A feature earlier in the day on Sky news here in the UK, highlighted the fact that up to 1 in 50 of us in the UK gets affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder..for those who don't know) during the autumn/winter months and particularly once the clocks go back

Symptoms are similar to those of depresssion and include mood swings, lack of energy, disrupted sleep patterns, irritability, lack of concentration etc etc

It is claimed that a 'brisk walk' during the day or the use of a 10,000 lux 'light box' can ease and even eliminate symptoms and make us much less of a grouch to be around!

It is also claimed that people living in 'Northern' countries are more prone to this condition, whereas the closer you live to the equator, the less people seem to be affected

As someone who dreads the 'dark nights' and seemingly constant greyness of the British winter (hence the decision to consider a move to Oz) I just wondered whether SAD is something that affects people in Oz or whether anyone has even heard of it out there???

Rgds

BD

PS Having just witnessed the blue skies and bright colours of the Sunshine Coast while watching 'A Place in The Sun' on Sky TV, it occurred to me that Oz can not come soon enough!!! (We're due out there in March '06!)

Errr....well...

I feel 'sad' now and have all the 'symptons' but it aint cos of the daylight..

A point though...

We need daylight as we absorb Vitamin K which is essential to our bodies.

Also the 'brisk walk' you talk about increases ones heart rate thus increasing the 'feel good factor' (happy hormones) one gets from exercise.

Ok, but what do I know?? I know nuthing!! I read all that in Womans Weekly!

Ill go now...

TF

Yep

People in Australia get it too.

http://www.abc.net.au/wa/stories/s1399382.htm

G

Hi there,

Just a small point though (Im in Perth)

Its Spring coming into Summer here...daylight hours have increased..

TF

(Yes I know...Im just homesick! )

I had never heard of it before .

But then we dont get grey days in winter very often, mostly sunny blue skies for months .

I think the sun makes you feel better. I was one who hated the miserable grey days in England and I always feel so much better when it is sunny. I don't think I suffered from SAD but even here if it is a miserable grey day, I feel down. SOmeone said to be before we came that we would get fed up of it being sunny all the time..............but I certainly don't.

SAD exists - a friend of my Husband's has been diagnosed by his Doctor and has to use a light box.

It was last winter when my husband and I decided we would emigrate. We were both feeling really low and decided leaving home in the morning in the dark and returning home in the evening in the dark was simply too much to bear.

The children don't want to go outside when its cold wet a rainy (we've tried locking the back door) and they go stir crazy inside. Everything you do with them in the winter costs a fortune - 60 pound plus for a trip to the cinema (tickets, sweets and drinks).

Who wants to exercise when it's cold outside - easiest thing in the world is to curl up on the sofa to watch tv in the warm and dry, but that depresses you because you're not doing anything constructive or particularly enjoyable. So you eat more - put on weight - drink more - put on weight. No wonder by March your depressed!

GOOD THREAD SOMETHING THAT I HAVE WANTED TO KNOW FOR SOME TIME NOW IS THE LENGTH OF DAYLIGHT HOURS IN OZ, I AGREE THAT HERE IN THE WINTER MONTHS WE ARE JUST ABOUT SCRATCHING ROUND IN THE DARK, WATCHING TOO MUCH TV AND EATING LOADS! SO WHAT TIME DOES THE SUN SET ON AVERAGE IN PERTH'S WINTER / SUMMER MONTHS IN COMPARISON TO OVER IN THE UK'S, I WONDER BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE BEEN ON HOLIDAY IN FLORIDA WE NOTICED THE DAYS WERE SHORTER THAN IN THE UK,(THE SUN GOES DOWN SHORTLY AFTER 6)
THANKS

The clocks have just changed here so if I remember from last year it will start getting dark at 7pm now. Mid summer tends to be 8ish.. It gets dark fast as well and in Melbourne the temperature drops a fair bit too.
Sometimes I long for the long English summers and the cold dark winters but not for the grey murky months in the middle

Hi all

Its nice in Manchester when it gets dark at 930 ish, during the summer. But your right the cold murk in between and the bloody wind and rain says it all really...I crave for winter holidays so I can get some respite but I really couldnt face growing old in England just because of he climate. Dont get me wrong, I love England and I am proud of my heritage and proud to be British but its just the bloody climate i HATE IT. AND thats why I want to emmigrate.

Justin

ps SOrry for the waffle - thats cuase I have had beer lol....to many

i suffered quite badly from it in Scotland, but i'm not bothered by it here. But the cold, damp and long winters do still play havoc with my arthritis which makes me just as grumpy as SAD did

Lynn

Melbourne does quite well in the summer night stakes. It is currently getting dark just before 8 and will eventually get dark as late as 8.45 - only 45 mins less than the UK. It does, though, get dark at 5 in the winter rather than the 4.30 in the UK so I suppose you could say it balances out.

I live in QLD and miss the summer nights of the Bleak city.

NQR

hope you wont be dissapointed here - compared to Manchester there is no history- and lots of traffic (Melbourne is probably worse than Manchr) and expected very long working hours compared to UK - yes the weather is great but its extreme - very very hot indeed. Think carefully before you move! But the very best of luck!

I suffered with SAD in Uk, Now I live in Melbourne.

I felt fine when i arrived here in Feb, but then I got SAD around June, July and Aug here, although not half as bad as i did in UK.

Now though I feel fantastic and get out of bed around 6am each morning. During the winter months I really had to force myself out of bed and did alot of sikkies (which are like extra holidays here) so yes you do still get it but not as bad and not for as long.

Laura

And for every one that hates it here theres one that loves it.

Best city in the world I reckon.