h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hopefully both physically and metaphorically. March went went. April didn't. May has been a bit changeable so far, mostly damp and dismal. I wish the weather didn't affect me so much. It's very hard to make decisions when you know you're not in the best frame of mind for making them.

At this point, with such little nice weather, I'm seriously considering a S.A.D. Light!

I've seriously considered a SAD light many times (I wrote a guide entry on SAD many years ago), but they aren't cheap. I did buy a dawn simulation light/radio alarm last year, which is good... when I don't wake up before it comes on, which is what I've been doing for months now.

Throughout the winter I usually rely on St John's Wort, but I think it's fallen under the government's new restrictions on herbal meds or something, because the supermarkets don't seem to have it any more, except a specific brand at triple what I used to pay. I ran out in March and I've never taken it at this time of year in the past, but I really think I could do with some at present.

I really do need that sunshine back.

You can get SAD lights for £40 on amazon. I can't vouch for their effectiveness, but that's not unreasonable if they work and the reviews I read weren't horrendous.

I take St. Johns Wort and Htp 5 which is another serotonin booster and the one I take more often. And yep, they were put under the new restrictions, it's so the supermarkets have more difficulty selling their generic brands. However if you go to Barratts, Boots or Superdrug you should still be able to get hold of it I get mine from Barratts, it's not cheap, but I would rather spend the money and feel better than not and feel worst. Plus they quite often have two for one offers, so I stock up.

Even my local chemist had some and Mustard tinctures which are supposed to help, I used to take it years ago and it tastes minging, but any port in a storm

Don't feel

Thank you Em.

I don't know anything about Htp 5. Is it readily available and 'safe'? I'm not at all sure I should take SJW as I've always been light sensitive, but the last ten years it has been absolutely essential throughout the winter months.

I haven't seen lamps as cheap as you say, but perhaps my search criteria have been too specific. I've seen ones from about £120 but without great user ratings. I think the dawn simulator would be more effective if I could sleep long enough. Six hours is as much as I seem to manage these days, knowing I've always needed my full eight hours in the past.

I will look up SJW online right now though and see if I can still find an affordable supply.

No worries dear

"5 htp is 5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as oxitriptan, it's a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor to Serotonin, which makes you happy"

Okay, so that's the blurb from the website, but I have to say I've never had any adverse side affects from it, in fact it's the one I feel works better. I did experience side affects from certain brands of SJW, some had Valerian in them to help with sleep, but it makes me ill so rather than sleeping I'd be up throwing up all night. It's about £15 a bottle (60 tablets) from H&B, which is expensive but in their penny sale you get two for one, I take it almost every day (I've been forgetting recently), plus I find I sleep better with them too.

The tablets are made up of Griffonia extract (5-HTP), Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium (from the ingredients list) so nothing unnatural or scary and you'd take three of those in multi-vitamins and indeed, in Marmite.

I can't tell you exactly how they work or why and you should do your own research into it, but as far as I have read in the past wee while a lot of people switch from SGW to 5htp because of light sensitivity problems. I've been taking them for years now, on and off since I was in my late teens, and last year when I was really depressed, I was good and took them religiously, and I saw a big difference.

It's dumb, now I'm feeling better, I've stopped taking them as much, which is the last thing I should be doing. So now I'm off to dose myself before bed

Thanks Em. That sounds like something I definitely need to look into further. I've only ever taken pure SJW (having Valerian in it sounds a bit scary!). Something that doesn't worsen the light sensitivity would be really good. I've read that there's nothing to suggest that sensitivity to light improves if you stop taking SJW, but continuing to take it has been a bit of a concern to me.

It's easy to forget to take something when you feel 'ok', I find. SJW always takes a few days to kick in, so when I'm 'reminded' that I forgot to take it, I have to put up with the problem a while longer before it eases.

On a totally different note, I made a decision out of the two. Something that makes you feel as bad as I had been couldn't be right. Now I just need 'no. 3' to come along and present itself.

Pleasure dear, given I've been taking the stuff it's not exactly a lot of research but some of the forums I had a look at mentioned that the light sensitivity wasn't increased by the 5htp.

As for the valerian, it's supposed to make you sleep, it's just a plant extract, I'm probably just mildly allergic to it, which is why I get unwell. I can't use tea tree oil either and it's in everything cosmetic/antibacterial based!

Yeah it is easy to forget, I started taking the 5htp again last night after writing my comment, I just need to remember to keep taking it because it's supposed to help with anxiety too and given everything that's going on at work I think I probably need the precaution!

Good on you dead I think that's how i made my decision too, one was making me feel bad, but the other was making me miserable because of the idea of giving up the other. If no.3 comes along and combined what I love and a proper career I'd be very very happy! So fingers cross we both get that option.

I tried valerian but it doesn't agree with me and gave me a sore tummy, but I have a SAD light on long term loan from the Edinburgh Sleep Clinic and love it

Tell us more about the SAD light, fords? I really may have to think about getting one for next winter (or even this summer, the way it's going). How often/when do you use it?

I remember looking up valerian years ago and I'm sure it was described as a poison. Just looked again now and it seems to be mentioned in all kinds of stress-relieving uses and no particular dangers were mentioned.

Got a killer trapped nerve in my back so I bought a memory foam mattress topper today (when the pain's that bad you stop "considering" and actually go out and buy!) and it is calling me to go and lie on it some more.

Morning!

Are the toppers good Pegasus? my mattress has kind of bitten the dust (I bought one which was too soft) and the pocket springs have fallen over and left a void were my fat bum is Currently I've got it stuffed with old cushions and blankets and for the first time in months i'm not hurting...but I think a topper would stop it feeling lumpy.

Trapped nerves aren't fun, I've got one in my lower back which sometimes brings on sciatic issues. It sucks, but I've learnt how to manage it. I blame falling off gym equipment and out of a tree when I was a kid, back's never been quite the same since that.

maybe pure Valerian is poisonous, but processed isn't. Like Belladonna, a little helps you sleep a lot is poisonous?

Hope you had a nice sleep!

Morning Em.

Slept pretty well, and my back is a bit happier today. Going to have to be a bit cautious I think, but I'm sure the topper helped. The one I bought is 2.5cm thick but they also do 5cm thick ones on Amazon. I think the thicker one would have been better, but I wanted it 'today'! Lots of reviews from people who said their mattresses were rubbish but the topper made all the difference, so it might be worth a try for you, Em. It's certainly a lot cheaper than a new mattress (about an eight of the price, going by what I wanted), and I just don't have the funds for a mattress just now.

I'm thinking a cushion made of ther same stuff would make this seat I'm on a lot more comfortable too. Still, it stops me spending too long sat at the PC.

It's a lightbox designed to emulate the sun. I use it on winter mornings for 15-20 minutes to get me going, but it's bright as hell so I need to make sure I'm not looking at it directly!

Don't forget the old SPF then Fords!

Pegasus, I shall definitely look into the mattress topper, I'd been put off by the fact that they were actually quite thin, so the thicker one sounds good. Though by the time that's on I'll never get the fitted sheet to actually fit!

Just a brief stopover. I'm happy to report that despite being the 2.5cm one, the mattress topper is doing its job splendidly. I think you would definitely need extra deep sheets if you bought the thicker one. Mine just about fits over this one and barely catches the edge of the mattress.

I'm still waking up at silly o'clock in the morning, but have also had a couple of daytime naps due to tiredness recently, so I guess it's balancing out. Not generally convenient though, daytime napping. 'Luckily' I've not had too much of that pesky work thing to get in the way. Energy levels deflated again with the return of the rain, but there seems to have been enough sunshine to keep the SAD at bay for now. Just other worries to worry about.

Back to the 'real world' once more...

good to know, I'm not going to rush out and buy one right now, my blanket/cushion set up seems to be okay at the moment and any more padding and I will definitely not be able to catch the edges of my mattress!

I'm jealous. I wish I could nap, or even sleep in, whenever I wake up, I'm up and that's it until bed time even if I'm knackered. Which is more often than not at the moment, my part time job is a bit more full time that it was supposed to be, so far the past two months I've worked more than double my hours. But I'm doing a lot of the overtime unpaid to do my parents a favour which kinda sucks but then again I know how much money's coming in and out of the business. I have to say I am feeling better since I've been working, even if it's not what I want to do.

Agree though, the cold and rain doesn't do anyone any favours

How's the work stuff going? Any progress?

Em x

'Sus, have you tried Healthspan for your SJW? They've not been effected by the new regs as all their stuff met all the criteria before hand - I get a fair amount from them, and all good stuff - you can usually find discount codes online, the last one I used was a few quid off orders over £15 (I think)

The sun was out here in Devon today, but then so was the wind and the rain, I think the weather gods just do it to piss the Exeter based Met Office off and to allow those of us who know people who work there to be able to wind them up a lot!

Chris

Hello peeps. Where did the summer go? Oh yeah, we didn't have one! The nights are sure drawing in fast, and I'm having a tidy around today in preparation for turning the heating on. So what have you all been doing?

I took up running at the beginning of July and am now officially hooked. = I'm hoping that the mood-boosting value of running/exercise might see me through the winter this year. I took a look at Healthspan, C. It's around £13 for 60 SJW tabs, which is something like 4-5 times what I used to pay at the supermarket, so I don't think I'll be buying those. If I find the SAD is back then the price of SJW now makes investing in a SAD lamp sound like a good idea. Maybe the running will help, although I'm currently sidelined with an injury. Hope I can run again soon, as it definitely helps me feel good.

I recently started a full-time job, so that's the end of self-employment for now, unless I'm asked to take on another project in my spare time. It's good to have a regular income again and to be able to pay the bills!

Have we lost some smileys? I'm sure there used to be a waving smiley and Am I just imagining it? Have I missed any exciting developments round here? I have dropped by to have a read from time to time but not posted.

Glad to hear you're doing well . Well done on the job and the new found love of running (and hope the injury heals itself soon!) I'm really happy things are sorting themselves out for you

I'm okay...actually, that's a lie, I think I'm about to sink into a bit of a down period. This year just seems to have flown by so quickly! And, I've been feeling equally better and worst about things. On one side, I'm working and so have some money and something to keep me occupied...but it's still not jewellery and I've been doing holiday cover, so my hours away from work to get on with said jewellery have been monopolised with filing, form filling and opening post Plus I've gotten back in touch with some friends, but it seems like everyone's getting married and I'm just feeling more alone.

Which is pathetic. I'm so happy for everyone (I know that's probably what people would say even when they're not but I am, i love my friends and I want them to be happy even if I'm not) and I'm really happy that they're all happy and doing well...but that green eyed monster keeps nudging me and telling me that I'm generally crap.

let's just put it down to the cold conditions and weeks after repainting my bedroom still not having any order returned to the only part of the house that is mine.

Sorry if I'm bumming anyone out, I just needed to have a momentary moan. I'm done now.

Hey Emily. Sorry my reply's been so slow. If it's any consolation, half of those friends getting married will end up divorced. Sometimes it does seem that everyone else has a grip on their lives except you, but in my experience that's usually just a case of people being good at covering up stuff. It sounds like you need to set aside a bit of 'you' time and just do something you enjoy. That's what I've discovered with running, having spent my whole life thinking 'I can't run'. I discovered this great program to get you running and it's made such an amazing difference to me, mentally as well as physically. The buzz you get after a run is quite amazing. Do you do any exercise? I'd definitely recommend doing something like running (or other activity you enjoy) to get the good endorphins flowing.

This week at work has felt really looooong. I haven't felt well for a couple of days and some of my co-workers are so miserable that they make a humdrum job seem far worse than it is. I need a bit of humour from time to time. But it's the weekend now and I plan to go for a run as my injury seems much better. Always look on the bright side of life...