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Where to Live...Hot or Cool? What's best for CFS?

Messages
45
Location
Northern California
I have the choice of remaining in my home in Sacramento, CA or moving to Santa Cruz, CA, there are big weather differences despite there is only 2.5 hours between them.

Sacramento has a lot of nice weather Winter through Spring, a few nights of below freezing. But it gets quite hot in summer, up to 104-107.

Santa Cruz is as nice in Winter through Spring but is cooler in summer, from mid 80s but sometimes fog and drizzle.

Which is better, weatherwise for CFS? Mainly really hot summers.

Hollie
 

Live And Let Die

Senior Member
Messages
104
Location
Las Vegas
For me personally, I do much much better in the cold (below freezing).

I grew up in Orlando and now live in Las Vegas. Although I grew up in it, the humidity in Florida is very very hard for me to tolerate and I find the dry heat to be easier to handle. 115 here in las vegas is more tolerable to me than 90 in orlando on a muggy day.
 

mojoey

Senior Member
Messages
1,213
I would highly suggest Santa Cruz. I felt great there...inordinately great in a way that I haven't felt anywhere else besides maybe the black forest in germany during my 5 years of illness.

It's also likely to be have far cleaner air than Sacramento in terms of pollution and toxins.
 

Artstu

Senior Member
Messages
279
Location
UK
I always do much better in the winter, especially sub-zero temperatures, anything above 60-65 has a big effect on my energy, 80's would be a killer, luckily that doesn't happen very often over here.
 
Messages
45
Location
Northern California
I haven't thought of sub zero temperatures. Every time I've been in them, I have to put on so many clothes it takes energy to put them on and wear them. I'll have to try temperatures that low again...see how I do.

Hollie
 

moblet

Unknown Quantity
Messages
354
Location
Somewhere in Australia
I think the answer to this question depends on the particular characteristics of your illness. I have long been stuck between having fascial tension that is aggravated by cold and especially shivering, and a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system that made me distressed when it's hot, although the latter has at last eased this (southern hemisphere) summer. I get knocked around much much more if the nights are hot as it makes sleep even more difficult. Those with limp thyroids presumably don't fare too well in the cold, those with respiratory problems might like saltier air, some people find they need lots of sunshine, others prefer it cloudy, some find wind refreshing, others find it infuriating. As Live & Let Die said, humidity is key, and as a meteorologist would say, the ocean has a major moderating effect on climate, so while humidity on the coast is higher, hot days are cooler and cold nights are warmer. Whenever I've moved I've looked up climate data first. One thing I would say from those charts - if California has an extremely cold winter it'll be roughly the same in both locations, but in an extreme summer Sacramento will be much hotter. Does Santa Cruz get a lot of sea fog in winter while Sacramento is in sunshine? Would that disagree with you?

One thing we likely all have in common though is being sensitive to air pollution. I've never been to either place but presumably Santa Cruz is the better bet.

Do you have any possibility of "trying before you buy"? Can you lease your place in Sacramento and try a year in Santa Cruz, and then take your pick?
 
Messages
45
Location
Northern California
Thanks for your reply Moblet. Since this has been our vacation house forever, I've spent a lot of time in both places, but mainly live in Sacramento area.

When it gets hot here, I want to leave...hot weather and I don't get along well and the bit of exercising I do has to be done outside before it gets real hot. Luckily we don't have humidity to put up with just dry hot weather which I don't like at all. Whether I feel sicker for it, I am not really sure.

Santa Cruz can get foggy but mainly in the summer, so it's a trade off: hot or fog. But it's not all fogged in like San Francisco or Carmel. I have not noticed feeling worse when it's foggy, sometimes it is a bit depressing. It is a bit warmer in Santa Cruz in the winter, and cooler at night in the summer than Sacramento.

If I was to go with my gut, I'd say Santa Cruz, but thought I would check to see if anyone else with CFS had noticed the difference.

And much less air pollution in Santa Cruz, in fact maybe none, since the ocean breezes take it inland.

Hollie
 
Messages
84
Location
Tennessee
I live in Tennesse, so we typically have the four seasons. I noticed last summer that I had "better days" than I have had during this winter, even though the humidity is very high in the summer. Maybe I was outdoors more and the vitamin D could have contributed to my better days. I would guess living near an ocean would be ideal.
 

mojoey

Senior Member
Messages
1,213
hey hollie,

i like your choice. i'll be within earshot of you in a few weeks, so we should meet up!
 
Messages
45
Location
Northern California
Joey, you said you felt fabulous in Santa Cruz, loved that comment. I'd love to meet up but am not there all the time yet, house plans are being done, remodeling. But tell me when you're gonna be there and I'll try coordinating with you to meet up.

Do you live nearby?

Hollie