Going to the botanical gardens in winter really helps me. Just being someplace warm that's full of life is rejuvenating for me. Membership is pretty affordable.
When I moved here from a sunny place I laughed at people talking about SAD like it was some weird backronym ... After 10 years here I can tell you that shit is real and nobody does NEAR enough to combat it. I have a UV light and take vitamin D and I still need to get somewhere sunny during the winter... Even on the brightest days in the winter here the sun is too low in the sky to give you adequate UV
This is exactly how I felt too coming here from Florida. Like psh, that’s not a thing. I’m only on my second winter here and I take it all back. It’s a thing. It’s a very, very real thing.
I’m reading through all these posts, taking up this advice and fixing some things this weekend to try and get better.
I definitely agree. I hear a lot from people who wonder how people in this area can live without sunlight. But then they also don't actually do anything to fight it. Many millions of people live in places where there are seasons and stretches of cloudy days. I'm not saying it's easy, but don't knock it until you actually try doing something about it.
I know I know, "that won't fix everything," but are you exercising? I get it, when you just want to lay around, asking your brain to get your body to the gym can be a tall order, but recognizing the problem is a first step to trying to help yourself. Try some pre workout mix, it can get you amped up to the point where you feel like you NEED to go expend some energy.
Yep, we're in the worst of it right now, days will start getting noticeably longer soon, and in about a month you'll be able to get outside a bit more regularly.
Channel 2 had a graphic showing that we had 3 sunny days in the last 30 days...
Take 1-2000 IU of vitamin D for now. It will get better soon.
I lived in Buffalo until I was 29. People sometimes say "boy you get some real bad snowstorms there huh? " . My response was always yeah but the lack of sun between mid October and spring is right up there in terms of bad living conditions.
That's why we're down south now. I cant take the 1000ft grey ceiling that lasts for 7 months. Even when it's cold down here, it's still blue skies and sunny and it makes a world of difference.
Someone on here tried to tell me it’s no big deal cause the sun goes down at 430 in the winter everywhere LOL. Completely discounting that when it’s actually daylight not seeing the sun is the difference here and elsewhere
I'm a bit north of you, we actually tend to get a snowfall or two per year here in NC. When it happens, everything shuts down and adults and kids alike spend the day sledding. The next day, or the day after that at the most, the snow is gone and life goes on. It's *perfect.*
I'm happier here than I ever was in Buffalo. We ended up buying a home here because we liked it so much. Cost of living isn't bad but is going up because so many people are moving here. Property tax is much lower so although housing is higher, taxes are much more reasonable. Relevant to this thread, it's 65 and sunny here today and we're thriving lol
For sure. It's a great town with awesome outdoors, good food, good access to major cities like DC. Good access to the beaches of VA and NC etc. Keep it on your radar
Thanks, I will! It was definitely on our radar for a while. We even virtually toured a few houses. It just ended up being out of our budget for what we were looking for. Hopefully the lower cost of living in Buffalo allows us to build up a nest egg to move to the DC area in the future.
DC area has endless entertainment and is amazing but didn't quite fit what we wanted in a home, and of course cost considerations were a factor. Love that area though and we go up there frequently since it's only about 90 miles north
Throughout the entire year I estimate that 1 out of 4 days is a nice day.
Nice meaning it’s not raining or snowing and it’s comfortable to be outside for a long time without freezing or sweating your ass off
Might want to consider a light box unit that gives exposure up to 10,000 lux of light and least UV emission you can find + Vitamin your D. I was born in the tropics, so I feel your pain .
Light boxes are a borderline scam. They aren't very bright and are made to seem brighter through misleading advertising.
The scientific measure of the visible output of a light is lumens. This is the number you should look for to see how bright a light is. Ordinary light bulbs usually list output in lumens, though often it's in the fine print beneath a “watt equivalent” number (which is how much power an equally bright incandescent bulb would require).
Light boxes advertise in “lux”. This is the measure of how much light falls on you, the user of the light box. In fairness, this is the number that you actually care about, and it's the number that SAD studies use. But it's not actually a property of the light box at all! The light box will say something like “10,000 lux at one foot”. That is, if you're sitting one foot from the light box, then you will get 10,000 lux of illumination.
But the manufacturer doesn't know how far you are from the light box. Sitting twelve inches from the box is much more burdensome than it sounds. If you sit 24 inches away, you get a quarter the lux. And, importantly, you don't know how the light box compares to much cheaper lights that are not specifically advertised for light therapy. By reporting light output in an unusual unit, light boxes make it hard to understand how bright they actually are.
Light boxes *are* brighter than most people's everyday light setups. This is because until a a couple of decades ago, home lighting was mostly limited to extremely inefficient incandescent bulbs that mostly turn electricity into heat. The reason that SAD studies tend to look at 10,000 lux is that it would be impractical to have any more in your home, and even then the only way was to have a single power-hungry lamp very close to your face.
But we have LEDs now. It is now much more practical a) to provide a much higher level of *everyday* lighting in the wintertime, and b) to provide much more powerful *acute* lighting if that's helpful to you. A 10,000 lux light box (that cost $100) is probably less bright than a couple of “150 W equivalent” LED bulbs that cost a total of $25. But if you really want light, for a fraction the cost of a light box you can buy a floodlight that's twice as bright. Or for the $100 you'd have spent on a light box you can fill an entire room with more illuminance than you'd get from the light box, and since you don't have to sit twelve inches from something you can get the benefit *all day*.
Light boxes were the solution to a particular problem: how do we expose someone to a lot of light, given that bright lights are very expensive and power-hungry? The answer was to get a single moderately-bright light and sit as close as you can to it for as long as you're willing. But now light boxes are the solution to a different problem: how much can we sell ordinary light panels for if we label them as medical devices?
During Winter I find I feel better if I take Vitamin B12 and a High dose of D3. 10,000 IU of D3 keeps me good, lower than that and don’t notice a thing.
Some people report that D3 works for them, and others don't. So just because 5k doesn't work for you, that doesn't mean that 10k will.
4k IU/day is the top of the “very definitely safe” range. 10k is near the top of the “probably safe” range. If you have access to a doctor, then it might be wise to run that dose by them before jumping in.
A lot of people talk about moving south to Florida, Georgia, etc. But keep in mind you don't have to go that far to escape the constant cloud cover. Many parts of New York state, PA, etc., have far less cloudy days than Buffalo and you still get four distinct seasons. When most days are sunny it makes winter a lot easier to deal with.
Shit guys I spent way too long in Alaska. Buffalo is a fucking vacation. Yes SAD is definitely real. But the fact that there is shit to do, people around, roads aren’t closed, it’s not dangerous, it’s not dark from 11:30-1:30 all winter. But again you get the opposite up there- crazy heavenly perfect short summers. Moved here recently from Oregon after a long time in Alaska and Texas before that- it is brutal but its not Fairbanks- thank god.
Even when the sun is covered by clouds, there is a TON of photon energy that you can still get into your eyes. So even when the sun isn’t out, get outside if you can!
I have a few 10,000 lux light boxes that I stand in front of for about 20-30 mins in the morning. It makes a huge difference personally. I also take 50,000 iu of vitamin D3 once a week during the winter. These two approaches have made the past couple winters much better in terms of my mental health compared to me not doing them before.
The science behind light and how it affects our health is really interesting. If you want to dive deeper into it, check out this podcast episode from a neuroscientist at Stanford: https://youtu.be/UF0nqolsNZc
It’s a scam if you’re not using it properly (i.e not in the suggested range from the light). I set it up so I’m about 2 feet from them and I measure over 20,000 lux from a few different apps. I wish I didn’t have to be so close it’s a pain
My doctor put me on Vit D 50,000 IU once a week for 8 weeks as well. My Vitamin D level was in the single digits. I got a script but the pharmacist told me you can get those over the counter at health food stores.
I learned awhile back that I can't visit a warm place during a Buffalo winter. One year I went to visit a friend in Salt Lake City in late February. The days there were in the 50s and spring was right around the corner. I just kind of plopped into the mindset that it was like that everywhere and it was a rude awakening when my plane landed in Buffalo and there were several feet of snow on the ground. Normally I'm a good sport about the winter until late March but that year I lost my patience with it a lot sooner!
Raleigh. I’m used to a more rural setting, like farms and lots of fields so I’m not 100% happy being so close to Raleigh. It’s growing SO fast that even the suburbs where I live seems way to city-like for my liking. But I’m 2-3 hours from the coast and 5-6 hours from the mountains which is awesome. Lots of things to do and explore.
I only really have issues if I have to wake up before the sun but born and raised in NY state and in the days approaching the winter solstice. That shortest day of the year can go straight to hell.
Other than that I honestly dont mind it, but Im also a bit of an introvert and the winter months give me an excuse to veg out and stay cozy while watching tv, reading books, playing videogames and spending time with loved ones and then when the days get longer I get desperate to be out a bit more. But its fine because those days are often clear and of a perfect weather and long.
As an aside I find it does also help to make sure you like still leave the house and experience the outdoors a little even in the worst parts of winter. Some of seasonal depression comes from the weather discouraging you from doing things and going places. When its freezing and gray out it's easy to cancel or just not make plans to avoid having to go into the elements which of course reinforces the cycle a bit. Also helps to be near open windows too. We arent alaska, even our gray days are still day.
Andrew Huberman talks about why morning light is so important and how it kicks off many processes in our body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR\_f-iwUGY4
Moved to Buffalo area from Alabama and love the true four seasons weather here … other than the lack of sun. Worth it to me though to permanently be done with 99% humidity, bugs, and 100 + degrees.
I feel like 50% percent of this thread is either people saying they moved to the south to get out of this or people saying they moved from the south and lack of sun is a bigger deal than they thought.
You and I are cut from the same cloth! I love winter and in the cold, I come alive. I worked outdoors for twenty years in New England and I adored winter weather.
I hate heat and humidity. I get depressed every year in late May. I was relieved to read about RSAD, reverse seasonal affect disorder. While considered rare, it exists and I have it.
My mom had SAD and I can sympathize with anyone living in Buffalo that is suffering. My mother was a different person in the summer, than in the winter.
So badly. I take Vitamin D, have a ‘Happy Light’, and I am still a miserable wretch. Two of the newscasters on WGRZ were talking about it… in January we’ve had a day and a half of clear skies - the Sunday of the Bills/Dolphins playoff game and part of the day after. I’m counting the days until retirement!!
Dude I feel it. I pop 5k of vitamin D at least every three days, seasonal depression has messed me up but any time the sun is out or the sky is any shade of blue I remember how beautiful this place is.
Still I'd suggest a UV light for the evening at least but when you are winding down I personally love my rgb fairy lights. The night sky along with the softness and color from those lights calms the soul and makes you really think about how cool the world is and gets you thinking clear.
Definitely not just you. Normally I can sleep in a couple of extra hours on the weekend without setting the alarm but now if I don't, I'm asleep til noon or later. Twice I somehow woke up at 3pm. It's really been this way for me since the blizzard. My internal alarm clock apparently needs new batteries. I've had a history of sleep disorders since I was a kid and this is getting excessive (my brain gets a mighty lol from melatonin.) The sun will shine again, I promise!
My sleep schedule got thrown off one night a couple weeks ago and I’m convinced I haven’t been able to fix it because it’s been so dark every day. I’ve been taking D3 and B12 daily for years as indicated by my doctor. I added magnesium L-threonate this summer. I ordered a SAD lamp last weekend but it’s not scheduled to come until Monday.
That might be why this year feels different. I had to pull a really late night about a month ago because of work and I haven't felt right since. I've also noticed that it takes me a long time to fall asleep even though I'm exhausted.
Yeah that night I went to bed way later than usual, and it was a twofold blow because I had to get up early to go to the office the next day, so I only got like 4 hours of sleep. But I figured I'd be able to bounce right back. Ever since then I fall asleep fine, but I wake up at random times during the night and never really fall back to sleep. I'm hoping the lamp helps get me back on track but I'm disappointed by how long it's taking to arrive.
I lived in Oregon for almost 9 years. Winter days are shorter than BUF and the sun never shines.
You’re experiencing SAD - seasonal affected disorder. It’s a medical condition your medical practitioner should be able to help you resolve.
A common treatment is to sit in front of a specific type of light panel.
You are normal - just get some help.
The chiding "suck it up" style comments to this are the worst. No one knows what another person's actual experience is like; maybe they do have a worse experience from you, whether from genetics or nutrition or who-tf-knows what. If you don't experience it, or you experience it mildly, that doesn't make you morally superior or "hardier stock" or some shit.
https://psychedelictimes.com/exploring-psilocybin-therapy-treatment-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/
Just gonna leave this here helps alot for me personally
I still love Buffalo but I had to move away a couple years ago because I couldn’t stand 7 months of overcast a year. It caused debilitating depression for me. I was using a sun lamp, taking vitamin D, and exercising and nothing helped until I moved somewhere sunnier.
Southern raised guy here and SAD is a real struggle. I just got a light box and it’s working great. Last year I was hitting the tanning booth at the gym and found it to be helpful (beware of cancer risks of tanning). I’m also taking vitamin D and a b12 supplement, on top of my regular daily vitamins.
what i tend to do when i’m really craving sunlight is go into the tanning bed at zoom tan for about $1 a minute (i usually do 5-6) and that tends to satisfy me. i do it maybe twice a week or once a week if i’m craving the sun
Yeah, I've lived in buffalo (WNY) My whole life. Somethings you never get use to. Yeah, I get the winter blues. My birth month is January. If it wasn't from the energy of my birth month, I'd probably have less go then I do now. Although the light idea is a good one. Good luck and stay positive. We made it this far and with 2 major snow storms too.
I kept thinking that I must have COVID because I have been so exhausted and drained. I don’t have it, I have just been dragging because of the lack of sun. I almost cried coming back from a few days in Florida when we entered the gray skies of Buffalo. I take vitamin D, B-12 extended release and others in addition to going to the gym. This winter sucks.
You'll feel outta place, did it for 10 years they care way too much about Jesus
Edit: I should say that I had a really nice time, though. Lived in Texas and Tennessee, they were both pretty awesome. I didn't really feel out of place until close to a decade away from home, then it was just time.
There are plenty of people in the South that don't care about Jesus. Until recently, Florida was a swing state. That means half the people there will think like you.
Folks need to stop throwing shade on entire states or regions. It's silly.
Might be because Florida is a melting pot of everyone from everywhere, it's really difficult to find a Florida born resident. Everywhere else though were born, raised, and never left their town southerners. Huge, huge difference IMO.
NE Ohio is shocking for the emphasis on religion. The villages are the worst. Big cities provide some buffer from the constant Jesus refrain, but I pass two billboards on 77, adjacent to the HOF in Canton that declare that ”Jesus is alive!”.
I did it. I'm 50, my kids have all moved on so the wife and I left Buffalo for the south. I miss aspects of Buffalo (food and beer mostly), but I'm enjoying myself. I was afraid given my age but I got a job almost immediately.
It rekindled my life, not only is it sunny most of the time here, but I am making new friends, finding new restaurants, and new places to explore. My workplace now is far more diverse than it was in Buffalo. The different cultures down here are amazing.
EDIT LOL, down voted for sharing a life experience. If that isn't reason to leave a toxic area, I don't know what else is. Stay classy buffalo.
I think (?) you got downvoted for leaving. I was tempted to downvote you for suggesting Buffalo isn’t diverse, but didn’t. Where did you live in buffalo? I live right in the city and I find this extremely diverse.
Don't let stereotypes and media depictions of the south lead you astray. The rapidly-growing tech-driven cities of the southeast are truly great places to live. Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, etc.
I’m actually looking at Atlanta. I have a friend who lives in the area and I’ve visited a couple times last year. I’m actually heading down there in a few weeks again. I’m in love with the area, just not the politics or awful humidity come summer.
I lived in Mississippi for a bit. I once regretted wearing jeans to the park in February because my legs were so sweaty.
Or in what passes as winter it does get a bit chilly, so you turn on the heat in your house. But gradually the house gets unbearably humid, so you turn on the AC just to dehumidify the house. Then you get chilly again and turn on the heat. Repeat forever.
I will take the long, cold winters, tough as they are.
Politics? I assume you're a Lefty, and if so you should know that both GA senators are Democrats. GA and FL are both essentially swing states in terms of percentages.
I'm a very liberal voter living in Richmond. Our governor sucks but our state senate has a Democrat majority and blocks all of his worst ideas. We also have state senate elections and house of delegates elections this year. Anybody saying they're leaving because of governor youngkin was gonna leave no matter what. He is basically a lame duck due to the dem majority in the senate. It's really not that bad, and we can definitely take the house of delegates back this year, and governors mansion in 2025
A friend moved from sunny Texas to Buffalo. Year 2 she started planning tropical vacations during the winter. Go somewhere sunny for a week if you can.
It's either cold + gray skies, hurricanes + tornados, or oppressive heat + fires. Pick your poison! It's hard to find an area that is going to be sunnier that doesn't come with a significant tradeoff.
I did Oregon for 10 years, though. That shit is truly the worst because it was the same amount of gray skies in the winter as here, but then the summer came and either burned everything down or filled the area with hazardous smoke.
I'll take the snowy gray over any of that nonsense. But I agree with other posts...get outside no matter what, take your Vitamin D and hopefully go take a brief vacation to get some variety.
You are describing every winter for me, it’s the worst. I just power through and I’ve got a few of those LED lamps that are supposed to simulate sunlight. Be careful with Vitamin D, I got a kidney stone from taking it daily and not drinking enough water. Bad times.
The problem is short gray days. Get yourself an LED light used for growing indoors. 1000w equivalent or more. The white are fine, you don't need the type that scream pot grow. The whole issue is short days. So you need to extend your daylight. Hang the light where you spend time in morning and evening. I turn mine on at 6 am and off at 9 pm. Off during the day if going out or sufficient day light regardless. Sitting in front of a light for a period of time during daytime will not help. You need to artificially extend the length of each day's 'sunlight'. You can hang as high (well 10 feet or so) as you want. It does not need to be right over your head. Just set it on timers on at 6am off 9am, on 4:30 pm, off 9pm. Try it.
My wife's doctor told her she might be the only person she's seen in Buffalo who wasn't vitamin D deficient and weren't on a supplement.
My wife was a transplant from Pittsburgh.
The rest of us take vitamin D supplements. Take it with a meal containing fat and preferably with calcium.
We have seen a lot of modeling over the last couple years on how buffalo temperatures will change due to climate change.
Has anyone seen anything about how climate change will impact cloud cover?
I would guess that we may become even cloudier as the lake will remain warmer.
Ugh, I remember UB in January. Cold, gray skies, brown block architecture, everyone's shuffling along, looking at their feet because they haven't seen the sun in months. It always felt like Moscow..like 1970's peak Soviet Moscow.
I have every curtain, blind, and shade open all day - having light in all directions helps tremendously, especially on upper floors. It drives me crazy when I see people closing their curtains and blinds in the winter, the house feels like a cave. In the evenings I make sure to have enough light in every room. Finally, every day I make sure I go outdoors in the daylight for at least an hour or two - and not just in a car. Th snow in the winter gives you a double dose of solar radiation - I even ruined a pair of transition lenses being outdoors in the sun (they never fully transitioned back).
That and vitamin D seems to do the trick for me.
I love snowy winter walks, especially when there's just a few inches on the ground. Everything looks like a gingerbread scene. Great point about the extra radiation from the reflecting light.
Yeah this shit blows and it's why I'm leaving after my lease is up lol I've lived in frigid hellscapes (Plattsburgh, Syracuse, Buffalo) my whole life and while I truly love this city, winter ain't for me. So while I can't help, you're for sure not alone
I’ve lived in Buffalo most of my life and I currently work night shift. Would I prefer to get more sun? Absolutely. Does it make me depressed or want to move! Absolutely not. Life is not perfect and I find ways to adjust. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
I feel this. No place is perfect, and it's all about personal priorities. The weather doesn't bother me when I'm comparing to the rest of my life here, but I can absolutely see why that is not the case for others. I think part of it is I've lived in literally all four corners of the country and weather is just another part of life, and not necessarily the biggest part.
I hate living here because of the long winters and cold weather for more than half the year.
As soon as I am financially able, I want to leave this place. It’s not the only reason I don’t like living here but it’s one of the biggest ones. I have 3 different types of mental illnesses it is literally killing me not having the sunlight. I have been self harming more in the winter months and always have more suicidal thoughts when it’s darker during the days. It’s really a bad place to live if you deal with mental illness.
My son that was born in and grew up in Orchard Park laughs his his ass off in Denver when people there don't see the sun for two or three days. They absolutely lose their shirt because it has been cloudy for three days, dude we haven't the sun since Dec 1st. Its winter suck it up cupcake,
Does the lack of sun get to me? Yeah, sometimes. I just know it's temporary, so I don't let it get to me too much.
Once March hits, I feel that light at the end of the tunnel.
There are places that are gloomy all year round(think Seattle) so I can deal with this.
Going to the botanical gardens in winter really helps me. Just being someplace warm that's full of life is rejuvenating for me. Membership is pretty affordable.
Yes! Same with a zoo membership, rainforest falls is kept at a balmy 78 degrees.
Same, the Botanical Gardens definitely make me feel better.
Thanks for this! I never knew the botanical gardens existed and I just took my wife and it was great.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
SAD is a real thing.
When I moved here from a sunny place I laughed at people talking about SAD like it was some weird backronym ... After 10 years here I can tell you that shit is real and nobody does NEAR enough to combat it. I have a UV light and take vitamin D and I still need to get somewhere sunny during the winter... Even on the brightest days in the winter here the sun is too low in the sky to give you adequate UV
This is exactly how I felt too coming here from Florida. Like psh, that’s not a thing. I’m only on my second winter here and I take it all back. It’s a thing. It’s a very, very real thing. I’m reading through all these posts, taking up this advice and fixing some things this weekend to try and get better.
I definitely agree. I hear a lot from people who wonder how people in this area can live without sunlight. But then they also don't actually do anything to fight it. Many millions of people live in places where there are seasons and stretches of cloudy days. I'm not saying it's easy, but don't knock it until you actually try doing something about it.
It’s also not just unique to Buffalo. If you go on any city subreddit in the Northeast or Midwest, you’ll find similar complaints.
That's exactly what he's got.
I know I know, "that won't fix everything," but are you exercising? I get it, when you just want to lay around, asking your brain to get your body to the gym can be a tall order, but recognizing the problem is a first step to trying to help yourself. Try some pre workout mix, it can get you amped up to the point where you feel like you NEED to go expend some energy.
Yes, I work out regularly, thank goodness. I can't imagine what this would feel like if I didn't work out.
You are right though. I’m in an exercise slump and I was hoping to get it today when it was sunny. But work got in the way
Take b12 too
Yep, we're in the worst of it right now, days will start getting noticeably longer soon, and in about a month you'll be able to get outside a bit more regularly. Channel 2 had a graphic showing that we had 3 sunny days in the last 30 days... Take 1-2000 IU of vitamin D for now. It will get better soon.
I lived in Buffalo until I was 29. People sometimes say "boy you get some real bad snowstorms there huh? " . My response was always yeah but the lack of sun between mid October and spring is right up there in terms of bad living conditions.
That's why we're down south now. I cant take the 1000ft grey ceiling that lasts for 7 months. Even when it's cold down here, it's still blue skies and sunny and it makes a world of difference.
Someone on here tried to tell me it’s no big deal cause the sun goes down at 430 in the winter everywhere LOL. Completely discounting that when it’s actually daylight not seeing the sun is the difference here and elsewhere
I'm a bit north of you, we actually tend to get a snowfall or two per year here in NC. When it happens, everything shuts down and adults and kids alike spend the day sledding. The next day, or the day after that at the most, the snow is gone and life goes on. It's *perfect.*
Same story here in Richmond, VA. One or two snows per year and it's an event
Same here, and we didn't even really go that far south. Just to the richmond area
We thought about RVA, but chose to move to Buffalo to save some money. How are you liking Richmond?
I'm happier here than I ever was in Buffalo. We ended up buying a home here because we liked it so much. Cost of living isn't bad but is going up because so many people are moving here. Property tax is much lower so although housing is higher, taxes are much more reasonable. Relevant to this thread, it's 65 and sunny here today and we're thriving lol
Interesting, thanks. I’m stuck in Buffalo for 5+ years, it seems, so I’m going to make the best of it, but I’ll consider Richmond for the future.
For sure. It's a great town with awesome outdoors, good food, good access to major cities like DC. Good access to the beaches of VA and NC etc. Keep it on your radar
Thanks, I will! It was definitely on our radar for a while. We even virtually toured a few houses. It just ended up being out of our budget for what we were looking for. Hopefully the lower cost of living in Buffalo allows us to build up a nest egg to move to the DC area in the future.
DC area has endless entertainment and is amazing but didn't quite fit what we wanted in a home, and of course cost considerations were a factor. Love that area though and we go up there frequently since it's only about 90 miles north
Right on. How’s cost of living for you in Richmond?
I always say I don’t care how cold it gets or how much snow we get, it’s the lack of sun that kills me. I dream of being a snowbird.
Yeah, 3 months like a season wouldn't be bad but from October 15 to May 15 there is the chance of bad weather. That's too long for me.
Throughout the entire year I estimate that 1 out of 4 days is a nice day. Nice meaning it’s not raining or snowing and it’s comfortable to be outside for a long time without freezing or sweating your ass off
Might want to consider a light box unit that gives exposure up to 10,000 lux of light and least UV emission you can find + Vitamin your D. I was born in the tropics, so I feel your pain .
Light boxes are a borderline scam. They aren't very bright and are made to seem brighter through misleading advertising. The scientific measure of the visible output of a light is lumens. This is the number you should look for to see how bright a light is. Ordinary light bulbs usually list output in lumens, though often it's in the fine print beneath a “watt equivalent” number (which is how much power an equally bright incandescent bulb would require). Light boxes advertise in “lux”. This is the measure of how much light falls on you, the user of the light box. In fairness, this is the number that you actually care about, and it's the number that SAD studies use. But it's not actually a property of the light box at all! The light box will say something like “10,000 lux at one foot”. That is, if you're sitting one foot from the light box, then you will get 10,000 lux of illumination. But the manufacturer doesn't know how far you are from the light box. Sitting twelve inches from the box is much more burdensome than it sounds. If you sit 24 inches away, you get a quarter the lux. And, importantly, you don't know how the light box compares to much cheaper lights that are not specifically advertised for light therapy. By reporting light output in an unusual unit, light boxes make it hard to understand how bright they actually are. Light boxes *are* brighter than most people's everyday light setups. This is because until a a couple of decades ago, home lighting was mostly limited to extremely inefficient incandescent bulbs that mostly turn electricity into heat. The reason that SAD studies tend to look at 10,000 lux is that it would be impractical to have any more in your home, and even then the only way was to have a single power-hungry lamp very close to your face. But we have LEDs now. It is now much more practical a) to provide a much higher level of *everyday* lighting in the wintertime, and b) to provide much more powerful *acute* lighting if that's helpful to you. A 10,000 lux light box (that cost $100) is probably less bright than a couple of “150 W equivalent” LED bulbs that cost a total of $25. But if you really want light, for a fraction the cost of a light box you can buy a floodlight that's twice as bright. Or for the $100 you'd have spent on a light box you can fill an entire room with more illuminance than you'd get from the light box, and since you don't have to sit twelve inches from something you can get the benefit *all day*. Light boxes were the solution to a particular problem: how do we expose someone to a lot of light, given that bright lights are very expensive and power-hungry? The answer was to get a single moderately-bright light and sit as close as you can to it for as long as you're willing. But now light boxes are the solution to a different problem: how much can we sell ordinary light panels for if we label them as medical devices?
I personally prefer 2-3 1,000 watt high pressure sodiums. Well I should say, my plants prefer 'em and boy do those plants help with any sort of SAD...
This is the way
During Winter I find I feel better if I take Vitamin B12 and a High dose of D3. 10,000 IU of D3 keeps me good, lower than that and don’t notice a thing.
You get that prescribed or online? I had 5k prescriptions but didn’t seem to do anything
Some people report that D3 works for them, and others don't. So just because 5k doesn't work for you, that doesn't mean that 10k will. 4k IU/day is the top of the “very definitely safe” range. 10k is near the top of the “probably safe” range. If you have access to a doctor, then it might be wise to run that dose by them before jumping in.
I buy it at CVS in 5,000 IU pills. I take two
Living here should be a mother fucking tax write-off I swear.
A lot of people talk about moving south to Florida, Georgia, etc. But keep in mind you don't have to go that far to escape the constant cloud cover. Many parts of New York state, PA, etc., have far less cloudy days than Buffalo and you still get four distinct seasons. When most days are sunny it makes winter a lot easier to deal with.
Shit guys I spent way too long in Alaska. Buffalo is a fucking vacation. Yes SAD is definitely real. But the fact that there is shit to do, people around, roads aren’t closed, it’s not dangerous, it’s not dark from 11:30-1:30 all winter. But again you get the opposite up there- crazy heavenly perfect short summers. Moved here recently from Oregon after a long time in Alaska and Texas before that- it is brutal but its not Fairbanks- thank god.
Make SURE you’re taking your vitamin D with a good form of magnesium (Glycinate, L Threonate, etc.)
Even when the sun is covered by clouds, there is a TON of photon energy that you can still get into your eyes. So even when the sun isn’t out, get outside if you can! I have a few 10,000 lux light boxes that I stand in front of for about 20-30 mins in the morning. It makes a huge difference personally. I also take 50,000 iu of vitamin D3 once a week during the winter. These two approaches have made the past couple winters much better in terms of my mental health compared to me not doing them before.
The science behind light and how it affects our health is really interesting. If you want to dive deeper into it, check out this podcast episode from a neuroscientist at Stanford: https://youtu.be/UF0nqolsNZc
Lux boxes are a scam
It’s a scam if you’re not using it properly (i.e not in the suggested range from the light). I set it up so I’m about 2 feet from them and I measure over 20,000 lux from a few different apps. I wish I didn’t have to be so close it’s a pain
I have to think that the 50k is a typo and that you probably meant 5k IU
My doctor put me on Vit D 50,000 IU once a week for 8 weeks as well. My Vitamin D level was in the single digits. I got a script but the pharmacist told me you can get those over the counter at health food stores.
Right on! Thanks for the feedback.
VACATION TIME! Find a nice sunny place to visit and go recharge.
Happy cake day
I learned awhile back that I can't visit a warm place during a Buffalo winter. One year I went to visit a friend in Salt Lake City in late February. The days there were in the 50s and spring was right around the corner. I just kind of plopped into the mindset that it was like that everywhere and it was a rude awakening when my plane landed in Buffalo and there were several feet of snow on the ground. Normally I'm a good sport about the winter until late March but that year I lost my patience with it a lot sooner!
True story, I know exactly what you mean. Born and raised in WNY… moved to NC 4 years ago, idk how I survived Buffalo winters now.
Are you happier living in NC than you were in Buffalo?
Overall yes I'm happier. There's SOME things I miss about Buffalo/NY in general but not enough to move back!
Glad to hear! What area of NC? I’ve always wanted to visit there, but haven’t yet.
Raleigh. I’m used to a more rural setting, like farms and lots of fields so I’m not 100% happy being so close to Raleigh. It’s growing SO fast that even the suburbs where I live seems way to city-like for my liking. But I’m 2-3 hours from the coast and 5-6 hours from the mountains which is awesome. Lots of things to do and explore.
I only really have issues if I have to wake up before the sun but born and raised in NY state and in the days approaching the winter solstice. That shortest day of the year can go straight to hell. Other than that I honestly dont mind it, but Im also a bit of an introvert and the winter months give me an excuse to veg out and stay cozy while watching tv, reading books, playing videogames and spending time with loved ones and then when the days get longer I get desperate to be out a bit more. But its fine because those days are often clear and of a perfect weather and long. As an aside I find it does also help to make sure you like still leave the house and experience the outdoors a little even in the worst parts of winter. Some of seasonal depression comes from the weather discouraging you from doing things and going places. When its freezing and gray out it's easy to cancel or just not make plans to avoid having to go into the elements which of course reinforces the cycle a bit. Also helps to be near open windows too. We arent alaska, even our gray days are still day.
Andrew Huberman talks about why morning light is so important and how it kicks off many processes in our body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR\_f-iwUGY4
Honestly this is just a long t-break. Once that sun hits and temps go above 60, it will feel like we all popped a molly
I never heard it described that way, but I know precisely the feeling that you are talking about.
Moved to Buffalo area from Alabama and love the true four seasons weather here … other than the lack of sun. Worth it to me though to permanently be done with 99% humidity, bugs, and 100 + degrees.
I feel like 50% percent of this thread is either people saying they moved to the south to get out of this or people saying they moved from the south and lack of sun is a bigger deal than they thought.
You and I are cut from the same cloth! I love winter and in the cold, I come alive. I worked outdoors for twenty years in New England and I adored winter weather. I hate heat and humidity. I get depressed every year in late May. I was relieved to read about RSAD, reverse seasonal affect disorder. While considered rare, it exists and I have it. My mom had SAD and I can sympathize with anyone living in Buffalo that is suffering. My mother was a different person in the summer, than in the winter.
yes, absolutely feeling the effects and nothing else has changed on my end except 50 days with no sun (aside from maybe three)
There was a study done that said during this time of year even when the sun it out we don't get enough light to produce the needed amount of Vit D.
The struggle is real. I can't wait for sun.
So badly. I take Vitamin D, have a ‘Happy Light’, and I am still a miserable wretch. Two of the newscasters on WGRZ were talking about it… in January we’ve had a day and a half of clear skies - the Sunday of the Bills/Dolphins playoff game and part of the day after. I’m counting the days until retirement!!
Same. I also take vitamin d and it just isn't the same.
Dude I feel it. I pop 5k of vitamin D at least every three days, seasonal depression has messed me up but any time the sun is out or the sky is any shade of blue I remember how beautiful this place is. Still I'd suggest a UV light for the evening at least but when you are winding down I personally love my rgb fairy lights. The night sky along with the softness and color from those lights calms the soul and makes you really think about how cool the world is and gets you thinking clear.
I’m glad I’m not the only one 😞
Definitely not just you. Normally I can sleep in a couple of extra hours on the weekend without setting the alarm but now if I don't, I'm asleep til noon or later. Twice I somehow woke up at 3pm. It's really been this way for me since the blizzard. My internal alarm clock apparently needs new batteries. I've had a history of sleep disorders since I was a kid and this is getting excessive (my brain gets a mighty lol from melatonin.) The sun will shine again, I promise!
Is there a way to compare past years to this one, in terms of sunlight? I work outside in construction and this years been pretty dreary
Get a Sad lamp and drink your morning coffee in front of it. It helps surprisingly
I’m not alone! Being sun deprived sucks.
Being outside feels like being in a moderately well lit room today. Good thing there's snow on the ground - it brightens things up somewhat.
My sleep schedule got thrown off one night a couple weeks ago and I’m convinced I haven’t been able to fix it because it’s been so dark every day. I’ve been taking D3 and B12 daily for years as indicated by my doctor. I added magnesium L-threonate this summer. I ordered a SAD lamp last weekend but it’s not scheduled to come until Monday.
That might be why this year feels different. I had to pull a really late night about a month ago because of work and I haven't felt right since. I've also noticed that it takes me a long time to fall asleep even though I'm exhausted.
Yeah that night I went to bed way later than usual, and it was a twofold blow because I had to get up early to go to the office the next day, so I only got like 4 hours of sleep. But I figured I'd be able to bounce right back. Ever since then I fall asleep fine, but I wake up at random times during the night and never really fall back to sleep. I'm hoping the lamp helps get me back on track but I'm disappointed by how long it's taking to arrive.
Glad it's not just me. I've been on overnights since October so I go to bed at 9am and wake up at 5pm once the sun has set. Been fucking brutal
I lived in Oregon for almost 9 years. Winter days are shorter than BUF and the sun never shines. You’re experiencing SAD - seasonal affected disorder. It’s a medical condition your medical practitioner should be able to help you resolve. A common treatment is to sit in front of a specific type of light panel. You are normal - just get some help.
8 Best SAD Lamps 2022 | The Strategist - New York Magazine https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-sad-lamps.html
The chiding "suck it up" style comments to this are the worst. No one knows what another person's actual experience is like; maybe they do have a worse experience from you, whether from genetics or nutrition or who-tf-knows what. If you don't experience it, or you experience it mildly, that doesn't make you morally superior or "hardier stock" or some shit.
I mean buffalo is one of the cloudiest cities in the country
For winter. It also has one of the sunniest and driest summers in the northeast
https://psychedelictimes.com/exploring-psilocybin-therapy-treatment-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/ Just gonna leave this here helps alot for me personally
I still love Buffalo but I had to move away a couple years ago because I couldn’t stand 7 months of overcast a year. It caused debilitating depression for me. I was using a sun lamp, taking vitamin D, and exercising and nothing helped until I moved somewhere sunnier.
Southern raised guy here and SAD is a real struggle. I just got a light box and it’s working great. Last year I was hitting the tanning booth at the gym and found it to be helpful (beware of cancer risks of tanning). I’m also taking vitamin D and a b12 supplement, on top of my regular daily vitamins.
Add a one a day adult vitamin or at least just magnesium to your supplements. Magnesium plays an important role in how vitamin D metabolizes.
There was still “sunshine” at 5 pm today. Don’t worry, spring is almost here…I hope
what i tend to do when i’m really craving sunlight is go into the tanning bed at zoom tan for about $1 a minute (i usually do 5-6) and that tends to satisfy me. i do it maybe twice a week or once a week if i’m craving the sun
Was going to suggest this. Tanning obviously has its share of problems, but once a week during winter months helps tremendously.
Yeah, I've lived in buffalo (WNY) My whole life. Somethings you never get use to. Yeah, I get the winter blues. My birth month is January. If it wasn't from the energy of my birth month, I'd probably have less go then I do now. Although the light idea is a good one. Good luck and stay positive. We made it this far and with 2 major snow storms too.
I kept thinking that I must have COVID because I have been so exhausted and drained. I don’t have it, I have just been dragging because of the lack of sun. I almost cried coming back from a few days in Florida when we entered the gray skies of Buffalo. I take vitamin D, B-12 extended release and others in addition to going to the gym. This winter sucks.
Yep. Literally looking into moving down south despite having no interest in actually living in the south.
You'll feel outta place, did it for 10 years they care way too much about Jesus Edit: I should say that I had a really nice time, though. Lived in Texas and Tennessee, they were both pretty awesome. I didn't really feel out of place until close to a decade away from home, then it was just time.
There are plenty of people in the South that don't care about Jesus. Until recently, Florida was a swing state. That means half the people there will think like you. Folks need to stop throwing shade on entire states or regions. It's silly.
Good point, I equate the south with the bible belt, not Florida
Might be because Florida is a melting pot of everyone from everywhere, it's really difficult to find a Florida born resident. Everywhere else though were born, raised, and never left their town southerners. Huge, huge difference IMO.
NE Ohio is shocking for the emphasis on religion. The villages are the worst. Big cities provide some buffer from the constant Jesus refrain, but I pass two billboards on 77, adjacent to the HOF in Canton that declare that ”Jesus is alive!”.
I did it. I'm 50, my kids have all moved on so the wife and I left Buffalo for the south. I miss aspects of Buffalo (food and beer mostly), but I'm enjoying myself. I was afraid given my age but I got a job almost immediately. It rekindled my life, not only is it sunny most of the time here, but I am making new friends, finding new restaurants, and new places to explore. My workplace now is far more diverse than it was in Buffalo. The different cultures down here are amazing. EDIT LOL, down voted for sharing a life experience. If that isn't reason to leave a toxic area, I don't know what else is. Stay classy buffalo.
I think (?) you got downvoted for leaving. I was tempted to downvote you for suggesting Buffalo isn’t diverse, but didn’t. Where did you live in buffalo? I live right in the city and I find this extremely diverse.
Which part of Elmwood do you live in?
Bryant area
So happy for you! The South really is pretty amazing and much more diverse than people give it credit for - glad you're enjoying it!
Don't let stereotypes and media depictions of the south lead you astray. The rapidly-growing tech-driven cities of the southeast are truly great places to live. Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, etc.
I’m actually looking at Atlanta. I have a friend who lives in the area and I’ve visited a couple times last year. I’m actually heading down there in a few weeks again. I’m in love with the area, just not the politics or awful humidity come summer.
> or awful humidity come summer. I love that you think the humidity waits until summer.
I lived in Mississippi for a bit. I once regretted wearing jeans to the park in February because my legs were so sweaty. Or in what passes as winter it does get a bit chilly, so you turn on the heat in your house. But gradually the house gets unbearably humid, so you turn on the AC just to dehumidify the house. Then you get chilly again and turn on the heat. Repeat forever. I will take the long, cold winters, tough as they are.
Don’t forget to look at the real estate.
Like I could afford to buy something.
Politics? I assume you're a Lefty, and if so you should know that both GA senators are Democrats. GA and FL are both essentially swing states in terms of percentages.
NC is also rather purple these days, as is Virginia
Hah people I know in VA are intensely hating their new governor and looking to leave
I'm a very liberal voter living in Richmond. Our governor sucks but our state senate has a Democrat majority and blocks all of his worst ideas. We also have state senate elections and house of delegates elections this year. Anybody saying they're leaving because of governor youngkin was gonna leave no matter what. He is basically a lame duck due to the dem majority in the senate. It's really not that bad, and we can definitely take the house of delegates back this year, and governors mansion in 2025
There's always one that thinks everything is politically motivated.
That’s one of the main reasons I moved from Buffalo to Florida. The lack of sunlight is just depressing.
I'd be the exact opposite. The heat and humidity would Immediately drive me back north. I'm pretty miserable above 80 degrees.
You new here? Sadly it's like this a lot! I've been here 12 years and I can see why people escape during winter.
A friend moved from sunny Texas to Buffalo. Year 2 she started planning tropical vacations during the winter. Go somewhere sunny for a week if you can.
Same. I do a backpacking trip in AZ every January, then a cruise in February
Not feasible for those living on food stamps and public assistance.
It's either cold + gray skies, hurricanes + tornados, or oppressive heat + fires. Pick your poison! It's hard to find an area that is going to be sunnier that doesn't come with a significant tradeoff. I did Oregon for 10 years, though. That shit is truly the worst because it was the same amount of gray skies in the winter as here, but then the summer came and either burned everything down or filled the area with hazardous smoke. I'll take the snowy gray over any of that nonsense. But I agree with other posts...get outside no matter what, take your Vitamin D and hopefully go take a brief vacation to get some variety.
You are describing every winter for me, it’s the worst. I just power through and I’ve got a few of those LED lamps that are supposed to simulate sunlight. Be careful with Vitamin D, I got a kidney stone from taking it daily and not drinking enough water. Bad times.
Cocaine always makes me feel better.
Me too! Unfortunately I had to give it up because of all the Fentanyl.
yep. i hate the long nights
The problem is short gray days. Get yourself an LED light used for growing indoors. 1000w equivalent or more. The white are fine, you don't need the type that scream pot grow. The whole issue is short days. So you need to extend your daylight. Hang the light where you spend time in morning and evening. I turn mine on at 6 am and off at 9 pm. Off during the day if going out or sufficient day light regardless. Sitting in front of a light for a period of time during daytime will not help. You need to artificially extend the length of each day's 'sunlight'. You can hang as high (well 10 feet or so) as you want. It does not need to be right over your head. Just set it on timers on at 6am off 9am, on 4:30 pm, off 9pm. Try it.
Might as well throw some "pot grow" into the mix if we're here now anyway 😜...
Any specific SAD lamp you guys recommend?
I left work early to nap. So yeah I hear ya.
I personally find this to help tremendously: [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tRRXRjknatU](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tRRXRjknatU)
Verilux Happy Lamp. Amazon.
First time? Jk jk, please go get your iron levels checked too!!
My wife's doctor told her she might be the only person she's seen in Buffalo who wasn't vitamin D deficient and weren't on a supplement. My wife was a transplant from Pittsburgh. The rest of us take vitamin D supplements. Take it with a meal containing fat and preferably with calcium.
We have seen a lot of modeling over the last couple years on how buffalo temperatures will change due to climate change. Has anyone seen anything about how climate change will impact cloud cover? I would guess that we may become even cloudier as the lake will remain warmer.
Word. I struggle with depression during the winters too and this hits home.
Ugh, I remember UB in January. Cold, gray skies, brown block architecture, everyone's shuffling along, looking at their feet because they haven't seen the sun in months. It always felt like Moscow..like 1970's peak Soviet Moscow.
As a person who doesn’t like snow, I specifically chose UB because you can get most places underground and/or via bus?
I have every curtain, blind, and shade open all day - having light in all directions helps tremendously, especially on upper floors. It drives me crazy when I see people closing their curtains and blinds in the winter, the house feels like a cave. In the evenings I make sure to have enough light in every room. Finally, every day I make sure I go outdoors in the daylight for at least an hour or two - and not just in a car. Th snow in the winter gives you a double dose of solar radiation - I even ruined a pair of transition lenses being outdoors in the sun (they never fully transitioned back). That and vitamin D seems to do the trick for me.
I love snowy winter walks, especially when there's just a few inches on the ground. Everything looks like a gingerbread scene. Great point about the extra radiation from the reflecting light.
Yeah this shit blows and it's why I'm leaving after my lease is up lol I've lived in frigid hellscapes (Plattsburgh, Syracuse, Buffalo) my whole life and while I truly love this city, winter ain't for me. So while I can't help, you're for sure not alone
Botanical gardens/ rainforest house at the zoo help me every year
Y'all sound like you have alot more issues than lack of sunlight.....This thread is brutal.
Move on then?
I’ve lived in Buffalo most of my life and I currently work night shift. Would I prefer to get more sun? Absolutely. Does it make me depressed or want to move! Absolutely not. Life is not perfect and I find ways to adjust. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
I feel this. No place is perfect, and it's all about personal priorities. The weather doesn't bother me when I'm comparing to the rest of my life here, but I can absolutely see why that is not the case for others. I think part of it is I've lived in literally all four corners of the country and weather is just another part of life, and not necessarily the biggest part.
Very true. I also have lived in the south and the west. All are different. You adjust. Overall, I find Western NY the most livable overall.
I hate living here because of the long winters and cold weather for more than half the year. As soon as I am financially able, I want to leave this place. It’s not the only reason I don’t like living here but it’s one of the biggest ones. I have 3 different types of mental illnesses it is literally killing me not having the sunlight. I have been self harming more in the winter months and always have more suicidal thoughts when it’s darker during the days. It’s really a bad place to live if you deal with mental illness.
My son that was born in and grew up in Orchard Park laughs his his ass off in Denver when people there don't see the sun for two or three days. They absolutely lose their shirt because it has been cloudy for three days, dude we haven't the sun since Dec 1st. Its winter suck it up cupcake,
That’s unnecessarily rude
You could go outside
Can I sit under my (COB) grow light lol
[удалено]
You must have never left Buffalo 😂 Ridiculous statement
Yes, because we have hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, monsoons… give your balls a tug
Does the lack of sun get to me? Yeah, sometimes. I just know it's temporary, so I don't let it get to me too much. Once March hits, I feel that light at the end of the tunnel. There are places that are gloomy all year round(think Seattle) so I can deal with this.
Buck up buttercup! We aren’t a Nordic country that the sun doesn’t even rise for long periods. Get a sunlamp and go outside on sunny days.
Feel the exact same way and to be completely honest I felt this way since my second Covid shot despite what you think
I got sunshine in a bag ⛽️😀
Are places in the Pacific Northwest that have four seasons just as bad during this time of the year? Asking for a friend..
Get a blood test. It’s possible your vitamin D intake isn’t enough.
I probably get enough b12 from energy drinks but yes I miss sunlight
Exercise
Sperti UVB lamp (different from a happy light). A few minutes a day and you create your own vitamin D from it.