holiday at Christmas

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PurpleIvy
joined 16 Mar 2005
952 posts

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Posted by PurpleIvy, 11:31 14 November 2005

Have established a pattern with my lamp now. Didn't plan to start with it until the end of Sept, but early on it was so dark and wet it was about the 7th in the end.

It's early days for me really, only got the lamp in Feb this year. Was wondering...

I'm lucky enough to be going to the Caribbean in the Christmas hols, not usually something we would do. I shan't be taking my lamp as I was expecting that being near the equator I wouldn't need it? Should I just keep using it til I go and then start again immediately on my return? it will be soooooo good not to have to get up early for 2 weeks so that I can do 'lamp time' before work.

has anyone experience of taking this sort of sunshine break and its likely effects?

Purple Ivy

Julie in Sussex
joined 21 Jan 2003
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Posted by Julie in Sussex, 12:06 14 November 2005

Hiya purplecrab

Amazingly, we have just returned from a nano Caribbean cruise so I have to reply! We went (with 4 friends) to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Initially we spent a couple of days in sunny Puerto Rico before embarking on a 7 day cruise which took in St Thomas, St Maarten, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados. I can only say I don't recall feeling this well and tuned in in autumn for years. It was wonderful. It was the ultimate sunshine tonic and with energy levels being tip top, to say the least, it was an absolute sensory feast!

No probs going westwards, but some probs returning eastwards, the jet lag was grim. Straight away though I got back into a strict lightbox regime, no napping being an essential part of the plan, and after a week I was ok.

So yes, it did me a power of good, but established back in the uk, the winter is still the most wearying time and I am fighting off napping and nibbling whilst wondering where on earth my motivation has gone! I'm managing with light and prozac, but I could just as easily slip under my duvet till April...

So, yes it's beyond great to get into the sunshine and warmth, and I would definitely do it again, but remember it's an escape, regrettably not a cure :)

PurpleIvy
joined 16 Mar 2005
952 posts

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Posted by PurpleIvy, 12:12 14 November 2005

wasn't naive enough to think it was a cure! Was interested to hear that the jet lag was particularly grim. I believe we'll be only 4 hours 'behind'. I know that napping isn't part of a good plan, especially if your sleep at night is erratic ( mine sometimes is sometimes isn't !)

Last winter was the first I had Prozac, first I was off work. Was hoping that with the lamp and good management maybe I'll get thru this winter OK. I'm very disciplined over the lamp, bed and getting up times, getting dressed & made up so I feel better (didn't used to do this, but made myself do it when I was off sick last winter. It helps. How do blokes manage with no make up? LOL)

I'm really aware that my eating isn't what it should be though, but how I feel is more important at the moment.

Thanks for the mail back

Purple Ivy

BWAD Squirrel
joined 24 Jul 2005
360 posts

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Posted by BWAD Squirrel, 12:29 14 November 2005

Hi Ivy

From personal experience, I had complete SAD remission once during a very sunny trip abroad in summer 2000, but I had quite a rapid relapse upon returning to the UK summer. Light therapy does not seem to help me, but the experience does suggest that if I had a treatment that works for me, I should have reinstigated it immediately upon arriving back to the UK. Norman Rosenthal MD (credited as one of the people to rediscover SAD), has also talked about his SAD patients experiencing a major decline after sunny breaks, because they failed to restart light therapy immediately after arriving back home.

Keeping your light therapy going right up to the holiday, and then restarting it as soon as you get back does seem to be the most sensible option. To make things easier upon returning, it might be worth trying to maintain the same getting up time during your vacation too.

Happy hols

Joel xXx

Brad G.
joined 24 Nov 2011
4 posts

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Posted by Brad G. , 11:09 24 November 2011

What I do to deal with jetlag is try to accommodate to the new local time wherever I am as fast as possible, even if it means keeping me awake longer...

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