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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Do you regularly get sore after pushing it in the gym? Do you have a chronic achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis that is taking the fun out of walking let alone jumping about in a fitness class? I would suggest you try Taumeel ointment, it helped me tremendously on various occasions. Find out which issues I have sorted out apart from DOMS sore muscles from exercising and Ankylosing Spondylitis related pain.
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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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Are you planning a long haul trip this year? Worried about your health? Today I will share what I did to stay healthy and well on my recent trip from the UK to Tokyo. How I managed my Ankylosing Spondylitis pain during the long plane journey, how I avoided ear ache and dvt as well as catching a travellers cold, getting affected by gluten exposure, food poisoning and parasite infections.
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Why we need to work on getting better sleep For people with AS it is even more important to be able to sleep because the body needs the time between 10pm/ 2am to repair physically and to sort out thoughts and emotions between 2am and 6am. I generally do not advocate taking any medications, but when things get really bad, an aspirin can save the night allowing a fresh start the next day.
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If you suffer with AS, you will be well aware that sleep is essential. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis would probably pay for sleep if you could buy it… Now I am not suggesting taking sleeping pills but it is worthwhile to look at ways of making sleeping more comfortable. I would like to share my personal sleep tuning practices that have helped me get through difficult AS pain times.
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