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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 01 2012 : 7:15:13 PM
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Not sure if this issue can be associated with or helped by yoga in any way but here goes. All my life I have found that I am profoundly affected by the weather. If it's even slightly cloudy my mood drops. I live in a generally sunny area these last 20 years but I used to live on the coast. Not sure how I survived that. Wind affects me negatively. Rain not so much now that I live in the desert, but I could not survive in for example the Pacific Northwest. If I stay indoors too long my mood drops and inertia sets in. Inertia has been my life's ball and chain  so I try to keep very active (I love physical activity) and since my work is outdoors that helps. It seems that basically my body needs to have a good amount of direct sun and lots of exercise each day or I go head first into a funk. Today the wind was so bad I could not work outdoors, so a slow but steady down mood. My AYP practices have been life changing and very uplifting but I'm still so affected by the dang weather. Any ideas? |
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yoginiwanders
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2012 : 9:20:12 PM
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| Wow, I have the exact same problem. I especially have difficulty in the month of February as I live in Canada and all those months of short days add up after a while. Same thing with the wind and cloudiness. Unfortunately I don't have any great suggestions that have helped me either. The only thing is that with regular meditation I have been able to change my outlook somewhat and developed an attitude of inquiry about it and knowing that it is not permanent. Apparently introverts are more affected by the weather.(if you are one read the Introvert Advantage!) |
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stoat
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2012 : 10:51:06 AM
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| I happen to be a psychotherapist. Have you heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? For some people, there's a physiological response to less sunlight -- whether from cloudiness or shortened days -- and this affects their mood. You can buy a lightbox with sun-type wavelengths; if you bask in that for 20-30 minutes in the morning, it really helps -- if that happens to be your deal. It's something to try, anyway. |
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escapado
Germany
88 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2012 : 3:44:31 PM
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| Sun seems to wake my energies and relax me slightly. I've seen this for a while but especially today it was very obvious. It gives me feelings like when I was tripping |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2012 : 10:38:15 PM
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I use a special light and it helps me.
The chemical balance of my body is profoundly affected by the amount of sunlight, so winter/low sun/clouds = deep, dark depression.
I would try it out and see how it works for you. |
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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2012 : 1:36:59 PM
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Thank you for the input. I just might check out the light thing.  |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 02:52:57 AM
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| I also find that sunlight affects my mood profoundly. Artifical light is not ideal but I'm sure it would be better than nothing. |
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lmaher22
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 9:37:34 PM
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Right on LT. I have always felt the same way. Hated being inside since childhood; probably why I've been semi-depressed for 32 years since I got married. Unfortunetely being outside kind of lost it's appeal lately too. I lived in a low humidity, low rain state on the west coast in the 70's and felt way friggin better. But the ole' ball and chain's family is in NY and my kids were raised here and yada, yada, yada. AYP has really helped tons. Can't say enough for meditation, lately I've been throwing in a bit of fasting also. Still got a long way to go till I have the onions to live my own life though. Oh well. Billions of worse off peeps than me.
Best of luck,
L |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2012 : 10:40:00 PM
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Our bodies are built to be outside in the sunlight. It's the only natural way of getting vitamin D. Your body puts cholesterol from food on the surface of your skin, and when the sun hits it, vitamin D is created, and it slowly soaks into your skin over the next two days. When we wash with soap, it washes off.
Even if there is no sun, when you are outside during the day you get some sunlight filtered through clouds which has the ultraviolet radiation that makes vitamin D.
New studies show that vitamin D deficiency may lead to depression. Vitamin D seems to affect the function of neurotransmitters that are likely involved with depression (dopamine and norepinephrine), and modulate the relationship of inflammation to depression.
You can take supplements, but it is not as good. Some work and some don't assimilate correctly, due to the large molecule size of vitamin D. Also you can OD if you get too much and that's very bad. That's why going outside at least 20 minutes a day is best. |
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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2012 : 1:18:39 PM
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| That's interesting Etherfish. I had thought that it had to do with the pineal gland. |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2012 : 2:37:46 PM
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Well Ether and Turtle,
I will tell you that my little blue light does a hell of a job.
You don't even have to have your eyes open. That thing pops on by alarm in the morning, and you'll wake up 10 minutes later feeling ready to wake.
So I was thinking it does have something to do with the pineal gland... otherwise, how would the light have such an effect when the eyes are closed?
Vitamin D is another matter, I believe, though no less important. |
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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2012 : 7:09:59 PM
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| tonightsthenight, this sounds very good. Can you give a me a link? |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 01:36:54 AM
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| Etherfish, you are SO RIGHT about the health benefits of sunlight and I have been saying this for years (although of course, the yogis in ancient India knew it thousands of years ago)! The creation of vitamin D3 by solar interaction with our skin is important for so many reasons in addition to mood/depression; immunity against disease and cancer, calcium metabolism and bone density. For years the mainstream doctors have been saying the sun is Evil and telling everyone to slather their skin with toxic chemicals and/or cover up completely or stay indoors to avoid the sun. We now have epidemic rates of osteoporosis likely as a result, as well as chronic illnesses, and the skin cancer rate has risen proportionally with the popularity of sunscreen. Mainstream medicine has only recently begun to reluctantly acknowledge this... |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 02:36:17 AM
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| exposing oneself to the sun is essential...like eveything else moderation is the key....personally i use sunscreen daily only my face cause the sun does create brown spots on the skin ...when i go to the beach i go in the afternoon and i do NOT use suncreen on my body....in winter whenever it is sunny i walk more outdoors.... |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 6:48:08 PM
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| Thanks! |
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The weather and me.
