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Posted 9/3/2012 7:00 AM (GMT 0)
I feel like I am 80 years old today. I get up slow trying to move these joints. I told my husband I feel snow in the air. Sure enough we have new snow on the mountains. The leaves are changing and falling off. It's cool and has rained for a week. We never had a summer this year. I have got my sad light out already. I am trying to prepare my mind for the winter. I did very good last year, but I approach it being proactive. It work, so I hope to do the same. I am going to get a gym pass soon.

I have several friends leaving the state before winter. They can't take another winter in Alaska. I see this each year, people leaving. Alaska is a hard state to live in, but beautiful. I sometimes wish I could leave, but my husband is my provider and he loves it here. I am going to Florida next summer. Hawaii is only 5 hr. flight, Alaskans favorite in the winter.
Posted 9/3/2012 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
I can sympathize with you Ak Angel. I have michigan winters and they are hard. Probably not as hard as yours though. Maybe a bed buddy can atleast help your neck and shoulders. It can't hurt to try...

I hope that you feel better soon. Keep us posted...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 9/3/2012 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
I can only imagine living there, it gets cold here -30 Celsius sometimes for a week at a time, but that is usually followed by a chinook. The sad light is that because you do not get enough daylight? My hubby has been closing windows at night as it is starting to cool off at night and our furnace is not working so I sweater up in the morning :-) its like camping at home.

We say we can smell the snow coming as well but not until usually October. Joining a gym is basically my plan as well, it just keeps us active. I hope the snow stays up high for awhile, it's so pretty to look at but I hate driving in it.
Posted 9/4/2012 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
Grandmoses- I use the sad light because we are limited of the sun, especially in the winter. Yes, in the summer we have 18 hrs. of daylight but not always sunshine. We are not as bad as Seattle, but have lots of fronts moving through. The winter is where the sad light comes in handy. It made a huge difference with my depression. I bought a big one, so it lights up my whole room I am in. It has 4 huge bulbs in it. I wish I bought mine many years ago. I have had mine for 2 winters.
Posted 9/4/2012 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
Angel,

It's good that you're being proactive, as you said - nip that tendency for a downward spiral in the bud, before the weather gets too bad.

I can't imagine dealing with that! I live in Colorado, which is not that bad at all, but I'm a total lightweight - my body feels chilled without a break, from about October through May. We do get lots of sunshine, so I really can't complain there.

What part of Alaska are you in?

Debbie
Posted 9/4/2012 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Acheybody - I live in Anchorage. We had no summer this year. Stayed in the upper 50's a lot. I know a lot of people from Alaska move to Colorado. It has some of same beauty as Alaska. We had some cold temps last winter -20's several days in a row. My hips are starting to hurt. I might get injection this year. I was able to use topical meds and heat last year. The proactive part really made a difference last year. I even took some classes on depression and anxiety. I found out keeping my mind busy is kept me more healthier. I have to tell myself keep a balance.
Posted 9/4/2012 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
I'm shivering just thinking about that.  I'm so glad I'm not dealing with snow anymore.  You "Northerners" are amazing to me.  Even in Florida I'm bundling up in the winter!  We are so used to warm weather that when it gets in the 40's and 50's we are absolutely freezing!  I just can't imagine living in Alaska.  Brrrrr

 

But our forum is warm, Angel!  We will help you this winter...anyone that needs help for that matter.  Winter is a great time to get great movies, make comfort food dinners, and dream about summer.  That's how I handled winter when I lived up north. 

 

Also, if there are special spring flowers for Alaska, plant some and await their arrival.  I loved my crocus, daffodils, and tulips.  They were a sign that winter was just about over.  Maybe grow some flowers inside your home!  Potted flowers always made me happy.  I love looking at the various shapes and colors and try my hand at keeping them alive.  wink   You can find lovely varieties and probably discounted for you right now!

 

Just bundle up and know we are here.  Your gym visits will be great for you, too.  Just go slow and easy.

 

Sherrine

Posted 9/4/2012 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Angel, As a former northerner from Wisconsin, I also had difficulty coping with the long winter...from November through March, I felt a sadness wash over me. In the late 80's, I even had a full spectrum light put over my desk at work to help. A co-worker had the same problem and he was the one to convince the company to change out our lights.

At home, I decorated my surroundings to be colorful and cheerful...no drab colors. I hung pictures of landscapes that could transport me to another place. Winter months, I spent time reading and watching lots of movies, and listening to my favorite music.

I now live in Arkansas where the winters are relatively mild but I still love the sunnier summers and the heat. Yesterday was 108, my ideal temp is 85 but I can handle extreme heat over the extreme cold.

Sending you warm thoughts Angel... close your eyes and transport yourself to a warm sunny location of your dreams.
You can be in Florida or Hawaii in a moment. Wishing you well ,my friend.

Hugs, Robin
Posted 9/5/2012 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
Angel, thank you for explaining more about the sad light for me. I enjoy reading your posts you have a very pleasant way of wording your posts.
Our weather is cooling off very quickly here I hope it does not mean we have an early winter.
Posted 9/5/2012 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad to hear that the SAD lights work for people. Can you get them in a brick-and-mortar store without a prescription? I want/need one and am ready to make the investment.

Sherrine, I think my blood's too thick to live anywhere as warm as you do. I know y'all are going to want to screech at me when I say I can't wait for fall and winter. My philosophy is that I can put enough layers on to get warm in the winter, but I can't ever take off enough to get cool in the summer. I don't tolerate heat well and this summer was just miserable. I am so done with the heat and humidity, not even getting a break at night, that I can't stand it. Drought summers stink even more than the frigid winters we (usually) have here in Iowa, and it feels like we've had summer forever this year. I am trying to remind myself of how tired I was of being cold and hurting the last two winters, but I am really excited for sweatshirt weather right now. I have my heated mattress pad and blanket, an arsenal of hoodies and plenty of layering clothes, so I say bring it on!
Posted 9/5/2012 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I think I'm allowed to write the name of the one I use as I certainly don't work for the company but I absolutely love my light box!

The name of the company is Nature Bright. I bought the Sun Touch Plus one and it's only $99.00..

They ship it straight to your house from their website.

It also has negative ionizer air flow...and it just sits on your table top so during the winter I just leave it on there and each morning since I always wake up at 5am all year long....I grab my cup of coffee and my phone where I read the news. It "mimicks" the blue sky.

I love it and think it really helps keep my energy levels high and keep my system in rhythm for wake/sleep cycles.

It has different timers depending on how much light you need from a 15 minute to a 60 minute cycle. I normally only use the 15 minute setting and sometimes the 30 as too much gives me a buzz and almost too much energy! LOL....I've never been diagnosed with SAD so if you have, then your Dr. may recommend the timing..

Anyway...just one particular brand/style that you may consider..the website has different choices.

Posted 9/5/2012 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
EvenKeel- if you decide to buy a SAD light make sure you do your homework first. There are so many of them now. Some are less wattage and you have to be careful on this. My Dr. Told me that I need 5,000 or 10,000 to be effective for my depression. I went for a big one and I am so glad I did. They have so many styles from desk lamps to floor ones. Mine cost $300, but I got the best. They have cheaper ones. If you have medical coverage, some insurance will cover it. You usually have to get a letter from your Dr. Why need this. In Anchorage you can rent one to try it out first. I am not sure if you have a place like that. I just notice they have a device I can hook up to my light to have the light come on automatically by a timer. So it creates a bright light as you wake similiar as if the sun was rising. What next! Lol

They also sell full spectrum light bulbs for your house. This will make your rooms brighter. I leave mine on all day. It keeps me in a happy mood. I wouldn't give nothing for mine.
Posted 9/5/2012 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Good points AK!..

I just looked up the wattage for the one I bought and it says 10,000 broad spectrum lux Sky-Effect light and it emits 17,000 Kelvin UV-free light...

The Nature Bright company also has on their website info about insurance and that their lights, mostly the ones 10,000 and over, are reimbursed by most insurance companies. They tell you how to file and what to do to get it covered.
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