Winter depression

nez
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Winter depression

Post by nez »

I have for years suffered from winter depression but I find just half an hour on the bike relieves it for the day. Anyone else get this benefit too?
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Spinners
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Spinners »

I had a work colleague with SAD and he found the post-Christmas period especially difficult. Whereas I'd take great delight in noticing the days growing longer in January his head would be in a bucket until when the clocks went forward in late March. Unfortunately he wasn't one for exercise which is a shame as I think it would have helped.
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531colin
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Re: Winter depression

Post by 531colin »

nez wrote:I have for years suffered from winter depression but I find just half an hour on the bike relieves it for the day. Anyone else get this benefit too?

Oh yes!
Got a ride in yesterday; not very far, and it wasn't much above freezing. But we got a cup of coffee at Fountains Abbey and we went home via Brimham rocks, (picking our way through the odd bit of frozen slush at that height) we were rewarded by seeing Great Whernside covered in snow, and flocks of lapwings, goldfinches and fieldfares.
That'll set me up for a few days.
Before I retired the commute to work had much the same effect.
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TrevA
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Re: Winter depression

Post by TrevA »

I used to suffer from it, especially with the frustration of having to fit rides around work and then having rides spoiled or cancelled by bad weather. I retired 6 months ago and can now ride when I like and pick and choose the days when I go out. So riding much more and not affected by SAD at all now. Vive Le Velo!
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I find summer worse, often there are many days in succession that are so hot and bright that I do not want to go out
Some winters are cold and snowy but many are not
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Mick F
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Mick F »

It's the difficulty with light level that gets to me, and not just the weather.
I'm an early riser, and it doesn't get light until 8am, and it's dark again before tea time. I seem to spend much of my days in darkness. Bright and sunny early afternoon here, which was nice.
Mick F. Cornwall
Mike Sales
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Mike Sales »

One winter I had a job in a photographic dark room. Most of the light I saw was red.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
nez
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Re: Winter depression

Post by nez »

Mike Sales wrote:One winter I had a job in a photographic dark room. Most of the light I saw was red.

You’re lucky you weren’t colour processing
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Mike Sales »

nez wrote:
Mike Sales wrote:One winter I had a job in a photographic dark room. Most of the light I saw was red.

You’re lucky you weren’t colour processing


In those days colour processing was in its early days.
I was enlarging and printing b & w, sometimes a dozen or two of one shot of bride and groom. If the print needed much dodging or burning in, getting them identical was not straightforward. Some parts of the print might need rubbing in the developing dish to bring on faster, which needed nimble work. The white of a wedding dress next to the groom's dark suit could make things tricky.
All a lost skill nowadays I suppose, but interesting fun.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
nez
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Re: Winter depression

Post by nez »

Yes I had access to a colour processor at art school. It usually meant no light at all, was my point. This is wildly off topic but I used to love watching the emerging image under the red light in b&w. And as you say, it’s a skill that’s lost much of its utility. Good luck
fastpedaller
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Re: Winter depression

Post by fastpedaller »

My body hates the cold weather! This year if it's below 5 C I won't go cycling, but have the turbo set up in the garage. 45 mins on the Turbo (with suitable clothing ie longs and a couple of layers and hat) a couple of times a week makes me good!
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mjr
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Re: Winter depression

Post by mjr »

fastpedaller wrote:My body hates the cold weather! This year if it's below 5 C I won't go cycling, but have the turbo set up in the garage. 45 mins on the Turbo (with suitable clothing ie longs and a couple of layers and hat) a couple of times a week makes me good!

I much prefer wrapping up well (ski clothes sometimes but not yet this year) and taking advantage of what sun we get at suitable times. Much easier in dry cold Norfolk than it was in the warmer but wetter West. Cycling in a garage would depress me!
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fastpedaller
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Re: Winter depression

Post by fastpedaller »

mjr wrote:
fastpedaller wrote:My body hates the cold weather! This year if it's below 5 C I won't go cycling, but have the turbo set up in the garage. 45 mins on the Turbo (with suitable clothing ie longs and a couple of layers and hat) a couple of times a week makes me good!

I much prefer wrapping up well (ski clothes sometimes but not yet this year) and taking advantage of what sun we get at suitable times. Much easier in dry cold Norfolk than it was in the warmer but wetter West. Cycling in a garage would depress me!


It's not been very dry of late in Norfolk - some of our farmers' fields are small lakes! The cold and damp really finishes me off. I'd prefer to be outside, but the garage is a good second-best in this weather. The facility to use the turbo just about keeps my sanity :roll:
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foxyrider
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Re: Winter depression

Post by foxyrider »

i suffered greatly when i worked in a retail environments / factory that had no natural light - ride to work in the dark, in shop / factory all day then ride home in the dark - not healthy. My current occupation allows me to use winter daylight and work when its dark - much better arrangement! :D
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Gearoidmuar
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Re: Winter depression

Post by Gearoidmuar »

I'm retired for several years but my job was so busy that in winter I could get very little sunlight during the day. I used to go out on my bike on Saturday for several hours and it always worked wonders. I could cycle at night and I used to do this twice a week during the week on very quiet route with superb lights.
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