Feeling Productive!

After a week of feeling worse than blah, I am happy to report that I feel back to my normal self. The weather is mild (for February), the sun is out, and I had a most productive weekend working on interior renovations and bookkeeping. It's tax season, so I get quite bogged down with all the extra work and it's a very stressful time of year for me. Whoever decided that tax season should coincide with S.A.D. season wasn't too bright! But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The bulk of the work is done, and my boyfriend and I also managed to repaint the majority of his house (inside, obviously.) Something about physical labor versus desk work makes my body and brain happier...I was almost pondering a major career switch until my back and hips reminded me the next day that they are not going to tolerate prolonged standing, reaching, straining and bending. Ouch! The arthritis flared up big time. Luckily it only took a day to get back to my basic level of discomfort rather than the advanced, hobble-around-like-an-old-lady level.

It feels good to start a fresh week with so much dreaded work behind me. I can feel spring in the air (famous last words...you can all blame me if we get 2 more months of winter now.)

Feeling "S.A.D."?

Like many others, I have Seasonal Affective Disorder in the winter months. As fall begins, so do the symptoms, and by this time of year it's got me pretty worn down. I take all the suggested steps to avoid it (vitamin D supplements, exercise, plenty of rest, healthy diet, etc.) But no matter what I do, it seems that I'm fighting a losing battle. If S.A.D. was able to take on a physical form, I would punch it right in its face and say "stop wasting my time!!" This week has been ROUGH on me. I slept in on Monday, called in sick on Tuesday, and managed to get up on time this morning only through superhuman effort (and the knowledge that there are still bills to pay). The most irritating part is that I was getting through it pretty good this year, but as soon as I slacked off for one day, indulging in carbs and sugar and not exercising, it hit me full force. Are we all sure we're NOT meant to be hibernating?

From the Mayo clinic's site:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195/DSECTION=symptoms
Fall and winter seasonal affective disorder (winter depression)Winter-onset seasonal affective disorder symptoms include:

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of energy
• Heavy, "leaden" feeling in the arms or legs
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating

I can put a checkmark beside most of these on any given day these past couple of weeks. Now I have a tremendous amount of willpower and intolerance for whining, but for this day I will try to have more compassion for myself. I know it will pass; the days are longer now and it will be spring before we know it. More reassuring yet is the knowledge that I am not alone.

So to all my fellow sufferers, I raise a cup of coffee to you. We await the spring and summer, and more of the sun.