It sweeps in and looms...

Every year, varying in precise date, something happens to me. My productivity drops. My sleep patterns become anywhere, anytime, for as long as possible. I'm a morning person by nature, I like to be in bed and asleep between 10 and midnight, up with the sun-ish. And then, the SAD kicks in. Long ago, when my family still lived in Maryland, my dad got crankier in the fall and winter, and my mom figured that he had Seasonal Affective Disorder. The man that my father was when we were Marylanders is totally different than the man he is now in southern California. Ever since I made the move back to Maryland for school, I've suffered the symptoms of SAD every autumn. So, I'm starting back up on the generic Prozac. Every year I forget how tired and lethargic I can get until it's too late, but this year I think I'm starting the SSRI therapy early enough that it shouldn't be too bad. I think that a lot of people don't even realize that they may have mildly the effects of the changing weather and light at this time of year, that things like exercise, lots of sunlight, even light box therapy (even sitting over the light table in the Fibers department for an hour or two) can help. And the -worst- thing I can do is listen to my sleepy mind, stay in bed, get nothing done, which makes the depression worse. So hopefully this year will be better. Now, to do some homework. Maybe build a hut later.