The outdoor pictures here are all from a local Jeep trail, which has been my salvation over the last month. My house does not get natural sunlight from about November through March, due to the steepness of the canyon walls, and I have not been handling it very well. I never handle it well, to be honest, but this year I have found myself just swamped by seasonal affective disorder, especially since the beginning of the New Year, and I was starting to really struggle, so decided to throw the book at it and see what stuck.
The first piece of the puzzle has, of course, been throwing back Vitamin D supplements like water. I’m not taking a disturbing amount, but enough to make a difference. I have also been watching my B vitamins, pounding back water, etc. This was helpful, but not enough. So I got the newest generation of the French-made Luminette light therapy glasses, which are supposed to work better than the traditional light therapy lamps, because they do a better job at mimicking the angle sunlight hits your face. I have been wearing them for 20 minutes a day, first thing in the morning, as recommended. They also make me look like this (very chic, very French, very Geordi La Forge):
This was all helpful, but I knew that, for me, exercise was going to be really important. I had, largely due to my friend Amanda Mull, purchased myself a Peleton for Christmas (acting as my own Peleton Husband, as per the ill-advised ad campaign) and, two weeks ago, finally figured out how to clip in and out of the pedals. I regret to say that I am now a Peleton Bitch, and it has been the single biggest factor in making me feel less like I live in a dungeon waiting for death. If you are also a Peleton Person, my handle is nicoleec10, and I will follow you back and give you the virtual high-fives the system is very good at facilitating. You do not have to buy a $2500 bike, you can instead pay $30 a month and take your app to the gym and be cheered at and supported through a truly remarkable number of exercise options on a normal stationary bike, or treadmill, or yoga class in your bedroom, or meditation class, or a nice power walk outside. This is not sponcon, it’s just been very good for me. There is a very handsome gay man named Cody who used to be one of Katy Perry’s backup dancers (not Left Shark), and I love all the instructors, but he is the one who got me to break my previous very low-grade personal best on the bike on Thursday, a day I really needed it.
Taking Sansa on Power Walks has been hilarious. I tried a 40 minute Power Walk and she was totally onboard for half an hour and then repeatedly tried to trip me and finally lay directly down on my feet until I said we could go back to the car. She thinks the 20 minute to 30 minute options are more civilized.
The final step in my journey to not feeling extraordinarily sad for no reason for much of the day turned out to be musical in nature. Here are the songs which have helped most, some of which were old to me, many of which are new (no one told me about Frank Turner until recently). If you are finding winter unendurable, give some of these a whirl.
I love you so much. I missed you. I’m feeling better, and I am looking forward to talking with you more frequently.
xoxoxxo n
It’s also neither relatable nor delightful to be like “my hip injury from when my mare bucked me off kept me from skiing, which is usually the way I get exercise in the sun in the mountain winters” but it’s TRUE. Also, when my friend’s mare has her foal I promise I will basically liveblog its journey.
The darkness HAS been amazing for my Boo Radley skin, of course.