Following on from my last post on SAD (seasonal affective disorder) self-help, looking at how to utilise light therapy as a method for dealing with winter depression, here is my guide on choosing and using light therapy for winter depression. Winter depression can be quite debilitating and frustrating but it doesn’t have to be like that year-in, year-out. Personally, I find the hardest thing about winter to be getting up whilst it is still dark outside, I have been using a sunrise alarm clock since 2006 and I definitely find it makes waking up that little bit easier
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Are you feeling SAD these days? You might be craving light now that the days are getting shorter and darker. For some people the lack of daylight in autumn and winter can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a condition that typically causes feelings of lethargy and sadness throughout the winter months. Have you noticed a change in your motivation to attend your usual activities such as Yoga class or going to the gym? Maybe you feel less centred, you get irritable more easily and you feel like pulling the blanked back over your eyes when your alarm rings in the morning. Even sweet cravings can be a side effect of feeling the winter blues.
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Easter is normally the time when people eat more eggs than usual. Some still restrict themselves because of being scared of possible health risks. Others just hate doing the peeling because fresh eggs don’t peel well; they usually rip some of the outer layers off with the shell, very annoying as it takes much longer. Fortunately, one lady has done some experimenting and found the best way to get fresh eggs to peel easily and cleanly is steaming them in their shells. Here is the full experiment. Did you know that eggs are filled to the brim with valuable nutrients? Eggs are similar to breast milk by nature; intended to deliver as many important nutrients as possible to help new life grow, after all an egg has everything needed to make a new chicken. Why you shouldn’t eat just any average egg…
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Today I will give a short introduction to the Shibashi sequence I teach and practice. Shibashi is really nice as it is simple and allows everyone, novice or experienced, to practice and relax together. If you thought tai chi has to be serious and martial arts focused think again, this is definitely different, much more in line with a group fitness class such as Yoga. If you have been following me for a while you may have already read the “5 benefits of stress management and reasons to do tai chi before you draw your pension” and “I didn’t like tai chi…”, I think both of these posts are helpful for anyone that is hesitant about incorporating a slow movement practice into their fitness schedule just as much as I was once.
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What I like about the Zone exercises is that they integrate mind and body both of which affect each other. Studies have shown that emotional tension is held in different areas of the body depending on what they relate to. Some people carry their tension in their shoulders others in their lower back. Zone related movements can help release and balance tensions a person holds which means you can also affect your posture in a positive way by practicing Zone exercises. You do not have to understand how it works or believe in the approach for it to work. If you prefer to just see this as a gentle exercise routine you will still experience great benefits as you practice with consciousness and awareness of how you body responds to each movement. It is about being in the moment, getting to know your body and listening to how it feels. If you are not ready for traditional still sitting meditation you might find the Zone exercises are a good intermediate step on your way to integration more mindfulness in your life without causing yourself the emotional stress that the thought of still meditation might trigger for you.
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You go hard in the gym, you party hard and spend more time than 9-5 at work, it is likely that your body is sending you signals pleading for stress management and me time on a regular basis. You think stress management is a waste of time, boring or too spiritual? You haven’t tried the Leeds Tai Chi Body Flow class yet. It works whether you believe in chi/ qi which is described as life energy or vital force or not. All you need to do is join in and breathe you will increase your vitality or chi automatically.
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