Winter blues and energy drain - better ways of coping?

[lifelonglearner]

Since my brain injury sustained 4 years ago I have found that the long dark days of winter seem to leave me feeling more than usually tired and down in the dumps to the point I struggle to cope with day to day activity.

During the summer I seem to have much, much more energy and motivation.

Has anybody found a way to deal with this? (a young family prevents me from taking a 4 month winter holiday in the sun!).

Do the artificial indoor lights used to reduce the effect of Seasonally Affective Disorder (SAD) help?

[Kirk5w7]

I have a light box which I forget to use more often than not, the quality of light from it is great, especially on those grey days, the brightness just lifts you a bit anyway, although I still get down too, nothing compensates for those warm sunny days. Xxxx Janet

[Hidden]

Have you tried vitamin D tablets.......Ask at your surgery (doctor or nurse) they can do a simple test to see if you have this deficiency (commonly known as the sun shine deficiency - if you google search you can read up on the symptoms and see if they apply to you) I take a daily dose through the winter months. The tablets aren't a cure to the winter blues, but they help.

[bexx87]

Sounds like your suffering from seasonal affective disorder - here a link that will hopefully help mind.org.uk/information-sup...

[spartan300]

I have the same problem I try to go away for three to four months , your vitamin d levels may be too low ask your doctor for a vitamin d blood test, just get as much sun as you can even in winter that's what I do it helps.