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See the light. If your energy takes a nosedive in the wintertime, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder, a mood-dampening condition caused by too little light exposure. See if you perk up after getting more rays (either by spending more time outside on sunny days, or by using a full-spectrum light box). If that doesn't help, see your doctor.
this is from the new newsletter

Hmm interesting
well I have Just arms today so that a favourite of mine ill really have to work hard
also I want to try a new lower/core ab workout I put together
If it works ill throw it up on here for you guys to check out.

Looks good, but most importantly, how does it make your head feel?

Hi,

I have the same issue during the cold and gloomy winter months.

What have you tried that helps, cause its a very viscous cycle, and I'm in one of those cycles right now and need some help.

I've been taking VitD & Omega3's, and while they help, I still just want to sleep all day after I come home from work!

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks for the reply! I do live in gloomier weather - I live in new england, we've already had snow .

I have to start trying harder to wake up earlier to do this. I know I have to, its just a matter of getting up to do it when its freezing in the morning.

Wish I was in California .



Happy Holidays!

HI, I suffer from SAD and have seen an improvement from doing a combination of Light Therapy (30 mins each morning), increasing my Vit D intake, adding Vit B12, exercising and eating right. I think I can only remember one day so far this season where I wanted to sleep all day on the sofa and load up with carbs!!;) Hope this helps

Light therapy is when you expose yourself to Natural Spectrum Light that simulates the light from the sun, not your normal light bulb. It is meant to "lift spirits, sharpen concentration and improve energy levels". You can buy these lights (almost like a light box, or a panel, or sometimes simply the light bulb itself) in drugstores, natural remedy stores, health stores, etc. Costco sells them. I have one called a "Happy Light". It emits 6,000 LUX of this bright natural light. Others emit more, like emit 10,000 LUX. I have heard of others plugging in their 'Happy Light' at their desk at work and having it on throughout the day when they are sitting there. You just plug the light in and expose your eyes to it! You could sit and read, watch TV, eat your breakfast etc, you’re not meant to sit and look/stare directly into the light. Generally, a bit of exposure a day (15-30 minutes) a couple times a day (morning/evening?) should help the brain start producing serotonin, the happy drug! The natural spectrum light helps trigger the production of serotonin. This is why a lot of people feel happier in the summer when there is lots of sunshine and we're outside more.

I have been told to pay attention; too much exposure might make you start to feel anxious. So ask your doctor first, or read the user instructions for recommended exposure times before using them.

**The above is just what I have learned about light therapy for my own purposes, I'm not a doctor or expert in any way. I'm just sharing what I have read/been told/found out from various sources over the past many years.

I get very very down in the winter, I struggle to get/stay motivated, and on top of that, I feel even worse/more down on myself when I do miss a workout.

Someone a few weeks ago suggested to me to set my alarm and put it across the room, I now set my phone for 5:15am, put it across the room INSIDE my workout shoes! on top of my workout clothes! This has motivated me to get started so early in the morning. I also look through a good fitness magazine (Oxygen) before I go to sleep, this motivated me to get up and get moving in the morning. These things, along with others, has helped me to stay on track so far this winter.