How do I adjust to winter in Tennessee? (climate, hot, warm)

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

Last winter was unusually mild, and I can comfortably wear summer clothing down to about 55F (TN average sweater weather limit is 60F, but people here seem to wear up to 65F). However, I still hung on by a thread even when switching to long sleeves and gloves, and I often felt cold outside/house-confined if the high was even just 45F. Here are my known obstacles to dealing with winter blues:

Spoiler

--Most of the native forests and trees/shrubs my parents planted are deciduous, so looking out the windows does nothing to help this bleak outlook on winter.
--Winters here are sunny slightly less than half the time, and the midday UV index in December and most of January is 2 even when it is sunny. Many places' winters don't surpass 1 or even 0 and are cloudier, but that just makes me wonder how they even get by at all.
--I try very hard to see my friends no matter the season, but most of them are always busy. The few that aren't haven't met me in person, except one who has an irritating little sister and another who often bails on me out of laziness.
--My hopes of finding a boyfriend before I turn 17 are now quashed, so I have no love to focus on instead.
--Wearing a jacket or extra shirt makes me feel even less comfortable than being cold and just adds to the winter blues. Plus, it reminds me of the old days I was being bullied and unfairly punished in middle school as well as the days I was still closeted, which are not good memories to have around.
--Listening to music full of good memories in winter often counteracts the initial effect, and doing that with bad-memory-filled music in summer doesn't counteract the initial effect.
--Winter highs here average in the mid to upper 40s in January, but it's bound to be lower 40s or below several days in a row at some point. I don't know if I had a tougher time with sleeves/gloves because last winter was so humid (it rained almost 10in in January) or if I'm just not built for the cold.
--I know exercising generates more heat, but I can't do it for long. Running gets me worn out in less than a minute, and I ultimately lose all the heat I regained before resting enough to run again.
--In summer, I can adjust to the heat by drinking cold water, closing my door and vent with my PC running to trap my room's heat and taking hot showers. However, taking cold or even cool showers is unbearable for me, feeling hot gives me trouble sleeping, and my parents refuse to use less firewood in winter despite the knowledge of my struggle, the carbon footprint burning wood leaves and our brown recluse problem coming from the firewood's entry. I know I could technically just sleep outside, but that'd expose me to hypothermia (our average lows are in the mid to upper 20s, and I'm a sweaty sleeper) and wildlife.
--Doing things with family, even supportive family, is rarely an option. Mom is often bed-ridden due to her thyroid disease; her mom is usually housebound taking care of my elderly great-grandfather; my cousins (at least those besides my estranged maternal cousins) are no less busy than my friends; and the rest of my family, including dad, has little to nothing in common with me.

I hate to admit it, but I think I have low expectations/self-esteem and am seasonally depressed. Any advice on how to acclimate?

[unobtainium]

Getting outside and getting fresh air helps. Exercise is super important for beating the seasonal blues. If you’re getting tired after running for a minute you may need to check with your doctor about asthma or nutritional problems. But brisk walking is also fine — really anything to get outside and get your heart rate up. And finally, you might also want to ask your doctor about seasonal affective disorder treatments.

[The Grandeur]

If you feel cold, why dont you get dressed better then? Clothes were invented for a reason, not just fashion.

As for me, I put 7 layers of clothes on my top body when I was out walking at -30°C ( one t-shirt, 3 sweaters, 2 zipped jackets and one zipped winter coat). And protect my head with all of them's hats ( the hats of jackets and coat at the same time).

[Serious Conversation]

I generally wear a light jacket below 50 or so. I'm hot natured. It's rarely too cold here for me to not want to get outside.

The gray/brown thing is going to be an issue anywhere that's basically not coastal California or Florida.

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

Originally Posted by unobtainium

Getting outside and getting fresh air helps. Exercise is super important for beating the seasonal blues. If you’re getting tired after running for a minute you may need to check with your doctor about asthma or nutritional problems. But brisk walking is also fine — really anything to get outside and get your heart rate up.

I'm very picky about my food. I could try walking, but that's likely to only make a 5-10F improvement at most (which may actually be enough here).

And finally, you might also want to ask your doctor about seasonal affective disorder treatments.

I sometimes take Vitamin D supplements when the sun angle and daylight hours drop.

Originally Posted by GoldenDiva123

I understand what you mean about the winter blues. The brown, bare scenery can be depressing. However, it doesn't have to affect your mood. I agree with the above post, you should go on plenty of walks/hikes to get out of the house, especially when the weather's good. I don't know about you but being bound in the house can be depressing sometimes for me. I don't know if you live near the Appalachians, but if you do, I'm sure the stunning scenery could cheer you up.

All we have of the Appalachia here in Putnam County is the plateau. That's on the far side of the county for me, and I already plan on moving the opposite direction when I grow up.

In terms of weather, make the most out of warm sunny days, TN seems to get at least some nice weather in winter.

We do, but it's not the norm except in late and maybe mid February. In December to early February, it's unreliable.

If the bare vegetation is a problem for you, you could buy some flowers/plants for your bedroom window or perhaps a hardy evergreen or palm for your yard.

Thank you for the advice. We already get Winter Pansies every autumn. Also, we got a pair of Needle Palms early in March and planted them in late April. However, we don't have any big evergreens except those shade-intolerant Virginian Junipers, and it makes me sad that people would rather plant Japanese Bananas instead of Needle Palms/Dwarf Palmettos, deciduous hollies over evergreen ones and Crepemyrtles instead of Great Rhododendrons or yews. The most common thing of eternal summer looks we have are Southern Magnolia and Winter Pansies.

Most of Tennessee averages above 36F in every month (the theoretical northern limit for palms to naturalize), so Needle Palm and Dwarf Palmetto would probably do well even as seedlings.

You mention your hopes in finding a boyfriend. What is stopping you from looking for one in the winter?

I've tried many things that haven't worked. I'm going to try to improve mentioning things over and over in the same conversation (I'm obsessive; thanks, Autism and OCD!) before I'm 17 because mom thinks I'm still a tad immature to look online alone, but she also thinks that she or one of my friends joining my side of the screen would make him uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by The Grandeur

If you feel cold, why dont you get dressed better then? Clothes were invented for a reason, not just fashion.

As for me, I put 7 layers of clothes on my top body when I was out walking at -30°C ( one t-shirt, 3 sweaters, 2 zipped jackets and one zipped winter coat). And protect my head with all of them's hats ( the hats of jackets and coat at the same time).

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I generally wear a light jacket below 50 or so. I'm hot natured. It's rarely too cold here for me to not want to get outside.

To directly quote one of the obstacles I mentioned: "--Wearing a jacket or extra shirt makes me feel even less comfortable than being cold and just adds to the winter blues. Plus, it reminds me of the old days I was being bullied and unfairly punished in middle school as well as the days I was still closeted, which are not good memories to have around." Plus, I never forget how cold my hands would get if I did only that, and indeed I've heard that protecting extremities is more effective to start.

The gray/brown thing is going to be an issue anywhere that's basically not coastal California or Florida.

Or southwestern Arizona; you forgot the sunniest heavily-populated place in the world! I would love San Francisco, Los Angeles or Tampa, but the former is way too expensive; Los Angeles is the most traffic-choked things can get; and the latter is far too dangerous with hurricanes.

[reneeh63]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.

Last winter was unusually mild, and I can comfortably wear summer clothing down to about 55F (TN average sweater weather limit is 60F, but people here seem to wear up to 65F). However, I still hung on by a thread even when switching to long sleeves and gloves, and I often felt cold outside/house-confined if the high was even just 45F. Here are my known obstacles to dealing with winter blues:

Spoiler

--Most of the native forests and trees/shrubs my parents planted are deciduous, so looking out the windows does nothing to help this bleak outlook on winter.
--Winters here are sunny slightly less than half the time, and the midday UV index in December and most of January is 2 even when it is sunny. Many places' winters don't surpass 1 or even 0 and are cloudier, but that just makes me wonder how they even get by at all.
--I try very hard to see my friends no matter the season, but most of them are always busy. The few that aren't haven't met me in person, except one who has an irritating little sister and another who often bails on me out of laziness.
--My hopes of finding a boyfriend before I turn 17 are now quashed, so I have no love to focus on instead.
--Wearing a jacket or extra shirt makes me feel even less comfortable than being cold and just adds to the winter blues. Plus, it reminds me of the old days I was being bullied and unfairly punished in middle school as well as the days I was still closeted, which are not good memories to have around.
--Listening to music full of good memories in winter often counteracts the initial effect, and doing that with bad-memory-filled music in summer doesn't counteract the initial effect.
--Winter highs here average in the mid to upper 40s in January, but it's bound to be lower 40s or below several days in a row at some point. I don't know if I had a tougher time with sleeves/gloves because last winter was so humid (it rained almost 10in in January) or if I'm just not built for the cold.
--I know exercising generates more heat, but I can't do it for long. Running gets me worn out in less than a minute, and I ultimately lose all the heat I regained before resting enough to run again.
--In summer, I can adjust to the heat by drinking cold water, closing my door and vent with my PC running to trap my room's heat and taking hot showers. However, taking cold or even cool showers is unbearable for me, feeling hot gives me trouble sleeping, and my parents refuse to use less firewood in winter despite the knowledge of my struggle, the carbon footprint burning wood leaves and our brown recluse problem coming from the firewood's entry. I know I could technically just sleep outside, but that'd expose me to hypothermia (our average lows are in the mid to upper 20s, and I'm a sweaty sleeper) and wildlife.
--Doing things with family, even supportive family, is rarely an option. Mom is often bed-ridden due to her thyroid disease; her mom is usually housebound taking care of my elderly great-grandfather; my cousins (at least those besides my estranged maternal cousins) are no less busy than my friends; and the rest of my family, including dad, has little to nothing in common with me.

I hate to admit it, but I think I have low expectations/self-esteem and am seasonally depressed. Any advice on how to acclimate?

Get a SAD light and use it for 30 min. first thing in the morning. Also, have your D3 levels checked and supplement as needed.

And get a heavier coat - and then wear it!

[WouldLoveTo]

Base layers! Any good sporting shop will have them. Wafer thin and will warm you up like you wouldn't believe.

But that won't help the SAD - for that you need a place with more sunlight

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

But that won't help the SAD - for that you need a place with more sunlight

Either that, or at least a place with equal sunlight and more winter greenery. Too bad most people here would rather plant Crepemyrtle, Japanese Maple, Bald Cypress and Japanese Banana than Needle Palm, American Holly, Great Rhododendron and yew.

I plan to pursue being a businessman as a career. I plan to make some heat-tolerant conifers, hardy broad-leaved evergreens and subtropical winter annuals more widely available to fight climate change (evergreens absorb more carbon than deciduous trees of the same size), help others with SAD and solve the problem of not many nurseries selling certain likely-to-be-popular plants (finding Eastern White Pine and especially Needle Palm were very difficult to do).

[coschristi]

My son is severely autistic & has not worn a coat in about 8 years (he's 15). No layers. I'm HF ASD & I can't tolerate layers either. I can wear a coat but it has to be shiny on the inside.

No cloth on cloth contact. Ugh! It makes me squirm just thinking about it. I'd rather freeze.

We use a SAD lamp too; although in Colorado it stays sunny out a lot. Natural sunlight sometimes makes me irritable but the SAD lamp doesn't bother me.

[dontbelievehim]

I only wear a coat when it hits sub 40f lows(3-4 weeks a year.) Love sleeve shirts, slacks, and nice socks is what I use for the majority of winter. It can get depressingly gloomy but it doesn't last long(a week here or there). Drought winters are very sunny, but I prefer the gloomy winters cause I like seeing everything green. I'm in Fresno CA

There's even more sun the further south you go(Bakersfield, Riverside, etc). Tucson isn't a bad spot either. Look out west if you want milder winters.