Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Do you suffer from the Winter Blues?

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It's wonderful how an email from a friend can completely lift you when your feeling a little blue.

The shift from summer to autumn is always a bit of a struggle for me. I can never really pinpoint a specific problem, I just know I feel a little blue, get tired easily, find it difficult to wake up in the mornings and seem to have a lack of motivation. I seem to enter a negative mind space and it feels like a real effort to get out of it.

I got an email from the lovely Val, just to ask how I was, as I hadnt been blogging for a while. This really lifted my spirits, emails went back and fourth and I soon realised that I might not be the only person to feel this way.

Out came my research hat and I began googling the winter blues, and what I might do about it.

I learnt that as many as 60% of the population suffer from this and that there are things I can do to help myself. So this morning I swopped my gym workout for an hours walk. I felt great when I returned, although that could be down to the glass of mulled wine and Christmas cake I was given at my destination! I walked to a wonderful independant gift shop which had just opened its Christmas section and as I had walked all the way there I couldnt say no to the mulled wine:-). I came out with this lovely glass cake stand as well as some Christmas gifts for various advent and Christmas swops I'm taking part in.

I think being outside did me the world of good. My house is rather dark and has terrible lighting so I will be buying some full spectrum light bulbs this afternoon which should also help with my mood.

As well as trying to get outside a little more, I'm going to make some positive changes in my diet, eat more vitamin D rich foods such as eggs and fish.

If I'm honest I think the focus of Christmas at this time of year really helps me keep postive so I went to the opening of my local garden centres Christmas decoration section and came out with these lovelies by Gisela Graham. I adore Gisela Graham decorations and add to my collection each year. I always have to buy two of each so everythings matching!

I've also organised a Christmas party with some friends and have arranged some evenings out to give me something to look forward to.

So thats how I'm dealing with it. I would love to know if any of you suffer from this or have any tips/advice for me.

My Children at play quilt top has now been peiced and I have included a sneak peak above before it gets quilted. I'm now working on the peiced back and plan to try a meandering design. I'm not sure how confident I am with this yet but I have been practicing and I have to delve in a try it on a real project at some point.

Hope all is well with my fellow bloggers, I'm sorry for my lack of replys blogger is playing up again!
Posted by Dana at Wednesday, October 12, 2011

7 comments:

  1. Archie The Wonder Dog12 October 2011 at 13:23

    Love the sneak peek! Hope the daylight and bulbs, etc. help you feel better. In the winter I sleep with my bedroom curtains open so I get a little bit of light on a morning to help me wake up (but I do wake up later than most people so this won't make a difference for those who get up before the sun does!). Take care x

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  2. Kandi12 October 2011 at 13:36

    Yeah I'm sure you are not alone in this! I adore Autumn but I have been struggling these last couple of weeks, especially the getting out of bed thing and being generally grumpy.
    I decided last week to change my diet and I'm walking more so that may help, hope we get into the Christmas excitement soon and out of the dumps! I'm a sucker for the gisella stuff from our garden centre too, I must pop over there after payday.
    Kandi x

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  3. Lynette12 October 2011 at 14:21

    I gad trouble with this until we moved to Florida. For me, those therapy lights REALLY helped during the winter.

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  4. Val12 October 2011 at 15:04

    I'm so glad the walk helped already :) and retail therapy never hurts either right ;) ?
    End of summer blues never really seemed to affect me (I've never been a summer fan and would never go outside in the heat thanks to my lovely burnable skin) but I absolutely do get the blues when I don't get out of the house enough, it doesn't help not having a vehicle. I find that redecorating helps a great deal. Move a piece of furniture, make a new pillow cover, just change up your every day scenery, seeing the same ol' same ol' will help drag you down too.
    ...now that I think about it, I bet that's the real reason we all decorate for holidays!

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  5. Tammy12 October 2011 at 18:29

    Im another one that has always hated this time of the year! Looking forward to seeing your latest quilt finished!

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  6. Mrs Flying Blind...12 October 2011 at 19:41

    Hello stranger!
    I have a friend who suffers so badly with SAD, and know how debilitating it can be. Proper cold winter I can cope with, it's the wet and mild that gets my goat. Yep, fresh air and a lightbox, and probably chocolate xxx

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  7. Lynne18 October 2011 at 22:12

    Interesting! Who would have thought it? Thanks for sharing.

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