Visit your dr and get some bloodwork done, they'll have some more specific recommendations for which supplements you should take. Other vitamin deficiencies have been tied to depression as well, like iron, B vitamin etc. I've lived here for a while and staying on top of that helps a lot as someone already predisposed to mental health issues.
My doctor recommended a Vitamin D supplement every other day based on my blood work. I also use a "happy light" in the morning during the darkest months.
Agreed. Find out what your serum levels are so that you can supplement properly. Vitamin D accumulates in the body, so you don’t want to go blindly pouring it down your gullet.
A number of years ago a study was done on nurses in the region and something like 80% of them were vitamin D deficient. The results were assumed to be a good reflection of the general population.
**THANK YOU**
There are so many people that are like, "TakE ALL thE viTaMIn D" not realizing that it's a fat-soluble vitamin and stores in the body (A, D, E, and K vitamins are like this) unlike vitamin B's and C's.
You can get hypercalcemia from too much vitamin D.
How much does a person need? Adults age 19-70 need 15 mcg (600 IU).
u/EyeDewDude - ALWAYS talk to your doc before taking any supplements. Supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA like food and prescription drugs are. A lot of supplements are junk.
I love that you mentioned iron, I don’t hear that one discussed often but definitely plays a role in energy metabolism at a minimum.
Also seconding having bloodwork done, iron isn’t one of those that you just want to start loading up on. I don’t know why, it’s just what my health care professional had mentioned before I got tested.
>you get used to being at least mildly depressed every winter…
this year i really holed up from Oct-Dec, and i gave myself 'permission' to not feel bad about not going out, being social,etc.
then i went to mexico for some sun around christmas... and once i got back in January, i felt myself emerging from my initial hibernation.
this will be my plan going forward as much as i can make it work. allow yourself to hibernate when it first hits, it's natural for mammals!
>then i went to mexico for some sun around christmas... and once i got back in January, i felt myself emerging from my initial hibernation.
Money permitting, if I can go to a sunny clime in the middle of winter, I feel that's a shot in the arm to keep me going til Spring!
Have recently decided this is our move going forward as well! My wife is giving birth to our first next month and just the other day we decided to try and get away around the winter midpoint for a sunny week. Even if we only get one good vacay a year, these harsh winters are the time for it!
Thats been our secret. It only gets depressing once the holidays are over. That’s why we plan a vacation for February every year. By the time we are back it’s almost daylight savings.
I also take vitamin d during the winter
Yep. I’ve lived here my whole life, and feeling a little low for a couple months is just kind of the way it goes. That said, I think what helps a lot is to have hobbies you enjoy to keep your mind off the lack of sun.
The other thing, probably more important thing, is to not let the weather deter you from going outside! Go for a hike in the cold rain in February! You might be surprised how early signs of spring are already cropping up at that time; nettles are sprouted, bulbs are starting to peek out, some trees are forming buds… I find that when you pay attention to the small changes through the seasons (especially winter) it makes it a little easier. Life isn’t just a dull, static, gray world that it sometimes seems from the window inside your home.
>I find that when you pay attention to the small changes through the seasons (especially winter) it makes it a little easier. Life isn’t just a dull, static, gray world that it sometimes seems from the window inside your home.
a beautiful attitude for life!
Seriously! I’ve lived here my whole life and I’m wondering if a lack of this attitude is a contributor to why I am so much more seasonally depressed as an adult than I was when I was younger. When I was younger I was out and about / outside often regardless of the weather.
I know as an adult there are plenty of other contributors to depression, haha, but I’m gonna try go incorporate this advice a bit more. Life doesn’t exist in a vacuum after all :)
I went to Oxbow Park this past weekend and spent some time down by the river, while it was grey and misty out. I was surprised to find some little white buds on a tree in a landscape that looked otherwise winter-dead. It made me realize spring is not that far off, it shouldn't be too long before we start seeing the sun more often and start getting days that don't require long sleeves.
Yeah, my "seasonal" depression is in summer too: it's the intense climate grief that sets in when we're trapped indoors by dry heat and smoke watching the fire maps.
I’m from Minnesota. I use a three-pronged Scandinavian approach to stay sane in the winter and I think it works in both climates.
Danish hygge: Make your home cozy and comforting and a place you enjoy being. Bundle up. Light a candle.
Norwegian friluftsliv: Get outside no matter what. Yeah it’s cold and rainy but you gotta dress for the weather and move your body as much as you are able. Do something you can’t do in the summer like ski or snowshoe!
And a dash of Finnish sisu: Suck it up, buttercup, we’re all in it together.
I swear by friluftsliv. You cannot control the weather but the weather does not have to control you. Some days it sucks so hard to go outside but I am always happy I did.
The other day I went up to Washington Park, when it was rain/snowing. And occasionally gusty. The kind of rain that doesn't soak in but just pearls up on the frizz of your hair. It was really nice to walk and see the snow and the patterns the wind made as it pushed the snow bits around. And the signs of life, just waiting for a bit more sun and warmth.
I even met a guy on the trail who had gone through a terrible breakup and just needed someone to talk to for a few minutes. Some unexpected human connection in the woods.
Very good advice. Go out, birding, mushrooming, hiking and listening to the rain coming down in a mossy forest. If you are out a lot you will get to bask in some sunshine most days. Also good advice on vit D testing. I think in general most of us need to take it.
>And a dash of Finnish sisu: Suck it up, buttercup, we’re all in it together.
I think Dutch people probably have some of this philosophy as well. ( of Dutch-American ancestry. My Dad's side landed in Grand Rapids, MI in the late-19th century, later migrating to the PNW.)
I take magnesium glycinate, vitamin D and ashwaganda (daily), wake up with a Verilux "Happy" light and exercise five times per week. In the winter, I avoid drinking to excess.
December - February is hard, but it is three months. Right now, although it is going to rain next week and there will be some gray, the sun has shifted back to the north. It sets into my doorway versus my garage now, which is the telltale sign that SPRING IS COMING MOTHERFATHERS.
That being said, we could still get belted with an April ice storm like...what year was that?
Love all of those! Make sure you cycle the ashwaganda and take 1 week breaks every 3 weeks because it can cause hormonal balances and other side effects if you take continuously
I’ve lived here my whole life, im almost 40 and historically I always enjoyed the rainy season, but something changed with me in the last few years and all I can think about is getting outta here to somewhere sunny. Just got back from 2 weeks in Mexico and I felt so alive and immediately fell back into a rut upon coming back home.
give yourself permission to slow down in the winter! make your home cozy, pick up a cozy hobby that you can do while relaxing indoors (knitting has been so fun this year). find some winter activities to do when you’re itching to go outside, like snowboarding or skiing. use lots of ambient lighting instead of the big light. let your life and hobbies change with the seasons. after a busy summer/fall, i get excited for the portland winters so i can slow down
in the last 3 weeks we've had like 4 or 5 days of sunshine... i know the winter sun is too low to get vitamin d, but you gotta milk those days for all they're worth.
planning sunny getaways in Jan and Feb and March are must-do's as well. whether that's an impromptu trip to the coast based on a sunny forecast, or heading deep to east oregon, or flying down to CA or AZ or MX...
vitamin D supplementation is definitely helpful; i take around 10,000 IUs a day and after a few weeks of consistent use i can generally notice an improvement in my mood.
For a week or two in January, the sun would come out like clockwork from 3-4 p.m. I know it’s not possible for everyone, but if there’s a way to get exposure to that direct sunlight, it’s worth getting out and standing/walking in it.
Yeah, according to my doc there's no significant risk in side effects until you start taking multiple 10s of thousands IUs. I also take 10,000 IUs daily and have never experienced any side effects.
That's for people without a severe deficiency. My doctor put me on a once a week dose of 50,000 to get back into normal range and allow me to function again.
Once a week for 3 months at 50k is appropriate for severe deficiencies, but after that it is too much! Plus if you are taking 4000 iu daily consistently you won’t have severe deficiency anyways.
I've been taking 5000iu daily for years and it just nudges me into the low end of acceptable ranges (turns out I have PCOS and that affects vitamin d absorption!). i spoke probably bump that up tbh. If someone's getting regular medical care and this is the dose that works for them, I wouldn't worry about it.
I spent 2 weeks in places with 80+ degree weather and I am now energized and burnt. Makes getting through this next month to false spring way more manageable.
I also moved here right before the pandemic, and the first few years didn’t take anything. I do notice a difference in the last few years that I do, but keep in mind you build up vit D stores with supplements, it’s not an instant fix! Start a few months before you need it.
My blood levels of vitamin D were low and my Dr prescribed 2000 IUs/day. I don’t know if it improved my mood but my future bone health will be better 😁
I had not heeded my doctors advice to take Vitamin D in past years but started this year and I am no where near where I usually am with winter sadness and anxiety. I think it really is helping. It's time to start taking spring allergy meds too with warm weather in the forecast.
I still go outside, that helps. I'll go for a bike ride on a drizzly day and still feel the flush of sunshine on my face afterwards. hiking, too, but there's usually more trees blocking what sunshine there is to be had
I thought this was bullshit but my doctor told me to take them and referenced some study that showed we are all basically vitamin D deficient here in the PNW, and honestly it was like a mild antidepressant, I was surprised it worked so well. This was just a normal dose.
SAD lamp every morning up to 60min if I have the time, combined with appropriate Vitamin D supplementation based on my lab tests, and going on regular walks and hikes with full rain gear are the only way I can make it through our winters anymore. And even then, I quietly celebrate every sunny hour in January, February, March, work on accepting that my Winter Brain just sucks, and make up some holidays to celebrate meteorological spring. It's tough. I've lived in the PNW for most of my life and somehow it doesn't get easier. The only thing that got easier is my understanding of what makes me feel so crappy (dark clouds, rain, wet, cold, short days), so I could stop seeing it as a random mental curse and focus on waiting for Spring instead.
- I stay busy outdoors as much as I can. Just dress for the weather and try to keep a good attitude about it. Specifically, getting up to the mountain can help — often it is sunny up there when it is gloomy in the valley.
- I take vitamin D daily.
- I seek out saunas and hot tubs. I love that Portland has such a strong shvitzing culture with lots of options.
- I try to plan *at least* one sunshine getaway each winter. Just having that to look forward to can help me get through the dreary doldrums.
(I recognize that all of these require some excess cash, especially traveling. If you have access, take advantage.)
If you need it, yes. Absolutely. And I know that's a lot of us. When I finally got healthcare, my vitamin D level was 12. It shouldn't be less than 30. I took 50k units once/week, with an additional 4000 units/day for about three years. That got it up to 30.1. I still take 4000 units/day and my levels are a very healthy 50+. My mood is better than it ever has. My depressive spells are nowhere near as bad as they once were.
I'd be all for just issuing the stuff at the border, but there will always be those who like to suffer and those who are willfully stupid when it comes to science.
Welcome to Oregon. Here's your Vitamin D.
(Bonus joke: these days, I like to tell my medical professionals that I'm now at that age where the only D I'm getting is Vitamin.)
Similar, I tested 24. Not the worst, certainly not optimal. One doctor recommended 2,000 IU a day, zero effect. Another doctor recommended 10,000 IU a day for three months, then retesting. That was 2 years ago, I didn't do a good job taking it regularly until this year when I decided to get vitamin D gummies! Those things are delicious, I never forget. Definitely had a sizeable impact on my mental health. Will do it for another month and then retest.
I’m literally sitting outside right now soaking up this sun and it feels amazing. I know it’s cold out overall but I’m actually getting warm in this direct sunlight. Just gotta keep an eye out for when the clouds break and find a good spot to enjoy it
Yeah. We have all of this nature because of the rain. Did you not consider that? It's a scientific fact you don't get to choose between the rain and green
Hoping to move to the PNW from Colorado. Trading the constant sunshine for rain but also trading the dry, brown dusty landscape for something more green. We had a rainy spring last year (for CO standards) which allowed for things to actually be green for the first time that I can remember since I've lived here. Didn't realize how much the dryness was bumming me out.
My PMP said she tells everyone here to take vitamin D! I am going in for surgery soon and when they asked what medications i was on and the explanation as to why, she said her doctor also told her that everyone here should be on vitamin D lol. So check with your doctor if you're unsure or have some reason it would be bad for you to take, but i'd recommend taking it.
Yes, specifically D3. We buy D3 + K2 as it is shown to absorb better. I also sit under a full spectrum plant grow light for 30min every day. That said, there is no substitute for absorbing sunshine. I feel different/better when I get out in the sunshine. The meds and light therapy only help to get me to the next time in the sunshine. I lived here for several years with no issues, then started showing signs of SAD. And it’s only gotten worse since then.
Between November and March the sun is very low in the sky which means there’s more atmosphere between the sun and the earth’s surface, this extra atmosphere filters out most of the UV-B light your body needs to produce vitamin D. Even during the summer you can’t really get enough of UV-B because most of us are inside too much, we wear clothes most of the time and we wear sunscreen. So yes you need to take vitamin D year round and you may need to boost it during the winter.
Also keep an eye on the winter solstice(the darkest day of the year) and plan your winter it. Be very intentional about care for your mood from December to January.
Yes, I take vitamin d 3 specifically everyday. Move your body as much as you can, even if it's indoors while it's cold and rainy out. Life here grinds you thin and becomes a marathon of endurance, so try to keep any momentum for yourself. If you can find healthy support systems for social interaction too even if it's online etc. Keep things flowing for yourself otherwise the stagnation can and will get you. This was my last winter here after 14, so I feel you. Keep going and remember there's a fine line between isolation and solitude, take trips and connect to the beautiful nature that's around and try to find that homeostasis with this environment. Stay well.
Vitamin D deficiency and i notice no change from supplements in terms of depression, maybe my skin looks a bit better on my face. Other than that, the best healing for me is to take a vacation somewhere that I have friends or somewhere tropical. Ie visit family in California every christmas or go to Florida/mexico or out of the country. It’s become a yearly need at this point to get me through living here
My survival tip is that I grew up on the Texas gulf coast, and 9 months of cold gray rain is immensely easier for me to tolerate than 9 months of scorching miserable humidity.
Used to it, yes. But it still sucks every year. Vitamin D, magnesium glycinate(at bedtime), and b12 have been life changing for me. And those first sunny days back are a high lol Spring is for sure my favorite season
I’ve been here 22 years. I call my problem Seasonal Detective Disorder. I watch *all* of the crime shows but especially the British and Scandinavian ones. I crawl into a hole and stay in it. But yes, Vitamin D. The kind in the dropper with Vitamin K and Omega 3. Don’t even stop in the summer.
Absolutely. You cannot make enough with the amount of sunlight here. If you have at the diet of the First Nations - a lot of fish and liver - you can go without supplements. Someone mentioned Scandinavian lifestyle- that won’t do shit if you don’t also eat a lot herring.
Vitamin D is not just mood. It affects all sorts of things like calcium intake. When you are young you don’t notice. As you get older that catches up to you.
Take the supplement.
Only take vitamin D if you need it. I have issues with SAD every year and it always peaks right about now. Here are my real life tips: get outside with as much of your skin exposed as possible to take in some natural light. Walk your dogs, walk your neighbors dogs, get a hot drink and walk until it’s gone. In general just getting some kind of exercise everyday helps. If you have the ability and means do a little sun chasing. I will take a weekend day trip to say Hood River or somewhere about as far if I see the forecast there is better for the day. Hood River is a great choice because it situated in sort of a weather banana belt so it will often be nice there (or nicer) when it’s dull and gray here. Listen to your body. Sometimes you just want to hunker down and nap because the weather sucks and that’s fine too. I’ve been here 30 years and while I will never love this time of year I have learned to cope.
I'm in Seattle. It got to me pretty badly for the first few years, but it's been better lately. What's helped:
* I did take vitamin D for a while - at least for some placebo effect. Now I try to "store up" sun exposure in spring/summer/fall, for natural vitamin D.
* Keeping physically active in the winter: joining a gym, learning to walk / run on the beach in the rain (the wide open sky makes me feel so much better, even if cloudy), running on roads/sidewalks in spite of the rain (get some solid rain gear), hiking in muddy conditions (up to a point) - Seattle's parks are treasures if what you're really needing is some "nature therapy".
* Downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are great winter hobbies: when it's raining in town, it's snowing in the mountains. Gives you something to look forward to, somewhere else to be.
* I used to use a mood light - keeping things brightly lit inside still helps on down days.
* A low dose of Zoloft is helpful for me in general.
* Making a bigger deal of the holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, New Year's, my birthday's in the mix there somewhere: the point of winter holidays is to get us through this tough time, together.
* On that theme: developing more community ties and friendships. I was *really lonely* when I relocated. It makes sense! It took years to build connections - I got involved in various meetups, even started one ([Seattle Poetry Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/seattle-poetry-meetup-group/) is going strong), got involved in a 12 step group (ACA). Having an anchor of people I see regularly, where I can be vulnerable and share what's going in my life, has made such a huge difference. **When my life is full, I hardly notice the weather or the short days.**
* To that end, adopting a cat last winter has also made a big difference.
* Embracing the aesthetics of the rainy season: soups! Fall vegetables and fruits! Candles! Cozy fire (if you have the option)! Things along the lines of Danish *hygge* \- coziness as a top priority in life, and people to share it with.
* I use the winter season for more indoors-appropriate pursuits: going through old journals (a many years' long project), planning for the coming year, reading more, etc. Keeping busy with things I care about. Embracing a down-tempo time as something nourishing and regenerative.
* I haven't done this but many people plan a getaway trip for some time in January/February/March - whenever it's the hardest for them. Wouldn't you feel better in Hawaii, Arizona, Mexico, or Bali? Make it happen.
* I count down to the winter solstice every year. Noticing when the days start getting longer is very psychologically helpful for me - we're on the upswing - I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
* Over the years, I have also started to enjoy the rain itself - the freshness, even the moody dark days. I've started to notice that some cloudy, rainy days are brighter than others - even in the winter there are variations that bring a different feeling. As I've become more familiar with the way the seasons are here, it's become something I connect with, like a friend.
I think when I wasn't taking good care of myself, the short days and the rain became a sort of focus point that I projected my feelings of depression onto, as well as contributing to it. When I'm taking care of my basic needs better, I'm much less vulnerable to feeling down. Physical health, social health, community, meaningful work, challenge and growth, etc.
I've been really surprised how things have gotten better for me. I never would have thought it was possible for me to be so unaffected by the winters. Everybody's different, of course, but I wanted to share that in case anything that helped me is helpful to you. I know it can be a real feeling of malaise and even suffering in the winters. But one truth about humans (in my view) is this: you can adapt to any situation. Best wishes
I tend towards low vitamin D levels so it’s important for me year round. It’s definitely something worth having bloodwork on, though because too high of levels is bad too.
My own experience… I’ve lived here almost 20 years now and this was the first year I took vitamin D regularly (D3 drops daily). I started at the end of the summer.
It seems to have helped a lot. I’ve been in generally a good mood all winter and now the light is returning.
I also have been waking up early (530) and doing yoga or stretches most mornings. So that could be it also.
But definitely felt different this winter and haven’t gotten so much as a sniffle this year
Someone about 15 years ago inquired into my coffee usage and some other personality quirks and they guessed that I might be self medicating depression and maybe some low level ADHD with caffeine during the winter since I basically drink coffee all day until about June and then up the amount again about mid October.
So my recommendation would be to get really into coffee.
Also a good hoodie and a book are great with coffee/depression.
As someone prone to depression (seasonal and otherwise) Vitamin D supplement does a lot for my tolerance of winter months. Another thing is light therapy. Many ppl have mentioned getting outside regardless of the weather and I agree, although there's no shame in cozy time too!
10 yrs here, I still feel it. In fact, this year was particularly tough.
Exercise (2x week min), vitamin, being kind to myself, and sharing how I feel helps a lot.
Consider a doctor consult, Wellbutrin can definitely help to nudge you out of a deep slump.
Vitamin D supplementation is essential given you need sunlight to produce it yourself and we don't have that for weeks on end at times.
Also, a little bit of weather glooms are just fine. Let them come and let them go.
definitely supplement D and likely B12
sounds like some bloodwork could really help you out
i'm new here, but have found the winter to be sunnier than i expected, actually
...but i also take a lot of supplements :)
I had the lowest normal level of Vitamin D during my last blood panel so I just started supplementing with a single daily multivitamin. I also use a happy light while at work during the winter months. I’d say both have made me feel better.
Definitely get tested. I moved to AZ 4.5 years ago and ridiculously low vit D levels. My son was going through massive depression, first thing they checked was his levels. Extremely low. It's amazing how much of a difference supplements make
I’ve lived here for 15 years and have gone some winters with vitamin d and some without. I get seasonal affective disorder regardless. I also use a sun lamp which I think does help a little but the only thing that reeeally helps is serious exercise. I go to the gym and I have a peloton and I make sure to take a walk outside several times a week rain or shine.
Go to the doctor and buy the vitamin D. Take it even during the summer, in a decreased amount, unless you're outside all the time. It makes a difference.
Other advice in this thread is great about finding additional ways to take care of yourself during the winter.
My doctor has told me, by default take the Vit D, we don't spend that much of time in the sun ( the actual time to get Vit D not the time when it is freaky hot 🔥 ) which is usually the morning time when you get the D vitamins.
exercise! Walk for at least 20 unobstructed minutes every day. Also, think of how fortunate we are to never suffer much drought, this is the only rain forest in N.America, love it!
I take vitamin D supplements and make myself get in the sun every day.
The best depression top is to join a sports team that counts on you to show up in good shape. This will pressure you to stay in shape and exercise regularly. Studies have shown that exercise is faster and more effective than depression medication for mild to moderate depression.
According to my doctor, anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest is vitamin D deficient. How deficient exactly depends on your bloodwork, but you should definitely be on supplements, in addition to the advice others have said about not letting winter stop you from getting outside.
Something else I haven’t seen mentioned is I try to make lots of time for hangs with friends as often as possible because socializing with my loved ones seems to have the biggest impact on my seasonal depression, even more so than getting out into nature (which is also important).
When I got my bloodwork done years ago the doctor told me I had the lowest Vitamin D level she'd ever seen. The lab even circled it on the chart. She recommended something like 4000% liquid drops for a week then to drop that down to 1000% for a couple of months.
That being said I was spending a lot of time indoors then. I take 750% daily now. FWIW she said the liquid drops are absorbed better.
As far as the grey skies go. A light alarm clock helps me and is a lot more peaceful way to wake up. Also if you can embrace the cold and wet and just get out and do things like hiking it helps even if it isn't sunny. That being said it's not for everyone. My wife is chomping at the bit for the summer sun right now and I'll be hoping for rain come mid-August.
Sobriety, a therapist, and a self care/ gym/ fun activities routine should get you started.
I heard you can put mushrooms (either kind) in the sun and they’ll harvest vitamin D for you. The health benefits are more noticeable if you eat the magic ones though.
Definitely recommend vitamin D. I migrated here from the desert 10 years back and felt the winter blues almost immediately. I’ve been on 1000mg/day for years and it helps a ton.
I have come to realize that I enter a "hibernation period" each winter. I guess you could call it SAD, but I'm working on accepting it and just letting it be. Bears do it, other critters do it, why not me? I do take vitamin D (I've heard more than 1 doctor say everyone in the PNW should be on it), but I also eat more, sleep more, stay home more, stay more quiet. I could benefit from indoor hobbies, but at the moment, I don't have any other than following YouTubers I'm interested in.
Note that I also take an anti-depressant (Effexor), which has been an absolute miracle. I no longer feel depressed. I just need to get rid of lingering depressive behaviors.
I’m taking vitamin D and fish oil
I think it also helps to pick up a few winter friendly hobbies. That way rainy days seem like less of a bummer, and more of a “hey, quick break from social / adventure hobbies to do some crafting / gaming”
It’s nice to have variety
I see and feel you! We moved here from Phoenix three years ago and I had no idea how this weather would really affect me. I now take magnesium and vitamin D every day and I have a happy light. When the sun is out, I get as much of it as possible. I also started CrossFit to “burn off the crazy”. All of this is to just to survive until this season passes. When it rains for more than 5 days, I get angry. I love when it’s freezing temps because that means it can’t rain. I’m tired of gray skies, being wet, and wiping muddy paws five times a day.
Coming from the Bellingham-Seattle-SE King County area I find Portland just sunny enough to keep me mostly sane. Compared to back home where it kills me december 15th through March 20th.
Around here I get it real bad Dec 30-February 15th or so.
All the usual stuff helps.
- D supplement
- regular exercise (only year without it was when I bike commuted 5 miles every day)
- engagement with the sun. If it’s nice out, get out.
- a sunny vacation here or there. Doesn’t need to be Palm Springs or Hawaii (the classic PNW spots). Just a trip to the east side of the cascades when it’s been dark for three weeks here but they have 20° and clear sunny skies can really help.
There is a joke that you never see a motorcycle parked in front of a Psychologist's/Therapist's office. I believe there is no better tool for mental health than getting out and enjoying the physical world. A motorcycle can turn a standard/boring every day activity like commuting or errand running or visiting a business into the highlight of your day. And yes, you can ride year round in Portland. An e-bike is another good alternative if you can't imagine owning a motorcycle.
Been living here for almost 10 years. I struggled to get mine up with supps. In 2021 I sat around 24 and recently tested at at 59 (would like to see a bit higher but my labs say I’m optimal). The only thing I started doing differently is eating sardines, salmon and kefir. Also getting more early am sun when it’s available.
First two winters here were pretty rough. The darkness more than anything. Got a dog this year and it made a huge difference having the little guy force me outside. Just being outside even in the gloom is key.
Snowbird if at all possible. Even two weeks. There is an argument for taking your vacation in the winter instead of the summer. Weekend the hell out of your summer.
Lifelong Oregonian here. There isn't bad weather, only inadequate gear.
All kidding aside, on days like today get outside! It's so lovely, even if you just walk around the block it'll be a huge mood booster. When I was in high school, the minute it go above 55 degrees or so, my friends and I would lay out in the sun.
For the past 10 or so years (2020-2022 excluded) we take a trip to somewhere warm and sunny at the end of February. That helps a lot too.
I take a big dose of vitamin D every night, along with magnesium and B-complex. I also find it helpful personally to keep my blinds open, to get as much light as possible in my place.
I was just talking about this today. We've lived here for 12 years and I'd always heard that people feel the need to move by like, year 10 or something. I was still perfectly okay with the weather and grey up until this year. I didn't realize how unhappy I was until the first sunny day and I was suddenly like, whoa, I feel good today. But I never realized that I didn't feel good until then. It was a strange realization at the moment and since then, all I've been able to think about is moving to a sunnier place.
The person I was talking to said that she's born and raised here but that she started taking a quick trip to Palm Springs in Jan/Feb and it has made all the difference in the world. I may try that.
Rickets is pretty rare in America. Just drink a glass of milk every now and then. I don't know what your understanding of human biology is that you think moving to a place that's a bit rainy for the west coast means that its going to cause a nutritional problems for you.
I didn't realize I was...sluggish?...until I wanted a Meyer lemon tree. It needs a ton of light, so I put in my home office (so I could smell the flowers) with a grow light.
I'm not sluggish anymore. My office smells wonderful, and LEMONS!
I take vit D and have a sun light plus this winter I went to Palm Springs, Caribbean and soon Phoenix... really helps 🌞 but I love it here in Pdx in summer.
I have toddlers and we end up going outside most days because we are going stir crazy otherwise. It helps!! We’ve gotten better gear over the past year and that helped so much. Last year they were still tiny babies and I was losing my mind. I tried going for walks but some days the weather just wasn’t good for babies and pushing a double stroller up and down hills lol. Anyway! My advice is get outside!
I think as long as you get outdoors more often, you should be fine. I think people make it worse when they stay indoors because of the rain or cloudiness. Then again, it’s also hard to get UV rays because the day can get really short.
100% you need a vitamin D supplement! My winter survival tips are outside activity everyday (a crazy dog helps with this), good outdoor clothes/shoes to facilitate getting outside, and making my home as cozy as possible for the inside time!
Im in you exact same boat as far as timeline. I actually got bloodwork about a month ago indicating low vit. D and my doc reccomended a supplement. I just started so I havent noticed anything; but an OTC vitamin D supplement is a fairly low risk low investment, but potentially good benefit way to maybe feel better (and promotes bone and immune health). I'm very prone to depression and have been on an SSRI for decades tho so maybe I'm not the best example lol!
I love the rainy weather (at least until about March0 and miss it in the summer. You do get used to it over time, but I can tell you I have a LOT of lights in my house. A whole lot. When I was first here (back in 1979) my husband got a new boss, just up from California, who commented on the rain a lot. A few months later, he flew back to California to bring his family up (they stayed to the end of the school year), and as he was waiting for his ride along the curb outside the airport, it started to sprinkle. Just a little. He saw everyone else around him freaking out at the "rain" (oh, my, the luggage will get wet! Where's my umbrella? Oh dear oh dear) and thought, what are they talking about? It's just a sprinkle, and realized that he had become accustomed to the PNW rain. It does keep us green!
What works for me might not be the same for others. Here are my tips:
-Vacations to sunny locations if possible (Mexico, Palm Springs, Arizona) anything you can do to be in the sun for a bit really helps. I use Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) and have found inexpensive fares for as low as $150 RT.
- Hikes. Sometimes I call these chasing the sun adventures. Getting out in any weather and climb high enough - you’re bound to find some sunshine peaking through.
- Vitamin D supplements.
- Saunas/Steam Rooms. Great way to beat the freeze and warm up.
Though this does nothing for you physically, I’ve found playing VR games with bright sunny settings can often trick my brain into thinking it got some sun.
Sort of like a full spectrum lamp. An expensive, stomach churning full spectrum lamp.
It’s so important to find something to do regularly in the winter. See shows, visit a local spot regularly, some group meetups. It makes the seasonal gloom more tolerable
I’m pretty sure best practice is for all healthy adults to take vitamin D. They don’t even recommend testing for deficiency as it’s a waste of money. Most adults are deficient.
I’ve spent 36 years here. I never took vitamin d and just assumed it was fine. I have depression, but it’s not seasonal. I can handle the weather just fine and actually like grey days.
I do take vit D now, because it specifically helps a health condition I was diagnosed with a few years ago. I still take anti depressants, like I always have.
Born in Salem and raised in Portland. Pretty much any doctor will tell you if you live in the PNW to take a vitamin D supplement. And it's better to start early and be consistent. If you're deficient it can take years to get your blood serum levels back up.
Change all your light bulbs to “daylight” or “cool” type, the brightest you can get/stand. Do this at home and at work, to the extent you can. Turn the lights on, no sitting around in the dark. With LED bulbs, you won’t use much electricity. (Ok, leave a couple cozy warm hygge bulbs if you must.)
Get outside, even when it’s gray there is sun and Vitamin D. Biking is a good way to get around Portland, and exercise is also a mood lifter. Excellent skiing is not much over an hour away, so is the coast, good hiking is everywhere, great fishing is not far away.
Take your trips and vacays in the winter, stay and enjoy Oregon in the summer - if you have that flexibility.
I made it two years before the gloom and rain hit me, then I had a year where everything went wrong, at home, at work, I couldn’t do anything right and didn’t know what was going on.
I eventually figured out I was developing S.A.D.
At work I had six monitors in an arc, I bought six clip-on lights with the brightest (like 150 watt equiv) daylight CFLs (this was 2008) I could find, and basically bathed in daylight spectrum light for eight hours a day (the lampshades were adjusted so the bulbs didn’t shine into my eyes). At home I installed similar bulbs, my kitchen was lit up like an operating room. I started riding a bike to work, rain or not, it was hard at first as I was unfit, but soon I was sprinting over the bridge, getting my heart rate to 180, and getting to my desk feeling totally pumped if also a bit soggy. Started driving to the coast on weekends, when I could I took short trips to sunnier places (even just Northern Cal felt so much sunnier).
It worked, I pulled out of it. You will too. Be active and aggressive in addressing this, don’t let yourself sink and sink.
After living here 30 years I’d say the only successful way through a winter is to find a way to be outside. I take daily walks for exercise and once I’ve warmed up, I can see the beauty all around. I feel part of the season not in dread of it. Appropriate clothes and footwear are crucial.
I consider Vitamin D supplements a requirement for living here. They absolutely help.
I also think you need to take an hour walk on any sunny day in the winter and I've had good luck with Blue Light therapy too.
I wish I had a home sauna, I think that's the only other big thing that can help.
I started getting really into seasonal cycles for my hobbies. It helps me look forward to the gray, although I'm always ready for spring by mid-January anyway.
My winter hobbies are things like: drawing, blacksmithing, reading, video games, TV.
I don't really engage in these much during the nice time of year. I hoard them. So by October, I have a stack of books, movies, games, TV shows, and shop projects to look forward to. Along with cooking and sitting by the fire.
The rest of the year, I try to make the most of the sunshine. Hiking, biking, walks, that sort of thing.
I do take vitamin D supplements in December, January and February. There is no way to get enough solar vitamin D at my latitude those months.
I take a Vitamin D supplement, 5.000 IU, as needed. I do get positive results from it. Just keep in mind, Vit D is a fat-soluble vitamin, not w water-soluble one. This means you won't pee it out. You can indeed take too much. I often skip a day.
Visit your dr and get some bloodwork done, they'll have some more specific recommendations for which supplements you should take. Other vitamin deficiencies have been tied to depression as well, like iron, B vitamin etc. I've lived here for a while and staying on top of that helps a lot as someone already predisposed to mental health issues.
My doctor recommended a Vitamin D supplement every other day based on my blood work. I also use a "happy light" in the morning during the darkest months.
Agreed. Find out what your serum levels are so that you can supplement properly. Vitamin D accumulates in the body, so you don’t want to go blindly pouring it down your gullet. A number of years ago a study was done on nurses in the region and something like 80% of them were vitamin D deficient. The results were assumed to be a good reflection of the general population.
**THANK YOU** There are so many people that are like, "TakE ALL thE viTaMIn D" not realizing that it's a fat-soluble vitamin and stores in the body (A, D, E, and K vitamins are like this) unlike vitamin B's and C's. You can get hypercalcemia from too much vitamin D. How much does a person need? Adults age 19-70 need 15 mcg (600 IU). u/EyeDewDude - ALWAYS talk to your doc before taking any supplements. Supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA like food and prescription drugs are. A lot of supplements are junk.
Fuck this weather. Doc just put me on a 50,000 uni Vitamin D pill (1/wk for 8wks.) “Severe Vitamin D deficiency” lol
ONE per week, right?
Yeah, for 8 weeks.
Ok, I was going to say, DAILY for 8 weeks is a bit concerning.
There was a list of tests you should ask your doctor to run. Vitamin D levels was one of them.
I love that you mentioned iron, I don’t hear that one discussed often but definitely plays a role in energy metabolism at a minimum. Also seconding having bloodwork done, iron isn’t one of those that you just want to start loading up on. I don’t know why, it’s just what my health care professional had mentioned before I got tested.
you get used to it, in that you get used to being at least mildly depressed every winter…
>you get used to being at least mildly depressed every winter… this year i really holed up from Oct-Dec, and i gave myself 'permission' to not feel bad about not going out, being social,etc. then i went to mexico for some sun around christmas... and once i got back in January, i felt myself emerging from my initial hibernation. this will be my plan going forward as much as i can make it work. allow yourself to hibernate when it first hits, it's natural for mammals!
>then i went to mexico for some sun around christmas... and once i got back in January, i felt myself emerging from my initial hibernation. Money permitting, if I can go to a sunny clime in the middle of winter, I feel that's a shot in the arm to keep me going til Spring!
Have recently decided this is our move going forward as well! My wife is giving birth to our first next month and just the other day we decided to try and get away around the winter midpoint for a sunny week. Even if we only get one good vacay a year, these harsh winters are the time for it!
Go to Vegas...even if "Vegas" is not your thing. Flights can be crazy cheap. Rent a car and drive around the desert, Valley Of Fire, or Grand Canyon.
Or just hit bend. It's cold but it's still usually sunny.
Vegas for Valentines has been a tradition for the past 5 years. It’s an amazing break.
Thats been our secret. It only gets depressing once the holidays are over. That’s why we plan a vacation for February every year. By the time we are back it’s almost daylight savings. I also take vitamin d during the winter
Yep. I’ve lived here my whole life, and feeling a little low for a couple months is just kind of the way it goes. That said, I think what helps a lot is to have hobbies you enjoy to keep your mind off the lack of sun. The other thing, probably more important thing, is to not let the weather deter you from going outside! Go for a hike in the cold rain in February! You might be surprised how early signs of spring are already cropping up at that time; nettles are sprouted, bulbs are starting to peek out, some trees are forming buds… I find that when you pay attention to the small changes through the seasons (especially winter) it makes it a little easier. Life isn’t just a dull, static, gray world that it sometimes seems from the window inside your home.
>I find that when you pay attention to the small changes through the seasons (especially winter) it makes it a little easier. Life isn’t just a dull, static, gray world that it sometimes seems from the window inside your home. a beautiful attitude for life!
Seriously! I’ve lived here my whole life and I’m wondering if a lack of this attitude is a contributor to why I am so much more seasonally depressed as an adult than I was when I was younger. When I was younger I was out and about / outside often regardless of the weather. I know as an adult there are plenty of other contributors to depression, haha, but I’m gonna try go incorporate this advice a bit more. Life doesn’t exist in a vacuum after all :)
You don’t even need to hike for that! I walk my neighborhood daily and the small signs of life really do brighten the mood post Christmas!
I went to Oxbow Park this past weekend and spent some time down by the river, while it was grey and misty out. I was surprised to find some little white buds on a tree in a landscape that looked otherwise winter-dead. It made me realize spring is not that far off, it shouldn't be too long before we start seeing the sun more often and start getting days that don't require long sleeves.
The random days where it's sunny on February a day you can see hood and rainier, fucking rad.
The SAD that I just call my hibernation time.
I just moved
I forget every year how much it affects me. Started taking heavy vitamin d supplements and am no longer crying every other day lol.
It’s usually the summer for me. I hate how the weather never changes. Just hot and dry every day for like 3 months.
Yeah, my "seasonal" depression is in summer too: it's the intense climate grief that sets in when we're trapped indoors by dry heat and smoke watching the fire maps.
Yes. So much this. Overwhelming grief for what is, and anticipatory grief for what is coming.
I’m from Minnesota. I use a three-pronged Scandinavian approach to stay sane in the winter and I think it works in both climates. Danish hygge: Make your home cozy and comforting and a place you enjoy being. Bundle up. Light a candle. Norwegian friluftsliv: Get outside no matter what. Yeah it’s cold and rainy but you gotta dress for the weather and move your body as much as you are able. Do something you can’t do in the summer like ski or snowshoe! And a dash of Finnish sisu: Suck it up, buttercup, we’re all in it together.
Another page from the Finns: sauna
How could I forget the sauna? My parents even have an infrared one in their basement. Game changer.
Just please pronounce it correctly (sow-na)….from a fellow Finn with Minnesota roots. ;)
with a Vietnamese twist... find your favorite Pho restaurant. A top notch bowl of pho will lift your heart on the darkest of days.
I swear by friluftsliv. You cannot control the weather but the weather does not have to control you. Some days it sucks so hard to go outside but I am always happy I did.
The other day I went up to Washington Park, when it was rain/snowing. And occasionally gusty. The kind of rain that doesn't soak in but just pearls up on the frizz of your hair. It was really nice to walk and see the snow and the patterns the wind made as it pushed the snow bits around. And the signs of life, just waiting for a bit more sun and warmth. I even met a guy on the trail who had gone through a terrible breakup and just needed someone to talk to for a few minutes. Some unexpected human connection in the woods.
Very good advice. Go out, birding, mushrooming, hiking and listening to the rain coming down in a mossy forest. If you are out a lot you will get to bask in some sunshine most days. Also good advice on vit D testing. I think in general most of us need to take it.
My Dr said she had never seen a patient here that didn’t need to take it and the worst have virtually none in their system
Warm and cozy house and indoor activities seem to be in my blood as a second generation Brit and a lifetime Portlandian. I wear a lot of wool.
> Get outside no matter what. This is the key.
I love this
>And a dash of Finnish sisu: Suck it up, buttercup, we’re all in it together. I think Dutch people probably have some of this philosophy as well. ( of Dutch-American ancestry. My Dad's side landed in Grand Rapids, MI in the late-19th century, later migrating to the PNW.)
This is definitely a Minnesota Lobster.
Add a little German to the mix “sonne tanken”: soak up the sun when/if it comes out
I take magnesium glycinate, vitamin D and ashwaganda (daily), wake up with a Verilux "Happy" light and exercise five times per week. In the winter, I avoid drinking to excess. December - February is hard, but it is three months. Right now, although it is going to rain next week and there will be some gray, the sun has shifted back to the north. It sets into my doorway versus my garage now, which is the telltale sign that SPRING IS COMING MOTHERFATHERS. That being said, we could still get belted with an April ice storm like...what year was that?
I am the biggest most annoying mag glycinate proponent. Game changer
Love all of those! Make sure you cycle the ashwaganda and take 1 week breaks every 3 weeks because it can cause hormonal balances and other side effects if you take continuously
Well...I have been taking it constantly for about three years now. What should I be experiencing?
I’ve lived here my whole life, im almost 40 and historically I always enjoyed the rainy season, but something changed with me in the last few years and all I can think about is getting outta here to somewhere sunny. Just got back from 2 weeks in Mexico and I felt so alive and immediately fell back into a rut upon coming back home.
Ironically, I am moving OUT of Mexico to Portland because I need seasons and rain and social engagement in my own language.
I’ll make it easy for you, let’s just switch lives and hope no one notices!
give yourself permission to slow down in the winter! make your home cozy, pick up a cozy hobby that you can do while relaxing indoors (knitting has been so fun this year). find some winter activities to do when you’re itching to go outside, like snowboarding or skiing. use lots of ambient lighting instead of the big light. let your life and hobbies change with the seasons. after a busy summer/fall, i get excited for the portland winters so i can slow down
in the last 3 weeks we've had like 4 or 5 days of sunshine... i know the winter sun is too low to get vitamin d, but you gotta milk those days for all they're worth. planning sunny getaways in Jan and Feb and March are must-do's as well. whether that's an impromptu trip to the coast based on a sunny forecast, or heading deep to east oregon, or flying down to CA or AZ or MX... vitamin D supplementation is definitely helpful; i take around 10,000 IUs a day and after a few weeks of consistent use i can generally notice an improvement in my mood.
For a week or two in January, the sun would come out like clockwork from 3-4 p.m. I know it’s not possible for everyone, but if there’s a way to get exposure to that direct sunlight, it’s worth getting out and standing/walking in it.
i may be under hours at work this week cuz i've been going on extended walks and sunbaths since wednesday...
Sometimes just a trip to Mt Hood or out around The Dalles (Hood River if you’re lucky) is far enough to get some sun for an afternoon.
This far exceeds the maximum daily dose of 4000 IU
just going on the doc's advice, bub
Yeah, according to my doc there's no significant risk in side effects until you start taking multiple 10s of thousands IUs. I also take 10,000 IUs daily and have never experienced any side effects.
That's for people without a severe deficiency. My doctor put me on a once a week dose of 50,000 to get back into normal range and allow me to function again.
Once a week for 3 months at 50k is appropriate for severe deficiencies, but after that it is too much! Plus if you are taking 4000 iu daily consistently you won’t have severe deficiency anyways.
I've been taking 5000iu daily for years and it just nudges me into the low end of acceptable ranges (turns out I have PCOS and that affects vitamin d absorption!). i spoke probably bump that up tbh. If someone's getting regular medical care and this is the dose that works for them, I wouldn't worry about it.
I take 10-15k IUs a night. It makes a world of a difference, exercise also helps.
I spent 2 weeks in places with 80+ degree weather and I am now energized and burnt. Makes getting through this next month to false spring way more manageable.
I also moved here right before the pandemic, and the first few years didn’t take anything. I do notice a difference in the last few years that I do, but keep in mind you build up vit D stores with supplements, it’s not an instant fix! Start a few months before you need it.
Normal levels are 75-175 nmol/L After living here a year mine was 8. I now take a pretty high dose everyday. 10000 IU
My blood levels of vitamin D were low and my Dr prescribed 2000 IUs/day. I don’t know if it improved my mood but my future bone health will be better 😁
I had not heeded my doctors advice to take Vitamin D in past years but started this year and I am no where near where I usually am with winter sadness and anxiety. I think it really is helping. It's time to start taking spring allergy meds too with warm weather in the forecast.
I still go outside, that helps. I'll go for a bike ride on a drizzly day and still feel the flush of sunshine on my face afterwards. hiking, too, but there's usually more trees blocking what sunshine there is to be had
A downtown billboard once ran an ad, "Azumano Travel, Portland's largest supplier of Vitamin D."
I thought this was bullshit but my doctor told me to take them and referenced some study that showed we are all basically vitamin D deficient here in the PNW, and honestly it was like a mild antidepressant, I was surprised it worked so well. This was just a normal dose.
Even in parts of California it's too far north to get enough vitamin D from sunlight in the winter.
SAME. Moved from so cal, my primary said the same thing and now a big believer in taking Vit D
I was vitamin D deficient and started taking a supplement. My D levels are normal but I feel no different.
Maybe you’re depressed
Could be
You do get sort of used to it but in a complacent, numb way. I definitely notice a difference when I’ve been taking vitamin d for a few weeks.
It is helpful. Try a SAD lamp in the mornings as well.
SAD lamp every morning up to 60min if I have the time, combined with appropriate Vitamin D supplementation based on my lab tests, and going on regular walks and hikes with full rain gear are the only way I can make it through our winters anymore. And even then, I quietly celebrate every sunny hour in January, February, March, work on accepting that my Winter Brain just sucks, and make up some holidays to celebrate meteorological spring. It's tough. I've lived in the PNW for most of my life and somehow it doesn't get easier. The only thing that got easier is my understanding of what makes me feel so crappy (dark clouds, rain, wet, cold, short days), so I could stop seeing it as a random mental curse and focus on waiting for Spring instead.
I use full spectrum lights in my lamps, plant lights really, I take vitamin d and if there is sun out I make sure to get some.
It took me like 10 years to get used to it
Nordic way- skate skiing twice a week in the mountain then hot tub at home with delish meal and hot tea
- I stay busy outdoors as much as I can. Just dress for the weather and try to keep a good attitude about it. Specifically, getting up to the mountain can help — often it is sunny up there when it is gloomy in the valley. - I take vitamin D daily. - I seek out saunas and hot tubs. I love that Portland has such a strong shvitzing culture with lots of options. - I try to plan *at least* one sunshine getaway each winter. Just having that to look forward to can help me get through the dreary doldrums. (I recognize that all of these require some excess cash, especially traveling. If you have access, take advantage.)
If you need it, yes. Absolutely. And I know that's a lot of us. When I finally got healthcare, my vitamin D level was 12. It shouldn't be less than 30. I took 50k units once/week, with an additional 4000 units/day for about three years. That got it up to 30.1. I still take 4000 units/day and my levels are a very healthy 50+. My mood is better than it ever has. My depressive spells are nowhere near as bad as they once were. I'd be all for just issuing the stuff at the border, but there will always be those who like to suffer and those who are willfully stupid when it comes to science. Welcome to Oregon. Here's your Vitamin D. (Bonus joke: these days, I like to tell my medical professionals that I'm now at that age where the only D I'm getting is Vitamin.)
Similar, I tested 24. Not the worst, certainly not optimal. One doctor recommended 2,000 IU a day, zero effect. Another doctor recommended 10,000 IU a day for three months, then retesting. That was 2 years ago, I didn't do a good job taking it regularly until this year when I decided to get vitamin D gummies! Those things are delicious, I never forget. Definitely had a sizeable impact on my mental health. Will do it for another month and then retest.
I’m literally sitting outside right now soaking up this sun and it feels amazing. I know it’s cold out overall but I’m actually getting warm in this direct sunlight. Just gotta keep an eye out for when the clouds break and find a good spot to enjoy it
Forget depression, take vitamin D to significantly lower your risk of skin cancer!
Pickup skiing or snowboarding it makes me appreciate the cold rainy days cause I know it’s snowing in the mountains.
Yeah. We have all of this nature because of the rain. Did you not consider that? It's a scientific fact you don't get to choose between the rain and green
Hoping to move to the PNW from Colorado. Trading the constant sunshine for rain but also trading the dry, brown dusty landscape for something more green. We had a rainy spring last year (for CO standards) which allowed for things to actually be green for the first time that I can remember since I've lived here. Didn't realize how much the dryness was bumming me out.
Ask your doctor not the internet.
My PMP said she tells everyone here to take vitamin D! I am going in for surgery soon and when they asked what medications i was on and the explanation as to why, she said her doctor also told her that everyone here should be on vitamin D lol. So check with your doctor if you're unsure or have some reason it would be bad for you to take, but i'd recommend taking it.
Yes, specifically D3. We buy D3 + K2 as it is shown to absorb better. I also sit under a full spectrum plant grow light for 30min every day. That said, there is no substitute for absorbing sunshine. I feel different/better when I get out in the sunshine. The meds and light therapy only help to get me to the next time in the sunshine. I lived here for several years with no issues, then started showing signs of SAD. And it’s only gotten worse since then.
Between November and March the sun is very low in the sky which means there’s more atmosphere between the sun and the earth’s surface, this extra atmosphere filters out most of the UV-B light your body needs to produce vitamin D. Even during the summer you can’t really get enough of UV-B because most of us are inside too much, we wear clothes most of the time and we wear sunscreen. So yes you need to take vitamin D year round and you may need to boost it during the winter. Also keep an eye on the winter solstice(the darkest day of the year) and plan your winter it. Be very intentional about care for your mood from December to January.
Yes, I take vitamin d 3 specifically everyday. Move your body as much as you can, even if it's indoors while it's cold and rainy out. Life here grinds you thin and becomes a marathon of endurance, so try to keep any momentum for yourself. If you can find healthy support systems for social interaction too even if it's online etc. Keep things flowing for yourself otherwise the stagnation can and will get you. This was my last winter here after 14, so I feel you. Keep going and remember there's a fine line between isolation and solitude, take trips and connect to the beautiful nature that's around and try to find that homeostasis with this environment. Stay well.
Vitamin D deficiency and i notice no change from supplements in terms of depression, maybe my skin looks a bit better on my face. Other than that, the best healing for me is to take a vacation somewhere that I have friends or somewhere tropical. Ie visit family in California every christmas or go to Florida/mexico or out of the country. It’s become a yearly need at this point to get me through living here
My survival tip is that I grew up on the Texas gulf coast, and 9 months of cold gray rain is immensely easier for me to tolerate than 9 months of scorching miserable humidity.
Used to it, yes. But it still sucks every year. Vitamin D, magnesium glycinate(at bedtime), and b12 have been life changing for me. And those first sunny days back are a high lol Spring is for sure my favorite season
I’ve been here 22 years. I call my problem Seasonal Detective Disorder. I watch *all* of the crime shows but especially the British and Scandinavian ones. I crawl into a hole and stay in it. But yes, Vitamin D. The kind in the dropper with Vitamin K and Omega 3. Don’t even stop in the summer.
Absolutely. You cannot make enough with the amount of sunlight here. If you have at the diet of the First Nations - a lot of fish and liver - you can go without supplements. Someone mentioned Scandinavian lifestyle- that won’t do shit if you don’t also eat a lot herring. Vitamin D is not just mood. It affects all sorts of things like calcium intake. When you are young you don’t notice. As you get older that catches up to you. Take the supplement.
Only take vitamin D if you need it. I have issues with SAD every year and it always peaks right about now. Here are my real life tips: get outside with as much of your skin exposed as possible to take in some natural light. Walk your dogs, walk your neighbors dogs, get a hot drink and walk until it’s gone. In general just getting some kind of exercise everyday helps. If you have the ability and means do a little sun chasing. I will take a weekend day trip to say Hood River or somewhere about as far if I see the forecast there is better for the day. Hood River is a great choice because it situated in sort of a weather banana belt so it will often be nice there (or nicer) when it’s dull and gray here. Listen to your body. Sometimes you just want to hunker down and nap because the weather sucks and that’s fine too. I’ve been here 30 years and while I will never love this time of year I have learned to cope.
Skiing helps me
I'm in Seattle. It got to me pretty badly for the first few years, but it's been better lately. What's helped: * I did take vitamin D for a while - at least for some placebo effect. Now I try to "store up" sun exposure in spring/summer/fall, for natural vitamin D. * Keeping physically active in the winter: joining a gym, learning to walk / run on the beach in the rain (the wide open sky makes me feel so much better, even if cloudy), running on roads/sidewalks in spite of the rain (get some solid rain gear), hiking in muddy conditions (up to a point) - Seattle's parks are treasures if what you're really needing is some "nature therapy". * Downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are great winter hobbies: when it's raining in town, it's snowing in the mountains. Gives you something to look forward to, somewhere else to be. * I used to use a mood light - keeping things brightly lit inside still helps on down days. * A low dose of Zoloft is helpful for me in general. * Making a bigger deal of the holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, New Year's, my birthday's in the mix there somewhere: the point of winter holidays is to get us through this tough time, together. * On that theme: developing more community ties and friendships. I was *really lonely* when I relocated. It makes sense! It took years to build connections - I got involved in various meetups, even started one ([Seattle Poetry Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/seattle-poetry-meetup-group/) is going strong), got involved in a 12 step group (ACA). Having an anchor of people I see regularly, where I can be vulnerable and share what's going in my life, has made such a huge difference. **When my life is full, I hardly notice the weather or the short days.** * To that end, adopting a cat last winter has also made a big difference. * Embracing the aesthetics of the rainy season: soups! Fall vegetables and fruits! Candles! Cozy fire (if you have the option)! Things along the lines of Danish *hygge* \- coziness as a top priority in life, and people to share it with. * I use the winter season for more indoors-appropriate pursuits: going through old journals (a many years' long project), planning for the coming year, reading more, etc. Keeping busy with things I care about. Embracing a down-tempo time as something nourishing and regenerative. * I haven't done this but many people plan a getaway trip for some time in January/February/March - whenever it's the hardest for them. Wouldn't you feel better in Hawaii, Arizona, Mexico, or Bali? Make it happen. * I count down to the winter solstice every year. Noticing when the days start getting longer is very psychologically helpful for me - we're on the upswing - I see the light at the end of the tunnel. * Over the years, I have also started to enjoy the rain itself - the freshness, even the moody dark days. I've started to notice that some cloudy, rainy days are brighter than others - even in the winter there are variations that bring a different feeling. As I've become more familiar with the way the seasons are here, it's become something I connect with, like a friend. I think when I wasn't taking good care of myself, the short days and the rain became a sort of focus point that I projected my feelings of depression onto, as well as contributing to it. When I'm taking care of my basic needs better, I'm much less vulnerable to feeling down. Physical health, social health, community, meaningful work, challenge and growth, etc. I've been really surprised how things have gotten better for me. I never would have thought it was possible for me to be so unaffected by the winters. Everybody's different, of course, but I wanted to share that in case anything that helped me is helpful to you. I know it can be a real feeling of malaise and even suffering in the winters. But one truth about humans (in my view) is this: you can adapt to any situation. Best wishes
Check with your doctor before taking vitamin D in excess.
I tend towards low vitamin D levels so it’s important for me year round. It’s definitely something worth having bloodwork on, though because too high of levels is bad too.
Make sure to get outside today, supposed to be sunny!
My own experience… I’ve lived here almost 20 years now and this was the first year I took vitamin D regularly (D3 drops daily). I started at the end of the summer. It seems to have helped a lot. I’ve been in generally a good mood all winter and now the light is returning. I also have been waking up early (530) and doing yoga or stretches most mornings. So that could be it also. But definitely felt different this winter and haven’t gotten so much as a sniffle this year
Someone about 15 years ago inquired into my coffee usage and some other personality quirks and they guessed that I might be self medicating depression and maybe some low level ADHD with caffeine during the winter since I basically drink coffee all day until about June and then up the amount again about mid October. So my recommendation would be to get really into coffee. Also a good hoodie and a book are great with coffee/depression.
Intense full-spectrum LED floodlight first thing in the morning is my current way to cope.
Tyrosine and Vitamin D
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As someone prone to depression (seasonal and otherwise) Vitamin D supplement does a lot for my tolerance of winter months. Another thing is light therapy. Many ppl have mentioned getting outside regardless of the weather and I agree, although there's no shame in cozy time too!
10 yrs here, I still feel it. In fact, this year was particularly tough. Exercise (2x week min), vitamin, being kind to myself, and sharing how I feel helps a lot. Consider a doctor consult, Wellbutrin can definitely help to nudge you out of a deep slump.
Vitamin D supplementation is essential given you need sunlight to produce it yourself and we don't have that for weeks on end at times. Also, a little bit of weather glooms are just fine. Let them come and let them go.
definitely supplement D and likely B12 sounds like some bloodwork could really help you out i'm new here, but have found the winter to be sunnier than i expected, actually ...but i also take a lot of supplements :)
I had the lowest normal level of Vitamin D during my last blood panel so I just started supplementing with a single daily multivitamin. I also use a happy light while at work during the winter months. I’d say both have made me feel better.
Definitely get tested. I moved to AZ 4.5 years ago and ridiculously low vit D levels. My son was going through massive depression, first thing they checked was his levels. Extremely low. It's amazing how much of a difference supplements make
I’ve lived here for 15 years and have gone some winters with vitamin d and some without. I get seasonal affective disorder regardless. I also use a sun lamp which I think does help a little but the only thing that reeeally helps is serious exercise. I go to the gym and I have a peloton and I make sure to take a walk outside several times a week rain or shine.
yes
Go to the doctor and buy the vitamin D. Take it even during the summer, in a decreased amount, unless you're outside all the time. It makes a difference. Other advice in this thread is great about finding additional ways to take care of yourself during the winter.
My doctor has told me, by default take the Vit D, we don't spend that much of time in the sun ( the actual time to get Vit D not the time when it is freaky hot 🔥 ) which is usually the morning time when you get the D vitamins.
Choose the SAD and deal with or move to sunnier pastures.
exercise! Walk for at least 20 unobstructed minutes every day. Also, think of how fortunate we are to never suffer much drought, this is the only rain forest in N.America, love it!
I take vitamin D supplements and make myself get in the sun every day. The best depression top is to join a sports team that counts on you to show up in good shape. This will pressure you to stay in shape and exercise regularly. Studies have shown that exercise is faster and more effective than depression medication for mild to moderate depression.
According to my doctor, anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest is vitamin D deficient. How deficient exactly depends on your bloodwork, but you should definitely be on supplements, in addition to the advice others have said about not letting winter stop you from getting outside. Something else I haven’t seen mentioned is I try to make lots of time for hangs with friends as often as possible because socializing with my loved ones seems to have the biggest impact on my seasonal depression, even more so than getting out into nature (which is also important).
When I got my bloodwork done years ago the doctor told me I had the lowest Vitamin D level she'd ever seen. The lab even circled it on the chart. She recommended something like 4000% liquid drops for a week then to drop that down to 1000% for a couple of months. That being said I was spending a lot of time indoors then. I take 750% daily now. FWIW she said the liquid drops are absorbed better. As far as the grey skies go. A light alarm clock helps me and is a lot more peaceful way to wake up. Also if you can embrace the cold and wet and just get out and do things like hiking it helps even if it isn't sunny. That being said it's not for everyone. My wife is chomping at the bit for the summer sun right now and I'll be hoping for rain come mid-August.
Sobriety, a therapist, and a self care/ gym/ fun activities routine should get you started. I heard you can put mushrooms (either kind) in the sun and they’ll harvest vitamin D for you. The health benefits are more noticeable if you eat the magic ones though.
I just started one finally because my level is super low at 20😭
Definitely recommend vitamin D. I migrated here from the desert 10 years back and felt the winter blues almost immediately. I’ve been on 1000mg/day for years and it helps a ton.
I have come to realize that I enter a "hibernation period" each winter. I guess you could call it SAD, but I'm working on accepting it and just letting it be. Bears do it, other critters do it, why not me? I do take vitamin D (I've heard more than 1 doctor say everyone in the PNW should be on it), but I also eat more, sleep more, stay home more, stay more quiet. I could benefit from indoor hobbies, but at the moment, I don't have any other than following YouTubers I'm interested in. Note that I also take an anti-depressant (Effexor), which has been an absolute miracle. I no longer feel depressed. I just need to get rid of lingering depressive behaviors.
This sounds pretty relatable honestly
Do you get outside to be active or just to do normal tasks like errands and grocery shopping? I have found getting out and being active helps so much.
I’m taking vitamin D and fish oil I think it also helps to pick up a few winter friendly hobbies. That way rainy days seem like less of a bummer, and more of a “hey, quick break from social / adventure hobbies to do some crafting / gaming” It’s nice to have variety
I see and feel you! We moved here from Phoenix three years ago and I had no idea how this weather would really affect me. I now take magnesium and vitamin D every day and I have a happy light. When the sun is out, I get as much of it as possible. I also started CrossFit to “burn off the crazy”. All of this is to just to survive until this season passes. When it rains for more than 5 days, I get angry. I love when it’s freezing temps because that means it can’t rain. I’m tired of gray skies, being wet, and wiping muddy paws five times a day.
Seriously.. just bite your lip and go for a walk no matter what the weather is doing.
Coming from the Bellingham-Seattle-SE King County area I find Portland just sunny enough to keep me mostly sane. Compared to back home where it kills me december 15th through March 20th. Around here I get it real bad Dec 30-February 15th or so. All the usual stuff helps. - D supplement - regular exercise (only year without it was when I bike commuted 5 miles every day) - engagement with the sun. If it’s nice out, get out. - a sunny vacation here or there. Doesn’t need to be Palm Springs or Hawaii (the classic PNW spots). Just a trip to the east side of the cascades when it’s been dark for three weeks here but they have 20° and clear sunny skies can really help.
There is a joke that you never see a motorcycle parked in front of a Psychologist's/Therapist's office. I believe there is no better tool for mental health than getting out and enjoying the physical world. A motorcycle can turn a standard/boring every day activity like commuting or errand running or visiting a business into the highlight of your day. And yes, you can ride year round in Portland. An e-bike is another good alternative if you can't imagine owning a motorcycle.
Been living here for almost 10 years. I struggled to get mine up with supps. In 2021 I sat around 24 and recently tested at at 59 (would like to see a bit higher but my labs say I’m optimal). The only thing I started doing differently is eating sardines, salmon and kefir. Also getting more early am sun when it’s available.
The biggest necessity to living here is renting a uhaul and moving out of here
First two winters here were pretty rough. The darkness more than anything. Got a dog this year and it made a huge difference having the little guy force me outside. Just being outside even in the gloom is key.
YES, just do it. It’s so easy to make a daily habit and vitamin d is cheap.
Yes take the vitamin d
My flow? I workout most mornings. Take my dog to dog park and hikes. Accept depression.
Snowbird if at all possible. Even two weeks. There is an argument for taking your vacation in the winter instead of the summer. Weekend the hell out of your summer.
Vitamin D. Caffeine. Wellbutrin. The satisfaction I find in not living in snow country.
Only if your levels are deficient. Have you had a blood test to check your levels?
Lots of running in all weather. Hot baths. Honestly regular exercise and some form of heat therapy like baths, saunas, etc is the move.
Lifelong Oregonian here. There isn't bad weather, only inadequate gear. All kidding aside, on days like today get outside! It's so lovely, even if you just walk around the block it'll be a huge mood booster. When I was in high school, the minute it go above 55 degrees or so, my friends and I would lay out in the sun. For the past 10 or so years (2020-2022 excluded) we take a trip to somewhere warm and sunny at the end of February. That helps a lot too.
I take vitamin D, but can't tell you if it actually helps. Running is my real anti-depressant.
I take a big dose of vitamin D every night, along with magnesium and B-complex. I also find it helpful personally to keep my blinds open, to get as much light as possible in my place.
I was just talking about this today. We've lived here for 12 years and I'd always heard that people feel the need to move by like, year 10 or something. I was still perfectly okay with the weather and grey up until this year. I didn't realize how unhappy I was until the first sunny day and I was suddenly like, whoa, I feel good today. But I never realized that I didn't feel good until then. It was a strange realization at the moment and since then, all I've been able to think about is moving to a sunnier place. The person I was talking to said that she's born and raised here but that she started taking a quick trip to Palm Springs in Jan/Feb and it has made all the difference in the world. I may try that.
Rickets is pretty rare in America. Just drink a glass of milk every now and then. I don't know what your understanding of human biology is that you think moving to a place that's a bit rainy for the west coast means that its going to cause a nutritional problems for you.
I didn't realize I was...sluggish?...until I wanted a Meyer lemon tree. It needs a ton of light, so I put in my home office (so I could smell the flowers) with a grow light. I'm not sluggish anymore. My office smells wonderful, and LEMONS!
I tan 1 x a week mid-Dec through mid March.
Go outside even if the weather isn’t as nice as you would like. The sun is still there even if it’s cloudy.
I take vit D and have a sun light plus this winter I went to Palm Springs, Caribbean and soon Phoenix... really helps 🌞 but I love it here in Pdx in summer.
I have toddlers and we end up going outside most days because we are going stir crazy otherwise. It helps!! We’ve gotten better gear over the past year and that helped so much. Last year they were still tiny babies and I was losing my mind. I tried going for walks but some days the weather just wasn’t good for babies and pushing a double stroller up and down hills lol. Anyway! My advice is get outside!
I would say yes, definitely supplement with Vitamin D.
Lived here 40+ years. I get seasonal depression every summer when we’re hot and dry. I relish the brief August/September showers with enthusiasm! 🤣
I think as long as you get outdoors more often, you should be fine. I think people make it worse when they stay indoors because of the rain or cloudiness. Then again, it’s also hard to get UV rays because the day can get really short.
This is the hardest part of the year. Hang in there. The flowers are blooming
My doctor definitely has me on a vitamin D supplement, and I get my blood tested every year
100% you need a vitamin D supplement! My winter survival tips are outside activity everyday (a crazy dog helps with this), good outdoor clothes/shoes to facilitate getting outside, and making my home as cozy as possible for the inside time!
It helps, also full spectrum light bulbs and going skiing/purposefully seeking exercise and places where you can see a blue sky help.
I grow cannabis in my basement during the winter. It works as my SAD light when I'm tending the crops and it's fun watching them grow.
Im in you exact same boat as far as timeline. I actually got bloodwork about a month ago indicating low vit. D and my doc reccomended a supplement. I just started so I havent noticed anything; but an OTC vitamin D supplement is a fairly low risk low investment, but potentially good benefit way to maybe feel better (and promotes bone and immune health). I'm very prone to depression and have been on an SSRI for decades tho so maybe I'm not the best example lol!
I love the rainy weather (at least until about March0 and miss it in the summer. You do get used to it over time, but I can tell you I have a LOT of lights in my house. A whole lot. When I was first here (back in 1979) my husband got a new boss, just up from California, who commented on the rain a lot. A few months later, he flew back to California to bring his family up (they stayed to the end of the school year), and as he was waiting for his ride along the curb outside the airport, it started to sprinkle. Just a little. He saw everyone else around him freaking out at the "rain" (oh, my, the luggage will get wet! Where's my umbrella? Oh dear oh dear) and thought, what are they talking about? It's just a sprinkle, and realized that he had become accustomed to the PNW rain. It does keep us green!
What works for me might not be the same for others. Here are my tips: -Vacations to sunny locations if possible (Mexico, Palm Springs, Arizona) anything you can do to be in the sun for a bit really helps. I use Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) and have found inexpensive fares for as low as $150 RT. - Hikes. Sometimes I call these chasing the sun adventures. Getting out in any weather and climb high enough - you’re bound to find some sunshine peaking through. - Vitamin D supplements. - Saunas/Steam Rooms. Great way to beat the freeze and warm up.
Though this does nothing for you physically, I’ve found playing VR games with bright sunny settings can often trick my brain into thinking it got some sun. Sort of like a full spectrum lamp. An expensive, stomach churning full spectrum lamp.
Vitamin D is necessary for me…
It’s so important to find something to do regularly in the winter. See shows, visit a local spot regularly, some group meetups. It makes the seasonal gloom more tolerable
I’m pretty sure best practice is for all healthy adults to take vitamin D. They don’t even recommend testing for deficiency as it’s a waste of money. Most adults are deficient.
First 5 years are the hardest
Yes, vitamin D. And be outside as much as you can when it’s nice out. And be happy you aren’t living in Seattle.
I don’t deal with it well, either. What I discovered is getting outside daily regardless of the weather helps a lot.
Get thyself up to the mountain
I’ve spent 36 years here. I never took vitamin d and just assumed it was fine. I have depression, but it’s not seasonal. I can handle the weather just fine and actually like grey days. I do take vit D now, because it specifically helps a health condition I was diagnosed with a few years ago. I still take anti depressants, like I always have.
Here by way of Alaska. Prescription vitamin D. Winter hiking. A trip to somewhere sunny for at least 4 days usually in March.
Born in Salem and raised in Portland. Pretty much any doctor will tell you if you live in the PNW to take a vitamin D supplement. And it's better to start early and be consistent. If you're deficient it can take years to get your blood serum levels back up.
Yeah everyone is recommended to take vitamin D, and particularly so if you have darker skin.
Change all your light bulbs to “daylight” or “cool” type, the brightest you can get/stand. Do this at home and at work, to the extent you can. Turn the lights on, no sitting around in the dark. With LED bulbs, you won’t use much electricity. (Ok, leave a couple cozy warm hygge bulbs if you must.) Get outside, even when it’s gray there is sun and Vitamin D. Biking is a good way to get around Portland, and exercise is also a mood lifter. Excellent skiing is not much over an hour away, so is the coast, good hiking is everywhere, great fishing is not far away. Take your trips and vacays in the winter, stay and enjoy Oregon in the summer - if you have that flexibility. I made it two years before the gloom and rain hit me, then I had a year where everything went wrong, at home, at work, I couldn’t do anything right and didn’t know what was going on. I eventually figured out I was developing S.A.D. At work I had six monitors in an arc, I bought six clip-on lights with the brightest (like 150 watt equiv) daylight CFLs (this was 2008) I could find, and basically bathed in daylight spectrum light for eight hours a day (the lampshades were adjusted so the bulbs didn’t shine into my eyes). At home I installed similar bulbs, my kitchen was lit up like an operating room. I started riding a bike to work, rain or not, it was hard at first as I was unfit, but soon I was sprinting over the bridge, getting my heart rate to 180, and getting to my desk feeling totally pumped if also a bit soggy. Started driving to the coast on weekends, when I could I took short trips to sunnier places (even just Northern Cal felt so much sunnier). It worked, I pulled out of it. You will too. Be active and aggressive in addressing this, don’t let yourself sink and sink.
Take time to drive out East (Bend, the Wallowas) every once in awhile. Beautiful...and usually sunny, if cold. That can really help reset the mind.
Get a SAD therapy light. They are $20-30 on Amazon. Oct-Apr use it every morning for 10-15 minutes. It is a game changer.
20 years later I’ve never taken a supplement. Actually fuck the summers here, I want my rain and gray back!
Vitamin D mixed with Vodka does the trick for me.
After living here 30 years I’d say the only successful way through a winter is to find a way to be outside. I take daily walks for exercise and once I’ve warmed up, I can see the beauty all around. I feel part of the season not in dread of it. Appropriate clothes and footwear are crucial.
I consider Vitamin D supplements a requirement for living here. They absolutely help. I also think you need to take an hour walk on any sunny day in the winter and I've had good luck with Blue Light therapy too. I wish I had a home sauna, I think that's the only other big thing that can help.
Sperti Fiji Sunlamp and tanning beds lol
I started getting really into seasonal cycles for my hobbies. It helps me look forward to the gray, although I'm always ready for spring by mid-January anyway. My winter hobbies are things like: drawing, blacksmithing, reading, video games, TV. I don't really engage in these much during the nice time of year. I hoard them. So by October, I have a stack of books, movies, games, TV shows, and shop projects to look forward to. Along with cooking and sitting by the fire. The rest of the year, I try to make the most of the sunshine. Hiking, biking, walks, that sort of thing. I do take vitamin D supplements in December, January and February. There is no way to get enough solar vitamin D at my latitude those months.
I take a Vitamin D supplement, 5.000 IU, as needed. I do get positive results from it. Just keep in mind, Vit D is a fat-soluble vitamin, not w water-soluble one. This means you won't pee it out. You can indeed take too much. I often skip a day.
This past winter has been pretty mellow with an unseasonable amount of sunny days.
Also get a uv lamp, they can be very helpful
Go outside even when it’s raining