And have a very cold New Year...

[elasait]

Holidays are over.  Shortest Christmas break in years, but I guess I won't worry too much about that since it's my last Christmas break.  We did get an extra hour--it snowed 3 inches or so overnight, and the superintendent emailed us last night and said instead of showing up at 8:00 today for curriculum planning, we could come in at 9:00.  I'd have

Comments

Darkness

[viviana_rowe]

The Voice of Experience would like to point out that you MUST not underestimate the effect of very short days on any kind of SAD.

I'd've said that, while I have some personal reasons for getting depressed in December, I don't really have a problem with the Dark.

Ha ha ha.

The long summer evenings are divine, but the short winter days are damned hard, especially if the weather is anything less than sunny.

If anything could make me leave Paris, it would, in fact, be The Dark.

And, you know, I'm sure you can manage it. But don't kid yourself, it'll be hard, and the more you prepare (and purchase full spectrum lights), the better the chances that you can overcome it.

Re: Darkness

[elasait]

I don't underestimate it--though curiously, I had little problem when I was in Britain as a college student 30-odd years ago. Of course, that semester didn't start till late January, by which time the days aren't quite as short. I have a therapeutic light from a place called Northern Lights (doctor recommended it) that I use every morning between equinoxes. Since we will both be retired if this move ever happens, I also imagine that going someplace sunnier for a couple of weeks in the dead of winter will happen. Usually I make it through until late January before I start getting really nuts...just as the light is returning, I lose my tolerance.

[maiabee8]

I often wish that the festive lights were associated with winter as opposed to Christmas so that people would happily keep them up from Thanksgiving until Valentine's Day. They're not full spectrum or anything, but they do make it easier.