Aussies, South.Africans, South.Americans...... Anyone Experiencing S.A.D.

by xjw_b12 6 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  xjw_b12

  Now that we are close to the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, I was wondering how our freinds in the Southern Hemisphere were doing?

  I know where we live, we average 300 hours of Sunlight in the summer, but only 90 hours in the winter, and I find it gets to me some days, especially if it is overcast for days on end.

  With your daylight at a minimum, do any of you experience Seasonal Affliction Disorder aka Winter Depression, or the Winter Blues.

  If so how do you cope?

  xjw_b12 who enjoys the light getting brighter
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  Stephanus

  I'm pretty sure I'm affected by SAD. It's only early in the season yet, so I haven't had any major problems yet. Looking into full-spectrum lighting before it gets too dark and cold is definitely on my to do list - hopefully I'll fare better this year...
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  blondie

  While not living in the southern hemisphere, I have conquered SAD with full spectrum lighting for the last 16 years. I just turn it on in the morning while I eat breakfast and read the daily rag. If SAD is your problem, a good light will work wonders.

  Blondie

  http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7061/saddev.html
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  Gizmo

  Nuh, I'm very well balanced, I'm always miserable!
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  unclebruce

  g'day xjwb12,

  Winter along the eastern seaboard of Australia is magic. Most often the weather's hardly cold enough to wear more than a shirt and the sky is predictably cloudless blue. I don't know about Africa or South America but Australian light is much brighter than it's northern hemisphere cousin making our winters delightful. In the forests it's doubly so - the lyrebirds sing loud in the mornings and the owls call to their mates through the night.

  Australians are addicted to optomism and celebrate this time of year with "winter blues festivals" and such.

  cheers, unclebruce

  geez, Stephanus, try living through a Melbourne or Adelaide winter .. granted it's not as wrist slashingly morbid as Manchester but endless drizzle all the same. (you have my sympathy. my wife long suffered like you - her battery went flat as soon as the sun went down. maybe she bought some rare anti-winter disease from Northern England )
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  xjw_b12

  LOL at Gizmo

  Stephanus and Blondie. I've never heard of Full Spectrum Lighting. I'm going to have to check that out. The office I currently work in has no windows what so ever, and even in summer, I find it difficult. The new building we are moving into in July, has a lot of natural lighting, but I'm still going to see about getting it for the office area, to help with those long dark winter days.

  unclebruce. If that's your winter, what the hell are your summers like?
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  unclebruce

  Well xj,

  Summers on the sapphire coast are wonderful too. True, rain clouds often gather in late summer and give the trees a washing but even then its fun swimming and watching storms pass over while wondering if they'll dump (and in the recent dry years hoping to hell they do to replenish the creeks and dams etc..)

  sorry, i'm struggling here - i'm of the tv generation and can't remmember much about any other seasons but the one i'm currently in. - ask me again next January.

  cheers, unclebruce

  pst: I really have found the last paradise on earth - but please don't tell anyone. (not even other aussies)