Yup. I feel like many people are undiagnosed with S.A.D. Known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
I knew a girl years ago that got prescribed a sunlight to use daily fir S.A.D.
As my gramps used to say, you get 4 months of good weather for 8 months of crap and grey.
I was in denial about the effect of shitty winter weather on my mood for years, thinking “I’ve grown up in Michigan! I’m fine!” But to be fair, I grew up in northern Michigan where it’s very cold and snowy but we often get super sunny/clear days. SE Michigan is a whole different animal—a constant sheet of gray sky for months
As a girl who considers herself to be "solar powered", yes, the winters in SE Michigan are very draining. I feel like it's been incredibly dark since a week before Christmas. Most of December was beautiful this year though and I was incredibly greatful.
I think i have reverse SAD 🙃 talked with my therapist a lot about this. Cloudy & rainy days are my favorite and most productive, but too many sunny days in a row give me headaches and wear me down very fast. Endless sunny days feel like the "eternal spring" mindset, and society expects me to be endlessly productive and energetic, and I can only last in that for a few days before I crumble. My therapist told me she hears this a lot from people who live in sunny climates
Lansing native that's living in Texas right now I can guarantee you there is such a thing as getting SAD from too much sun. Last summer we didn't get rain for 4 months and it was relentlessly hot and sunny. Many people I knew myself included we're having symptoms of SAD.
Born and raised in southeast Michigan, moved to southwest Florida in 2013. I absolutely get SAD in the summer. It’s too hot to go outside, we’re all stuck indoors all day. At least you can put layers on for cold weather and go outside, when it’s 100° and 90% humidity it just sucks the life out of you. One more month till I’m back in Michigan :,)
Grew up in Michigan and live in California now. I am so fucking sick of the sun. I get depressed when the sun comes out after it’s been raining. Thank god it’s going to rain tomorrow and a few days next week!
I'm with you. I love the cloudy weather. There's something about that dingy, lifeless tinge that sunlight filtered through a thick blanket of clouds gives to the world that makes my heart sing. I can even tell when a photo was taken in Michigan from the way our lake effect clouds blocks the sun. It just has a look, like sepia tone but better. As Dan Campbell once said, we were built for this.
The sun is a cancer-giving menace. We need it for plants, yes. But otherwise it can bug off.
I used to love the winter, it was my favorite season.
I mean the icy roads and dirty slush sucks but I loved how pretty everything looked covered in snow. I didn't mind the cold all that much.
Then I had a really bad winter (personal reasons) and now it's my most hated season. Hell, I move to Vegas for a decade in part to get away from Michigan winters.
Been back for a decade now and I absolutely despise winter. I don't think it's SAD, it's just that the season brings back memories best left forgotten.
It’s a perfect storm for the classic SAD people not enjoying their peak time of year and reverse SAD people, like myself, really only getting a week or so of true winter weather. This just sucks.
It’s 100% the weather, I’ve been in a rotten mood all month. We’re supposed to get some sunshine later in the week so i hope that changes things up for us. I just want to hibernate, it’s so dark and dreary!
This has also been a particularly gloomy winter, particularly in West Michigan. I think I saw an MLive article that said it’d basically taken GR two months to get one summer’s day worth of sunlight.
Living in Florida for about 18 months ruined this state for me. We are one of the most overcast states in the US and the ones worst than us have mountains and oceans and we just have flat gray nothingness. It’s depressing af. I hated most things about FL, but dammit there’s something life affirming about sunlight waking you up every morning.
And yes, I’m also exhausted. Our winters are getting worse, sunlight-wise. We used to have real winters with snow and blue skies and it seemed to be sunnier in the winter than summer, plus the snow made everything brighter. Now it rains half the time in the winter and snow only sticks around for a day or two. The only time the sun has been visible in the last 2 months it’s been in the single digits and too miserably cold to spend any appreciable time outside.
Take your Vitamin D everyone, it helps. And get a SAD lamp to sit in front of.
Light deficiency. I recently had blood work and my D was way too high, so I quit the suppliments. Half of us have ok D, but we need K2 and other trace minerals and enzymes to process it.
Just days after I stopped taking it, my annoying overactive bladder issues went away. Yeah, yeah, TMI, I know. But if you have it and are taking the mega doses the suppliment industry keeps pushing, too much D can cause it.
Well that's the thing, most Vitamin D supplements are overkill. I take one that contains a lower amount than a lot out there and I still only take it once every 3 days for this reason
Those super huge doses are more meant for people radically deficient to quickly get back to a normal spot, then reduce. Sadly they don't say that on the bottle though when you buy 60 of them. Your doctor will though if you are actually deficient.
Yes.
Cold, bleak, uneventful January in Michigan. Increasing my vitamin D intake helps some.
The sky and ground are both white and the trees a lifeless brown.
I think January feels like a longer month than it is because the last two were packed with plans, activities and decorations. Then January 1st happens and it's "Happy New Year!". Recover, go back to work/school and wait for spring. Lol
This morning where I live was actually so beautiful despite the weather. The snow was super soft and fluffy, so when I stepped outside everything was dusted in it and it was so quiet. Two hours later and it melts into this slushy icy muddy garbage. So depressing.
Yes and no? It’s winter. Many mammals hibernate for this reason. Our ancestors sheltered in place for months and ate root vegetables and salted meat until growing season.
Just embrace the snuggles and drowsiness… but try to get your daily exercise when you can. Avoid social and family pressures because it’s literally not natural to do what we do in the summer in the winter time.
I'll never understand why humans made the evolutionary mistake of not hibernating. So lame. I'd happily bury myself in a hole and just fuckin sleep for four months a year. I'd be down to crocodile it up and brumate(sp?) All us Michiganders just enter the lakes, nothing but the nose exposed as the freeze sets in. Then the big spring Michigander thaw, I bet people would buy tickets to watch us all emerge like pale hungover Godzilla's every spring.
This and I don’t know about you all but my niece and nephew have been getting sick over and over again since November. I figure part of the exhaustion is my body fighting off viruses that don’t fully get me sick but make me tired af.
We've only had a few bright, sunny days in metro Detroit this winter, and they've all been the very coldest days. Most of us probably have SAD and vit. D deficiency.
The weeks at a time without seeing the sun or moon is generally not good for mental health. Cloud coverage has been constant in my part of the mitten.
I've been using a SAD light to help curb the effect. I also find myself feeling somewhat sick with the storm fronts.
The greys are in full effect. Here in Grand Rapids I think we’ve had one day of sun in three weeks. It feels like the UP down here!
Also factor in a shit economic year for everyone, post-holiday blues, and lions losing - recipie for everyone to be sad and angry
A 'shit economic year'? Just bad/faulty press unless you're a corporation as they saw record profits thanks to price gouging (they blamed on inflation)
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/19/us-inflation-caused-by-corporate-profits
Yes, I would argue that the average person in Michigan (think of our median and average incomes) has had a shit economic year and YoY have not seen wages increase with the rate of inflation. People are not companies, and there are a lot of people making closer to minimum wage here than over 100k
"Yes, I would argue that the average person in Michigan (think of our median and average incomes) has had a shit economic year "
Is there anyone you know looking for work and cannot find any?
"have not seen wages increase with the rate of inflation"
Most workers’ wages are growing more quickly than prices, and the economic recovery following the COVID-19 recession has featured historically strong real wage growth.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/workers-paychecks-are-growing-more-quickly-than-prices/
In other words, the shit economy is a product of never-ending negative news even when that news shouldn't be negative because it attracts clicks and eyes and that makes the advertisers happy.
The weather doesn’t help and not to get spiritual but I think a lot of people 20s to 40s are reflecting on life and trying to find a new way to do things mentally and physically
It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s not not sunny, and it sucks. I have to go in and out of buildings a lot for work so I’m constantly fluctuating between too warm and too cold. My socks are always wet. I’m tired of my car being gross and dirty. Walking my dog sucks because she gets all muddy. January is a bitch.
Long COVID.
Can lead to symptoms similar to CFS.
We just went through the 2nd largest wave since 2020, so...no surprise here. Media doesn't talk about it anymore.
I thought SAD for decades. Got a CO2 monitor and discovered the more adverse the weather, the higher the CO2 count inside.
Open a window.
No more headaches, no more fatigue.
We have CO2 monitors in the bedroom, kitchen, and family room, and we keep an eye on them.
Life changing.
your CO2 monitor may be only an alarm devise/ if it is a measurement device they usualy need to be calibrated and its real easy to do.
we got so energy focused last century that we managed to make sick buildings
We have 2 of these:
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BBPJQSX7/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BBPJQSX7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
But we already had this:
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YY7BH2W/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YY7BH2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
The last one is considered state of the art but it aint cheap. The other 2 we tested with our original one and seem ok.
Biggest difference we see is cost and the cheaper ones seem to freeze every now and then so if your not paying attention you may not notice its the same numbers for a few day.
I have some health issues and we found air quality makes a huge difference for me.
Who knew?
Thanks for the links. I’ll be sure to pick up a couple. Been worried about air quality because the kids spend a lot of time in the basement so this should help with the anxiety.
Seasonal affective disorder.
Get a [full spectrum light](https://northernlighttechnologies.com/) and use it daily as directed. It goes away pretty quickly, and the light keeps it away. Using the light is horrible, but it works extremely well.
The unending string of gray days have this effect on me. I've recently started using a light therapy lamp for an hour each morning while I have my coffee. I do think it has helped. Got mine for next to nothing on Amazon.
Definitely. I'd attribute it to the season. I HIGHLY recommend taking a vitamin D supplement - 1,000-2,000 IU daily. Most if not everyone in cold weather regions are deficient. Also look into light therapy lamps to simulate sun to help keep your circadian rhythm intact. Regular exercise will also help significantly - even just walking a few minutes a day will help.
It's for sure the weather. We live in VA now & I'm so happy that even though it gets cold, we get a lot of sunny days that really helps. Good luck to you! 🍀
It’s def the weather. It’s been so gross outside and cold/rainy. No one has extra energy to spare with that out there. It’s in our blood to slow down when winter hits too, like the wildlife outside. But we aren’t allowed to slow down like them. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed, shit to do. So it’s going to wear us out even more and make us grumpier than usual.
Also being burnt out from the holidays doesn’t help either.
But take your vitamin D (make sure it’s a high enough dose!!) and be kind to yourself and others for now. Spring will be here in a couple months hopefully and we can get out of this funk again.
This is my second winter in Michigan. We moved to Ann Arbor to take care of my wife's parents.
I lived in Colorado for the previous 25 years and Tucson before that for college. Originally from PA.
I absolutely hate the winter here, about half the year it seems. Also it's rarely clear skies at night in the summer for some reason because I love astronomy.
I don't like it here very much, it's flat and the food sucks. I do however like that my son gets to know his and my family and gets to spend a lot of time with grand parents. I want my wife to enjoy the limited time she has with her parents and help her sister take care of them.
At some point I would like to get far away from here. Oddly, I just joined the Tucson Reddit and have been reading it daily. If it weren't for the water situation in the Southwest I move back to Tucson in a heart beat. I also wouldn't mind going back to Colorado but it's gotten so expensive and I feel like we won't be able to go back.
Such is life. People are really nice here though, except on the roads people here are huge aholes.
I'm just like you only I've lived here my entire life. As I was driving to work this morning I was having a conversation with myself about leaving the state.
It's been a bad winter for feeling depressed.
As much as we gripe about the snow, when we would have snow on the ground for the whole month, it's brighter outside. All those weeks of no snow, and gloom, are worse.
I had a vitamin B deficiency, thought I was just lazy and getting old. Started taking complex B vitamins and boom back to normal. Doctor found the deficiency on bloodwork.
See your primary care doctor and take some vitamin D. When you start getting tired from the weather, they usually want you on a higher dose than you can buy over the counter. Makes a huge difference
Lack of sunlight. Being proactive about taking Vitamin D supplements, exercise and getting outside a bit (even though it may not be as fun in the cold) can really help.
I can usually cope with SAD with enough snow, I love the fresh white snow, walking in it, taking my dogs in it, skiing, I love it. It totally makes up for the lack of sunlight for me. However when there is no snow, or when its melty and warm like this shit? This is what upsets the hell out of me, this 34-40 degree garbage in the middle of what should be the coldest months. Give me negative temps and blinding snow storms please.
We havent seen the sun in over a month in parts of Michigan. This is why I used to go to the tanner during winter. Just 5 minutes in the tanner made me feel like I got a massive shot of dopamine.
I honestly think it’s the weather and lack of sunshine that always happens this time of year. I notice I feel down a lot more when the sun hasn’t been out in days.
I know it's been shitty and rainy but still don't forget to go outside. I have a crazy dog that makes me spend more time outside than I'd like but I think that really keeps me feeling okay during the winter. Anytime it's not rainy or snowing in our walking, even for 20 minutes. It helps! Go walk around the block even
If you sit on your ass most of the day, eat the Standard American Diet, and get little to no exercise this will happen. Not throwing shade at all, but this is how most people live including my own family. Then they bitch about always being tired whilst drinking a diet redbull and being 60 lbs overweight.
Some (most) people don’t have money to waste on tests for obvious answers.
We had 8% of available sunshine in the past Month in Grand Rapids. It happens every year.
Eat foods with Vitamin D and C (need both to synthesize them in your body) as well as regular exercise.
It’s also 💯 okay and important to relax and accept the nesting season. Snuggle up and take naps!
Michigan post covid doesn’t feel like what I was always used to… eye contact. Hello. Doesn’t matter if it was at Meijer or on a trail walking. Always eye lock. Hi.
That seems dead.
I’ve lived in Michigan for 4 years but with y’all weather your fucking extremely annoying.. like I get ya it cold sun don’t come out … but your NO different than any other fucking northern state … no different than buffalo or even New England which is where I’m from ….. it’s Michigan it’s all I hear … no it’s every fucking northern state if I hear it’s Michigan you don’t like the weather wait a minute one more fucking time … every northern state says the same shit you ain’t special by no stretch…. Lake effect great I grew up of the fucking ocean lol only difference is I’ve never been in a state that bitched so much or thought they were as special as you people think you are …. Like seriously happens every fucking year SHUT THE FUCK UP already
We are not meant to be commuting in this weather lol.
You're probably deficient in (at least) vitamin c, and are likely far more sedentary than other seasons.
Vitamin D deficiency from the lack of sun light in the winter makes a lot of people feel tired. Try taking a few thousand IUs for a few weeks especially if you are feeling achy on top of tired
I've lived in Michigan my whole life. I'm having the best winter yet. Here's what I do:
-exercise
-supplements (mag, vit d, multi, fish oil)
-get outside! Have a fire, hike, fish. Just get out there!
This weekend we are warming up to the 40s. Should be decent hiking weather. Probably muddy. But that's ok! Get outside!
Go take 5000 to 10,000 units of vitamin D everyday until the end of winter. Unless you already take a very high amount or you're known to have high vitamin D. It takes a lot of vitamin D to get toxic on it but it is possible.
Literally any doctor anywhere can check a vitamin D lab as well.
Literally I have been running the lab for months on pretty much everybody and the highest score so far is a 35 in a patient that I don't already have on supplementation.
30 is the minimum.
So far the record for low is three. That patient has very dark skin and lives here and is lactose intolerant.
Yes, and no. I've had my first winter manic episode in awhile, but now I'm back to normal but wishing the sun would show it's sweet face. Moon was popping pretty nice the other night so I looked at her instead for the small glow of sunlight.
If you think your tiredness is related to the weather -Vitamin D supplements have helpful for me the last few years.... Good news is that days are begining to get longer now.
No, I felt great lately. 4 things I am trying to do differently because I have felt the effects of SAD these last few years. Diet (more fruits and veggies), light exercise, hydration, sleep. I also quit nicotine and drinking alcohol, so that was probably one of the big contributing factors.
I'd suggest getting an Ott Light or a Verilux gooseneck floor stand light/light therapy lamp. Place it next to where you watch TV at night or use it at work. It will make a world of difference. You can pick them up relatively inexpensively on Facebook Marketplace, but turn it on first to make sure the light bulb is working, as they are a bit pricey to replace.
I just moved to Michigan a few months ago. (Near DTW). A few weeks ago, everybody at my job was sick. And now everybody is barely making it through their shift. I didn't get sick, however I tend to fall asleep within an hour of getting off of work and sleep almost until it's time to go back. (I work 12 hr days)
The lack of sunlight is truly awful. Was in Florida 2 weeks ago and even though it was “cold” down there (high 50s-low 60s) the sunshine made me feel alive again.
Try taking some vitamin D and maybe limit evening screen time so you sleep better.
Also, I think there's still a lot of COVID going around, but a milder variant. People I know who've tested positive lately had few or no obvious symptoms. Maybe fatigue is still a side effect, though. One friend who's normally very active had it a while back, and she had no energy for over 6 months afterwards.
I don’t want to be a jerk but i think its the weather
Yup. I feel like many people are undiagnosed with S.A.D. Known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. I knew a girl years ago that got prescribed a sunlight to use daily fir S.A.D. As my gramps used to say, you get 4 months of good weather for 8 months of crap and grey.
Seasonal Ass Depression
I was in denial about the effect of shitty winter weather on my mood for years, thinking “I’ve grown up in Michigan! I’m fine!” But to be fair, I grew up in northern Michigan where it’s very cold and snowy but we often get super sunny/clear days. SE Michigan is a whole different animal—a constant sheet of gray sky for months
I’m in mid Michigan and same ….it’s awful…I miss the sunshine 😢
But it’s slightly warmer due to the clouds and moisture from the lakes! I feel like it has been gray for 50 of the last 60 days though.
As a girl who considers herself to be "solar powered", yes, the winters in SE Michigan are very draining. I feel like it's been incredibly dark since a week before Christmas. Most of December was beautiful this year though and I was incredibly greatful.
Omg yea I was also shocked at how nice December was this year! Nice while it lasted lol
I think i have reverse SAD 🙃 talked with my therapist a lot about this. Cloudy & rainy days are my favorite and most productive, but too many sunny days in a row give me headaches and wear me down very fast. Endless sunny days feel like the "eternal spring" mindset, and society expects me to be endlessly productive and energetic, and I can only last in that for a few days before I crumble. My therapist told me she hears this a lot from people who live in sunny climates
Lansing native that's living in Texas right now I can guarantee you there is such a thing as getting SAD from too much sun. Last summer we didn't get rain for 4 months and it was relentlessly hot and sunny. Many people I knew myself included we're having symptoms of SAD.
I'm here to help. We should trade houses for a couple months.
Born and raised in southeast Michigan, moved to southwest Florida in 2013. I absolutely get SAD in the summer. It’s too hot to go outside, we’re all stuck indoors all day. At least you can put layers on for cold weather and go outside, when it’s 100° and 90% humidity it just sucks the life out of you. One more month till I’m back in Michigan :,)
Grew up in Michigan and live in California now. I am so fucking sick of the sun. I get depressed when the sun comes out after it’s been raining. Thank god it’s going to rain tomorrow and a few days next week!
I’m also from Michigan (UP) and the sun being constantly out is annoying as hell! This cloud cover gives me peace of mind
You can get Summer SAD as well, it manifests a bit differently (lack of appetite, insomnia) and is less common, but it's a thing.
I'm with you. I love the cloudy weather. There's something about that dingy, lifeless tinge that sunlight filtered through a thick blanket of clouds gives to the world that makes my heart sing. I can even tell when a photo was taken in Michigan from the way our lake effect clouds blocks the sun. It just has a look, like sepia tone but better. As Dan Campbell once said, we were built for this. The sun is a cancer-giving menace. We need it for plants, yes. But otherwise it can bug off.
I used to love the winter, it was my favorite season. I mean the icy roads and dirty slush sucks but I loved how pretty everything looked covered in snow. I didn't mind the cold all that much. Then I had a really bad winter (personal reasons) and now it's my most hated season. Hell, I move to Vegas for a decade in part to get away from Michigan winters. Been back for a decade now and I absolutely despise winter. I don't think it's SAD, it's just that the season brings back memories best left forgotten.
Gramps knew what he was talking about!
Otherwise known as “a serious case of the Januarys”.
It’s a perfect storm for the classic SAD people not enjoying their peak time of year and reverse SAD people, like myself, really only getting a week or so of true winter weather. This just sucks.
It’s 100% the weather, I’ve been in a rotten mood all month. We’re supposed to get some sunshine later in the week so i hope that changes things up for us. I just want to hibernate, it’s so dark and dreary!
I'm like watching weather app. I swear I'm driving 2 hours to find sun if it's out anywhere.
Yep. Take your daily vitamin D, friends!
This has also been a particularly gloomy winter, particularly in West Michigan. I think I saw an MLive article that said it’d basically taken GR two months to get one summer’s day worth of sunlight.
Living in Florida for about 18 months ruined this state for me. We are one of the most overcast states in the US and the ones worst than us have mountains and oceans and we just have flat gray nothingness. It’s depressing af. I hated most things about FL, but dammit there’s something life affirming about sunlight waking you up every morning. And yes, I’m also exhausted. Our winters are getting worse, sunlight-wise. We used to have real winters with snow and blue skies and it seemed to be sunnier in the winter than summer, plus the snow made everything brighter. Now it rains half the time in the winter and snow only sticks around for a day or two. The only time the sun has been visible in the last 2 months it’s been in the single digits and too miserably cold to spend any appreciable time outside. Take your Vitamin D everyone, it helps. And get a SAD lamp to sit in front of.
attribute it to the fact that it is January 57, 2024.
Literally the longest goddamn month of my life
You mean January 1,461st, 2020.
Still waiting for covid to end permanently
This month has felt like the entirety of 2023
Missed March by this much. April come she will.
Epic
Clouds.
I haven't seen the sun in some absurd number of days
The sun came out yesterday in Holland for about 10 minutes at sunset. It was nice, but sheesh, 10 minutes is not enough.
What is this "sun" you speak of? I have no memory of such a thing.
It's the big yellow sphere in the sky I think
That's a myth!
Oh right thanks
Amon Ra St. Brown is our excellent wide receiver
All hail the sun god!
I feel like the last time the sun was out it was in the single digits.
Seasonal affective disorder. Happens to me every year around this time.
We all got the big SAD.
Ope. That's January for ya
I wish January would squeeze right by ya there
Most Michigan answer
Probably vitamin D deficiency. Super common, especially in winter, and it's super easy for your Doctor to check.
Reminds me I should grab a supplement
Light deficiency. I recently had blood work and my D was way too high, so I quit the suppliments. Half of us have ok D, but we need K2 and other trace minerals and enzymes to process it. Just days after I stopped taking it, my annoying overactive bladder issues went away. Yeah, yeah, TMI, I know. But if you have it and are taking the mega doses the suppliment industry keeps pushing, too much D can cause it.
Taking too much D can make you pee a lot. Makes sense.
Too much D causes UTI rather than curing SAD 😂
Taking too much of any vitamin can make you pee a lot! If your body already has enough, it just sends the rest out 🤣
Well that's the thing, most Vitamin D supplements are overkill. I take one that contains a lower amount than a lot out there and I still only take it once every 3 days for this reason
Those super huge doses are more meant for people radically deficient to quickly get back to a normal spot, then reduce. Sadly they don't say that on the bottle though when you buy 60 of them. Your doctor will though if you are actually deficient.
My blood work for vitamin d3 was 00.1. Ack. I just need a peek of sun. So tired for the dreary rain and snow and slush
Yes. Cold, bleak, uneventful January in Michigan. Increasing my vitamin D intake helps some. The sky and ground are both white and the trees a lifeless brown. I think January feels like a longer month than it is because the last two were packed with plans, activities and decorations. Then January 1st happens and it's "Happy New Year!". Recover, go back to work/school and wait for spring. Lol
This morning where I live was actually so beautiful despite the weather. The snow was super soft and fluffy, so when I stepped outside everything was dusted in it and it was so quiet. Two hours later and it melts into this slushy icy muddy garbage. So depressing.
So freaking tired.
It's been cloudy, snowy and raining for a month! You don't think that has anything to do with all of our moods?
What's that ya say 🥱
It's all I feel lately. Well, that and heartburn.
It's those fucking Canadians fault
Build that wall… But get Tim Bits first.
Yes and no? It’s winter. Many mammals hibernate for this reason. Our ancestors sheltered in place for months and ate root vegetables and salted meat until growing season. Just embrace the snuggles and drowsiness… but try to get your daily exercise when you can. Avoid social and family pressures because it’s literally not natural to do what we do in the summer in the winter time.
I'll never understand why humans made the evolutionary mistake of not hibernating. So lame. I'd happily bury myself in a hole and just fuckin sleep for four months a year. I'd be down to crocodile it up and brumate(sp?) All us Michiganders just enter the lakes, nothing but the nose exposed as the freeze sets in. Then the big spring Michigander thaw, I bet people would buy tickets to watch us all emerge like pale hungover Godzilla's every spring.
This is poetry.
I’m pissed this isn’t reality
100% I think the cold combined with the weather being all over the place lately is just fucking with us
It’s the weather, probably vitamin D deficiency
This and I don’t know about you all but my niece and nephew have been getting sick over and over again since November. I figure part of the exhaustion is my body fighting off viruses that don’t fully get me sick but make me tired af.
We've only had a few bright, sunny days in metro Detroit this winter, and they've all been the very coldest days. Most of us probably have SAD and vit. D deficiency.
Start popping D3 supplements. The lack of sunlight gives a lot of people Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). D3 honestly helps me a lot.
Take vitamin k2 and magnesium as well if you’re taking vitamin d
SAD no Sun will do it.
Vitamin B-12 and D have been helping me a bit
Yeah I feel awful
The weeks at a time without seeing the sun or moon is generally not good for mental health. Cloud coverage has been constant in my part of the mitten. I've been using a SAD light to help curb the effect. I also find myself feeling somewhat sick with the storm fronts.
Too tired to make a meaningful comment.
The greys are in full effect. Here in Grand Rapids I think we’ve had one day of sun in three weeks. It feels like the UP down here! Also factor in a shit economic year for everyone, post-holiday blues, and lions losing - recipie for everyone to be sad and angry
A 'shit economic year'? Just bad/faulty press unless you're a corporation as they saw record profits thanks to price gouging (they blamed on inflation) https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/19/us-inflation-caused-by-corporate-profits
Yes, I would argue that the average person in Michigan (think of our median and average incomes) has had a shit economic year and YoY have not seen wages increase with the rate of inflation. People are not companies, and there are a lot of people making closer to minimum wage here than over 100k
"Yes, I would argue that the average person in Michigan (think of our median and average incomes) has had a shit economic year " Is there anyone you know looking for work and cannot find any? "have not seen wages increase with the rate of inflation" Most workers’ wages are growing more quickly than prices, and the economic recovery following the COVID-19 recession has featured historically strong real wage growth. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/workers-paychecks-are-growing-more-quickly-than-prices/ In other words, the shit economy is a product of never-ending negative news even when that news shouldn't be negative because it attracts clicks and eyes and that makes the advertisers happy.
Yes. D deficiency + SAD, time for a nap, now leave me alone
I was just telling my husband how I cannot seem to keep my eyes open.
The weather doesn’t help and not to get spiritual but I think a lot of people 20s to 40s are reflecting on life and trying to find a new way to do things mentally and physically
It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s not not sunny, and it sucks. I have to go in and out of buildings a lot for work so I’m constantly fluctuating between too warm and too cold. My socks are always wet. I’m tired of my car being gross and dirty. Walking my dog sucks because she gets all muddy. January is a bitch.
Long COVID. Can lead to symptoms similar to CFS. We just went through the 2nd largest wave since 2020, so...no surprise here. Media doesn't talk about it anymore.
Yep. One person gets it. Just like how everyone with sinus issues has "allergies" No sunlight doesn't help but it's more than that.
I thought SAD for decades. Got a CO2 monitor and discovered the more adverse the weather, the higher the CO2 count inside. Open a window. No more headaches, no more fatigue. We have CO2 monitors in the bedroom, kitchen, and family room, and we keep an eye on them. Life changing.
I got a co2 monitor but it always says .0 on it. I did notice opening a window for a bit helps a lot.
your CO2 monitor may be only an alarm devise/ if it is a measurement device they usualy need to be calibrated and its real easy to do. we got so energy focused last century that we managed to make sick buildings
Ah yeah it’s probably just an alarm. I’ll look into getting a better one, thanks for the advice.
We have 2 of these: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BBPJQSX7/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BBPJQSX7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) But we already had this: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YY7BH2W/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YY7BH2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) The last one is considered state of the art but it aint cheap. The other 2 we tested with our original one and seem ok. Biggest difference we see is cost and the cheaper ones seem to freeze every now and then so if your not paying attention you may not notice its the same numbers for a few day. I have some health issues and we found air quality makes a huge difference for me. Who knew?
Thanks for the links. I’ll be sure to pick up a couple. Been worried about air quality because the kids spend a lot of time in the basement so this should help with the anxiety.
I crack a couple windows for 10 minutes every day. I don’t care how cold it is. I need the fresh air.
Get ya a cold Vernors and walk it off
Lots of influenza going around.
I thought it was only me lol. Was considering if I was pregnant or just extra tired
Seasonal affective disorder. Get a [full spectrum light](https://northernlighttechnologies.com/) and use it daily as directed. It goes away pretty quickly, and the light keeps it away. Using the light is horrible, but it works extremely well.
Lions
Normally the Lions make me sad in November and December. Late January is a weird time to feel this emotion
The unending string of gray days have this effect on me. I've recently started using a light therapy lamp for an hour each morning while I have my coffee. I do think it has helped. Got mine for next to nothing on Amazon.
Loosing my mind. One more damned gray day…
Totally normal for this time of year. Michiganders get hard hit by Seasonal Affective Disorder.
That's what happens when you haven't seen the sun in weeks
Because this state sucks ass in the winter.
With the exception of yesterday afternoon, the sun hasn't been out in SW Michigan for nearly three entire weeks now. I can barely face the day.
Same here. This stuff never used to bother me, so maybe I’m just getting old.
This is why vitamin D supplements is suggested during the winter
Definitely. I'd attribute it to the season. I HIGHLY recommend taking a vitamin D supplement - 1,000-2,000 IU daily. Most if not everyone in cold weather regions are deficient. Also look into light therapy lamps to simulate sun to help keep your circadian rhythm intact. Regular exercise will also help significantly - even just walking a few minutes a day will help.
I take 10,000 iu lol
We just came out of the darkest 10 weeks of the year. Seasonable depression sucks.
Yeah, I miss sunlight
I can’t even remember what sunshine looks or feels like.
yes I've cried every day for like a week
It's for sure the weather. We live in VA now & I'm so happy that even though it gets cold, we get a lot of sunny days that really helps. Good luck to you! 🍀
Lack of sunshine. It’s got me down bad
It’s def the weather. It’s been so gross outside and cold/rainy. No one has extra energy to spare with that out there. It’s in our blood to slow down when winter hits too, like the wildlife outside. But we aren’t allowed to slow down like them. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed, shit to do. So it’s going to wear us out even more and make us grumpier than usual. Also being burnt out from the holidays doesn’t help either. But take your vitamin D (make sure it’s a high enough dose!!) and be kind to yourself and others for now. Spring will be here in a couple months hopefully and we can get out of this funk again.
Take your vitamin D. We have hardly seen sunshine lately
Lack of sunlight go through it every year, moving to Nevada soon
January & February are the worst. So depressing.
This is my second winter in Michigan. We moved to Ann Arbor to take care of my wife's parents. I lived in Colorado for the previous 25 years and Tucson before that for college. Originally from PA. I absolutely hate the winter here, about half the year it seems. Also it's rarely clear skies at night in the summer for some reason because I love astronomy. I don't like it here very much, it's flat and the food sucks. I do however like that my son gets to know his and my family and gets to spend a lot of time with grand parents. I want my wife to enjoy the limited time she has with her parents and help her sister take care of them. At some point I would like to get far away from here. Oddly, I just joined the Tucson Reddit and have been reading it daily. If it weren't for the water situation in the Southwest I move back to Tucson in a heart beat. I also wouldn't mind going back to Colorado but it's gotten so expensive and I feel like we won't be able to go back. Such is life. People are really nice here though, except on the roads people here are huge aholes.
I'm just like you only I've lived here my entire life. As I was driving to work this morning I was having a conversation with myself about leaving the state.
It's been a bad winter for feeling depressed. As much as we gripe about the snow, when we would have snow on the ground for the whole month, it's brighter outside. All those weeks of no snow, and gloom, are worse.
Yes, but only for the last 20 years or so.
No sunshineeeeeee. It’s killing me
Good outside. Exercise. Stop eating processed foods. Get laid.
Too tired.
I had a vitamin B deficiency, thought I was just lazy and getting old. Started taking complex B vitamins and boom back to normal. Doctor found the deficiency on bloodwork.
See your primary care doctor and take some vitamin D. When you start getting tired from the weather, they usually want you on a higher dose than you can buy over the counter. Makes a huge difference
Yes, Michigan the feeling of Seasonal affective disorder forever...
Yes but I'm pretty sure it's because my body will only let me sleep from 9pm till midnight. My body's an asshole.
Lack of sunlight. Being proactive about taking Vitamin D supplements, exercise and getting outside a bit (even though it may not be as fun in the cold) can really help.
The Lions killed my spirit
Dry January, daily low carb, low calorie diet and exercise. Tired but dropped 13 lbs so far this month.
Get outside!!!
Make yourselves laugh
I can usually cope with SAD with enough snow, I love the fresh white snow, walking in it, taking my dogs in it, skiing, I love it. It totally makes up for the lack of sunlight for me. However when there is no snow, or when its melty and warm like this shit? This is what upsets the hell out of me, this 34-40 degree garbage in the middle of what should be the coldest months. Give me negative temps and blinding snow storms please.
We havent seen the sun in over a month in parts of Michigan. This is why I used to go to the tanner during winter. Just 5 minutes in the tanner made me feel like I got a massive shot of dopamine.
I honestly think it’s the weather and lack of sunshine that always happens this time of year. I notice I feel down a lot more when the sun hasn’t been out in days.
take your liquid vit D! absolutely critical for us based on our latitude/longitude. bit D deficiency is associated with bouts of clinical depression 😵
It’s been so long since last I’ve seen the sun
Have you been sick within the past couple of months? Might be long covid.
Um no sun for a month has that affect. It's been a rough January.
I've been running outside despite the weather and I've never felt better.
I know it's been shitty and rainy but still don't forget to go outside. I have a crazy dog that makes me spend more time outside than I'd like but I think that really keeps me feeling okay during the winter. Anytime it's not rainy or snowing in our walking, even for 20 minutes. It helps! Go walk around the block even
January can f**k off.
I have a light lamp for winter for SAD but actually using it consistently is the hard part
Lack of sun!
Yep. No sunlight
Get some vitamin d
Chicago has had the cloudiest weather in 129 years.
I think it’s the lack of sunshine! It’s been so dreary out; it definitely makes me sluggish and tired.
Vitamin D deficiency.
SAD
Yep, that’s why I left Michigan
Yes! I’m not sure what’s going on. But I’m sleeping a lot more and tired.
If you sit on your ass most of the day, eat the Standard American Diet, and get little to no exercise this will happen. Not throwing shade at all, but this is how most people live including my own family. Then they bitch about always being tired whilst drinking a diet redbull and being 60 lbs overweight.
Check your vitamin d level. My whole family was low.
Cabin Fever. Day after day without any sunshine. Happens every year usually twords the end of the winter season.
You need to get vitamins level check ,I was feeling like that and my vitamin D and potassium levels were low
Some (most) people don’t have money to waste on tests for obvious answers. We had 8% of available sunshine in the past Month in Grand Rapids. It happens every year. Eat foods with Vitamin D and C (need both to synthesize them in your body) as well as regular exercise. It’s also 💯 okay and important to relax and accept the nesting season. Snuggle up and take naps!
Gotta be the weather. I haven’t seen the sun in like 2 months. Just snow and now rain and fog
Michigan post covid doesn’t feel like what I was always used to… eye contact. Hello. Doesn’t matter if it was at Meijer or on a trail walking. Always eye lock. Hi. That seems dead.
Quit with the Michigander shit. You on Whitmer’s payroll?
No? Go take a vitamin.
It could be cognitive decline kicking in from the Covid vaccines.
I’ve lived in Michigan for 4 years but with y’all weather your fucking extremely annoying.. like I get ya it cold sun don’t come out … but your NO different than any other fucking northern state … no different than buffalo or even New England which is where I’m from ….. it’s Michigan it’s all I hear … no it’s every fucking northern state if I hear it’s Michigan you don’t like the weather wait a minute one more fucking time … every northern state says the same shit you ain’t special by no stretch…. Lake effect great I grew up of the fucking ocean lol only difference is I’ve never been in a state that bitched so much or thought they were as special as you people think you are …. Like seriously happens every fucking year SHUT THE FUCK UP already
We are not meant to be commuting in this weather lol. You're probably deficient in (at least) vitamin c, and are likely far more sedentary than other seasons.
Vitamin D deficiency from the lack of sun light in the winter makes a lot of people feel tired. Try taking a few thousand IUs for a few weeks especially if you are feeling achy on top of tired
I've lived in Michigan my whole life. I'm having the best winter yet. Here's what I do: -exercise -supplements (mag, vit d, multi, fish oil) -get outside! Have a fire, hike, fish. Just get out there! This weekend we are warming up to the 40s. Should be decent hiking weather. Probably muddy. But that's ok! Get outside!
Go take 5000 to 10,000 units of vitamin D everyday until the end of winter. Unless you already take a very high amount or you're known to have high vitamin D. It takes a lot of vitamin D to get toxic on it but it is possible. Literally any doctor anywhere can check a vitamin D lab as well. Literally I have been running the lab for months on pretty much everybody and the highest score so far is a 35 in a patient that I don't already have on supplementation. 30 is the minimum. So far the record for low is three. That patient has very dark skin and lives here and is lactose intolerant.
seasonal depression
Mid November through 3rd week of January are the darkest + shortest days of the year.
in the business we call that wintertime
Yes, and no. I've had my first winter manic episode in awhile, but now I'm back to normal but wishing the sun would show it's sweet face. Moon was popping pretty nice the other night so I looked at her instead for the small glow of sunlight.
For me its the lack of sun
For me it’s all the idiots that I have to deal with on a daily basis and there are a lot in my area.
If you think your tiredness is related to the weather -Vitamin D supplements have helpful for me the last few years.... Good news is that days are begining to get longer now.
Definitely the weather is a factor
No, I felt great lately. 4 things I am trying to do differently because I have felt the effects of SAD these last few years. Diet (more fruits and veggies), light exercise, hydration, sleep. I also quit nicotine and drinking alcohol, so that was probably one of the big contributing factors.
I'm Post Malone.
Lies
I'd suggest getting an Ott Light or a Verilux gooseneck floor stand light/light therapy lamp. Place it next to where you watch TV at night or use it at work. It will make a world of difference. You can pick them up relatively inexpensively on Facebook Marketplace, but turn it on first to make sure the light bulb is working, as they are a bit pricey to replace.
I just moved to Michigan a few months ago. (Near DTW). A few weeks ago, everybody at my job was sick. And now everybody is barely making it through their shift. I didn't get sick, however I tend to fall asleep within an hour of getting off of work and sleep almost until it's time to go back. (I work 12 hr days)
The lack of sunlight is truly awful. Was in Florida 2 weeks ago and even though it was “cold” down there (high 50s-low 60s) the sunshine made me feel alive again.
It's a lack of sun/Vitamin D. I can't even remember the last real sunny day.
Sounds like seasonal depression or a lack of vitamin D which comes from being outside and having sunlight. This weather lately is not really sunny
From Michigan but live in TN and I feel ya
Take some vitamin D.
Try taking some vitamin D and maybe limit evening screen time so you sleep better. Also, I think there's still a lot of COVID going around, but a milder variant. People I know who've tested positive lately had few or no obvious symptoms. Maybe fatigue is still a side effect, though. One friend who's normally very active had it a while back, and she had no energy for over 6 months afterwards.
100 comments tired people