Stress relief activities for seasonal affective disorder could include yoga.
People who live in New York are very familiar with the waning hours of daylight in the winter. While some take the cold darkness as a cue to cuddle up with a good book (or good company) by the fire, others fall into a sort of melancholy known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. A recent article in NYU Local offers students tips on stress relief activities to help them snap out of this condition, which can cause moodiness, lethargy, craving for carbohydrates and oversleeping.
"Now, this may sound like the slightly hyperbolic version of some of us all the time, but that’s even more reason to do something about it. And by 'something,' we mean indulge in everything this city has to offer in terms of summertime stand-ins," wrote Julia Turret.
Some researchers believe that SAD may be driven in part by a mutation that causes the eyes to be less sensitive to light, she said. So one possible solution may be to soak in as much light during waking hours as possible, including artificial light.
Yoga and other physical activities can also help alleviate the symptoms of SAD that are related to weight gain, Turret said. People who are interested in this approach should look into their local Dahn Yoga classes. The holistic healing technique can do wonders for an individual, including improvements in physical fitness, stress management and mood, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
As a bonus, Dahn yoga classes are sure to provide both a supportive community and a well-lit environment!
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Tags: Dahn Yoga, Dahn Yoga classes, stress relief, stress relief activities
