I really need to catch up here! WOW... so many new posts. I need to check them out... I will do that in a bit but for now:

So I have SADD. I have never really delt with it, beyond occasionally doing things like standing in the sun when I see the sun come out. And so every year I just get a little down, I think a little dark and heavy, and I deal with people (esp my kids) a little bit less like I do the rest of the year.

Well this year (and really for the first time, even though I have planned to do it for three years now) I have bought tans. Yep... COMPELTELY unlike me. I hate the idea of tanning places... they sound like such frivolous crap to me. But man, you guys. It has changed everything. It is like getting a weekly meditation and a hour in the sun... all in 8 minutes to myself in a rediculous tanning booth. (I have fair skin and live in a very cloudy area, so I will probably not ever go over 10 minutes. This isn't for looks... it is for my depression.) It has changed everything. Everything feels a little lighter... a little easier to deal with, a little less dramatic and a little less intense. Even the thing with my MIL wasn't as heavy because of this, and it went away faster. It is REALLY amazing what sunlight does to us.

Anyway... I just had to babble.

Now off to put the girl to bed and catch up on every one else.

Val

This could be a trick that would help me. Cool, thanks for sharing.

Kerri

Your package went into the mail yesterday... lol... like 338 days after it was supposed to, but it is coming. :heart: :lol:

Oh and Kerri, if you do do the tanning thing, make sure you buy it buy the minute. It isn't worth it for you to buy 20 minute tans if you are only going for 8 minutes at a time like me. You know? Most places do this, but some won't... so if you by chance get one that won't do it buy the minute, find another. A little calling around can save you lots of cash. :) I got 60 minutes for $19.

Val, that's absolutely wonderful :) I'm glad you found something that works!

I'm definitely trying to readjust to life in the NW.. looking forward to spring and being able to plant things!

happy for you, val!

Thank you for sharing this information. I suffer with depression and I think it's something I want to try.

I have never heard of that, but I am so glad its working for you.

Glad you are feeling better!

Now I have to preach. :) I think the tanning is a good short-term solution, and I know that it's also alone time, which is important.

But for SAD, taking a vit D supplement is a big piece of the puzzle. I feel SO much better on the D. D3 is the form you want, and make sure you are getting 1200mg of calcium either through diet or supps. You can safely supplement up to 2000 IU of D per day in winter.

And, you can get a light box - it is somewhat expensive ($200) but you can get SO much more sunshine without the effects of tanning on your skin.

I'm worried that the 8 min at a time isn't enough for you.

Couple of links on vitamin D and SAD:

Light Treatment In Morning Best For Sad (http://www.mercola.com/1998/archive/light_treatment.htm)

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/10/vitamin_d.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2007/jan/18/beating-seasonal-affective-disorder-the-natural-way.htm

Why wouldn't the 8 minutes continue working Lauren? Just curious.

Of course it isn't something I will do forever... but at the same time, it was the cheapest thing to try. Plus, with how little sun we get here (esp last year, OMG summer was like 4 wks long... really!) I haven't worried much about the extra equivilant to 40 minutes in the sun per week... you know? I doubt it will do anything to even bring me close to the average for the world. lol!

Val

I think what she is saying is that you could feel even better than you are feeling right now.

I am looking to get a light for myself as I definitely have seasonal depression issues.

Val, you're so funny. Good for you for conquering your post office fears! LOL.

I used to tan as a teenager, once we moved to Canada anyway. Never needed to in New Zealand. But I have a family history of various skin cancers and alot of moles, so I felt guilty about it and stopped. But I really feel in a funk from January to about March every year just because there's just no sun. I think we have the same climate, Val? I'm only 2 hours from Everett, where are you again?

Anyway, I'm taking 1000 mg of Vitamin D and think it's something I need to keep up as well. A 10-minute tan twice a week might really give me a boost, even if it's just psychological. Dark and wet gets old after a while. I'm pretty sure the tanning places here are by the minute. I'll check anyway.

Kerri

I should try the vitamin D too. I will go pick some up. :) If I can feel even better that would be great, I am just happy to take the edge off.

It has been very much like when I was in labor and got in the water. It wasn't a cure, it didn't take the pain away, I could feel EVERYTHING, but at the same time, it took the edge off. I could relax, I could move, I could breathe deeply. All that stuff. That is what the water, and the tanning has done for me.

Val

That's great, I've been thinking of doing the same thing.

Yes I think you might not even realize just HOW depressed you are...and properly supplemented with D and a lightbox, how amazing you COULD feel - like you feel in the summer, gardening! I mean really. I can't tell you how much difference I've felt in the past 2 months...just amazing. I don't have a lightbox, just D3 supp's.