C.mas :-\ :'(
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I'm the opposite and love the short dark days. I'm back to front! Reverse SAD. I read a brilliant book called Wintering last year which I gave to my SAD affected friend to read. It's about how all seasons have their place and Winter is a repairing and quiet time and we should be kind to ourselves. Easier to do if you're not dealing with wintry motorway conditions driving to work or stood at a freezing bus stop I think!
The other thing is that for people with advanced dementia the changing of the light as night comes in can cause real agitation and fear. This is termed Sundowning. I feel that this may affect people without dementia too. Gnatty your comment about closing curtains beforeit is dark is definitely advised in dementia homes for those affected so I understand that would work to combat the uneasiness felt by those not affected by dementia too. I love to have the curtains open until it is totally dark as I love to sit with my cuppa and watch the daylight fade. I also love to go for my daily walk just as it's getting dusk in the winter. Very atmospheric especially with the owls hooting away.
Taz x
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I think too it depends where we live. When in Lugano in the 1970s, sitting on the Prom in balmy warmth as dusk arrived watching the lights pop on from the properties on the opposite mountain, plus the car headlights weaving down the roads was quite romantic: imagining what each house holder was doing to prepare for the evening.
It would be the same 4 me if we lived with a view: especially facing West. When we lived in Wales on the coast we would often stay until dark, weather allowing, as the sun disappeared. Here though, where it's traffic and housing estates, isn't the same at all.
Interesting about Sundowning. I've waded through a book this week set in Colombia where there is a genetic link to Alzheimer's ........
When I build my bungalow ::) ::) it will have a bathroom with clear sky lights so that I can watch all weathers from the warmth of the bath ;-)
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That's a nice way of thinking, will definitely try this when I get back from holiday. Still light here till 6.30pm so will be a bit of a shock when it's dark at home at 4.30pm.
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CLKD I felt like I was reading a lovely novel when I read your last post :)
For me the way I feel about the dark evenings reflects my state of mind I think. Not too long ago when things were good it wasn’t even a thing but now things are a struggle it’s affecting me. I guess I will adapt though, hopefully.
Good point Gnatty. It’s funny the other night when it really got me down I was working at my desk which faces the window so I saw the transition from light to dark. So I might close the curtains before it starts and get some nice fairy lights for my office.
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Today was cold and rainy, and I had to nip out, so this evening was better, feeling glad to be back in my cosy light house. I’ve also decided to buy some new novels, which I find are a great way to lose yourself for a while.
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DH suffers from this. I think it’s called SAD. He mutters about the days getting shorter, so it’s a relief when winter solstice come and the muttering changes to the days are getting longer! I invested in one of those light lamps recommended for SAD sufferers for his office, which he says helps. I enjoy pulling the curtains together shutting out the darkness and feeling cosy.
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How long does he sit in front of the lamp Ju Ju? As I'm reverse SAD I think they should invent a reverse lamp for me ;D
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I think it's called turning the lamp off!!
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I think it's called turning the lamp off!!
I guess I need a dark room to sit in when the evenings start getting lighter ;D
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I bought one of those lamps about 10 years ago, a really good one, but it was too bright for me to have on in the room let alone sit in front of. It was also nothing like daylight, just a dazzling white light, totally pointless so I returned it. I’ve heard they can be helpful for many people though.
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I think I'm the same as you Taz as I love to be able to draw the curtains in the summer and close out the light. I really don't ming the shorter days, except for the fact that they mean stuff has to happen earlier in the day.
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It helps if there's a good sunset ...........
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I love sunsets if outdoors or I can see it from inside. But I’m usually indoors working and the room just gradually darkens. I’m going to put some nice fairy lights round my shelves and shut the curtains before it gets dark.
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Katherine et al, I feel for you. The winter drags me down and the menopause seems to multiply the effect by 100. It's the grey and dark rather than the cold. On the bleak days I can literally feel my spirits sink and if I go to bed any earlier, it won't be worth getting up. I find TV show or films set in sunny places (which I watch in bed, obvs) help. The lamp and vitamin D help a little bit but this is becoming a bigger issue as I get older. Sunny, warm wishes to you all.
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The other day I turned on 'escape to the sun' rather than watching antiques road show ;D
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Whereas, I'm finally in my right place with the onset of the darkest winter (nearly) days. I've been for my end of the day walk and it was drizzly and windy and getting darkish but I just felt that 'home' feeling. Strange I know and most professionals link it to depression but this is my happy time. Can't begin to understand it or explain it really. It's just me. March is my worst month when spring can no longer be ignored. April not good. May I'm getting used to it. June is great as it has the longest day. July and August are heading slowly towards September which is when I will feel how most people feel in March . Topsy turvy me ;D
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However humans have developed to go to bed at dusk and rise at dawn in order to deal with daily issues. It's safer outside by day, however: in that Cave overnight, who knows what's lurking in the dark ;D which is where fear of spiders, frogs, toads, bats comes in.
My fav time of day: mid-morning once I have decided whether anxiety will be a problem. When I can decide a plan dependent upon the weather. My fav place: bath time followed by our Big Bed with very good book.
"Kicking Autumn Leaves in the Wood". ;-)
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However humans have developed to go to bed at dusk and rise at dawn in order to deal with daily issues
That would work for us I suppose but not in other countries such as Sweden where you'd be awake for 18 hours non-stop in the summer but in the Winter you'd only have about 6 hours of daylight to get everything done in then have to sleep for 18 hours. I wonder how that did actually work. Not thought of that before.
Taz x
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Necessity. No light even candles for many years. I would hate to live too far North, can't imagine months of darkness. I would miss the seasons though even those seem to be blurring into one of rain, a few days of ☀️ followed by rain and gales :'(