Why Do I Feel Like This Every Winter?

Winters are rough. Hear in Western Washington in the USA we have very short daylight hours and they are covered in clouds and the lack of sun tends to really affect me. I’ve found the best cure is to force myself out on adventures

Completely agree with your diagnosis Stephen. I tell myself every year I will find another activity to participate in during the long, dark winter months that dosen't involve a bike, but as yet haven't. I've just had the worst bad throat I reckon Ive had in my adult life, to the point I could barely open my mouth to put food in so I feel your pain. But today, the sun came out and I forced myself out the door for an hour and a half on the bike. Almost didn't, as I sat on the couch and fell asleep after a session inhaling from a bowl of hot water containing menthol crystals. I agree that our type of cold (damp and miserable) is a big part of the problem, cold and dry is much more bearable. Time stands still for no man, though. Before we know it we will be moaning that it is too hot ha ha! Keep up the good work!

I used to live in the UK, on a farm, so I remember the weeks and weeks of fog and rain and damp. (so much like home - NZ) I didn't get S.A.D so much possibly because I was working outside all day, every day. It was pretty miserable though. Flash forward 30+ years and now I live on Crete. Winter arrived yesterday - 12 degrees and raining, so no running for me. According to the forecast ,winter will last for a week and then it will go back to being 20 degrees and sunny. Just like last year. (This is NOT normal for Crete!) So one way of beating S.A.D is to come to Crete in winter. If you can work remotely this is not a bad place to do it. I think one of the best ways to defeat S.A.D, (as you probably know) if you can't get away, is attitude. Don't look at the weather as wet and miserable, look at it as prime puddle jumping weather, and go out and jump in puddles like an 8 year old. Get your mates to go with you, and then head for the pub and laugh about all the puddles you jumped in. The year before I left NZ I did an ultra that had the distance cut short because of really, really bad weather. i.e. on the hilltops survivability was not guaranteed. It was a pretty marginal call as to whether the race should have been run at all. It was freezing cold, raining with gale force+ winds. The small streams that you could rock hop across were now up to my waist. Some people had a terrible time. They complained, threatened repercussions to the race director etc. Me, and those like me, had a great day out. I walked up a long, steep muddy track, made it to the top only to be hit by wind strong enough to get me airborne and blow me back down to the bottom again. (It didn't. But it was a near thing) One of my fondest memories is running with people across a windswept hilltop towards the middle of the race. We were all soaked, freezing and tired. instead of just running across and trying to get to shelter as fast as possible were were jumping in puddles and giggle like children. It was a crazy day and we just embraced the crazy and had a fun time. And that's one good way to beat S.A.D - embrace the crazy and just go out and have a giggle. ;-)

That tantrum with the brambles was funny.. However, the simulated dump made my laugh so hard that I cried a little.. Thank you. Laughing = good for SAD 👍🙂

I live in Ontario Canada and I laughed a little bit at your video because when I see videos of people camping in winter in places like your are I think how lucky they are to be able to do that without the need for a hot tent and not have to deal with temps well below 0c. I think most people feel the symptoms of SAD to one degree or another just because of the short days. I don’t think when we get snow it makes it any better considering it looks pretty but makes life more difficult because you have to shovel it and it creates havoc for traffic and gets grey and gross after a short time. I use a little SAD light at my desk at work in the morning and that seems to be helpful. I know people ski in snowy places but that is a rather expensive hobby so most of us just lock ourself inside and plan our summer trips and white knuckle it.

I don't know what it is, but this winter I've had the worst SAD since 2015 (been getting this bastard condition ever since I was 17. I'm 57 this year). This video just cheered me up loads. Thanks Stephen!

Moving to a village with shops, library, church, green areas is great for SAD. When you begin to feel low, get out in what light there is. Go to a shop and connect with people. Say hello to people in the street. Put lights on when you go back home and switch on background noise. 🙂

You have no idea how accurately you timed this post as I lay down on the sofa and opened YouTube

oh, and laughing helps too for me. - I am always looking for laughter AND I did chuckle quite a bit at this as I watched. been there, had it happen to me several times.

I think we're prone to SAD (I definitely mildly identify with some of the symptoms) because we're not meant to do All The Things during the winter months. Our bodies know what's up and in winter, when we're supposed to hunkering down like all the other animals, we're still asked to do everything consistently like seasons don't exist – jobs, shift work, school, etc. Factor in social media and all the other modern stresses that can amplify negative feelings, as well the science you talked about in the video, and it's a perfect recipe for SAD.

I've said it a million times before and I'll say it again. Amazing style of making videos with fantastic content. You need a show of your own on local tv. I admire the time you take for some more serious topics that really do matter, like wellness and taking care of yourself mentally. Fantastic video. Get well soon, and happy new year. Looking forward to the next one! Thanks Stephen

Hi Stephen, SAD hits me pretty hard in New Hampshire USA. I'm not built for winter so it's rare to get out and camp in the cold months. Cheers

usually kicks in for me around christmas time, still getting out and walking most days but the filming is not happening at the moment and the channel will suffer no doubt. Admire you talking about it openly, tend to keep it to myself and close family.👍

Excellent video. Gave me a good excuse to not go out and do something on a cold winter's evening. Happy new year and get well soon Stephen.

Great video Stephen. I’m really struggling with this at the moment. I’ve been desperate to hike and camp for a month but the weather has been awful with the rain. Once it stopped a week ago I couldn’t wait to get out. Packed all my gear, laid my clothes out and for the past 7 days I’ve woken up everyday by my alarm to go and just couldn’t get up and go 🫤. I post YT weekly normally and haven’t posted for 5-6 weeks. Haven’t hiked since end of November and just spending my days sleeping as zero motivation. Really great to hear about this and at least put some understand behind how I’m feeling as constantly beating myself up letting myself down and my followers. I’ve even ignored messages and social media completely. Need to turn this all around. I’m in Manchester UK btw. Really need to push myself and get out and hike as know going once it’ll change me and I’ll be alright again. Just hard to get started again.

❤ Canada 🍁 Yes, for sure. S.A.D or whatever youd like to call it. The end of one cycle and the beginning of another. I have to laugh at you getting frustrated at the brambles and yelling at them 🤣 😅 💎 Very Relateable on those tough grey, cold and wet adventures. But much like the seasons. For a time wanting to rest and recoup. After a few weeks of living in darkness a flip occurs and a new dawn begins. My Soul's internal fire begins to shine brighter. If stuck indoors, I find pleasure in doing creative indoor activities such as pottery, drawing, painting, woodburning or woodcarving. Get Creative! 🎨 ❤ As the sun begins to return in the new year I feel an extra catalyst to my being 💛⚡🌞 Getting outside on a sunny winter day after days of grey cloudy snowstorms & whistling winds. The snow sparkles, life is still & frozen. Nose running, cheeks cold but Soul ablaze with a reborn sense of adventure. ❄ 💙 🥶 Get Outdoors! 💚 🌲

Wow! Amazing video. I 😂😢😊. Then I watched your video again on my SECOND channel because I thought it was worth TWO 👍🏻 thumbs up! Brilliant! And yes I get S.A.D. In Louisiana USA (I think it’s the ratio of sun/gloomies one is used to getting.). I also observe the lighter eyed people in my family suffer more than the dark. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Interesting! Didn’t know all that. And can’t say I’ve experienced SAD. But we live in the high desert in Oregon and get 300 days of sunshine. So even when it’s cold and snowy it always seems inviting to go outside and play. Those are some crazy short days you have! Didn’t realize Ireland was so far north.

Exactly What I Needed Today! Thanks Stephen!

Hi Stephen, my humble opinion is these conditions didn't start to people began staring into the black mirror every minute of the day, it's not the weather it's us!...great video mate btw