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Gifts of Love

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere winter can be a depressing time of year. The solution is to move or travel to a sunny location during the darkest months. Did you know that animals react to the changing seasons with changes in mood, metabolism and behaviour and human beings are just the same.

How do you know whether you are suffering from SAD syndrome?

Symptoms tend to start from around September each year lasting until April.

Symptoms include:

  • Sleep problems - oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon
  • Overeating - carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
  • Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety - normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
  • Family / social problems - avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, loss of feeling
  • Lethargy - too tired to cope, everything an effort
  • Physical symptoms - often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
  • Behavioural problems - especially in young people

If you have these symptoms see your Doctor and start making changes in your life. You don't need to suffer 8 months out of every year with this horrible SAD.

Plan your vacations to sunny destinations like Hawaii - travel to Hawaii is easy to arrange.

There are many houses to rent on the Island of your choice called vacation rentals where you can stay for a month or more. Whenever I go to Hawaii I always go for at least a month and usually in Dec. or Jan. and the health benefits are always enormous.

Once you have checked a sunny destination out and you experience the improvement in your over all physical and mental health then you can seriously consider moving there. A place for your life to grow and expand because now you will feel well for 12 months of the year instead of just 4 months.

Is there a cure for SAD - I have found only 2 suggestions on dealing with SAD - The cure? Intense light every day. Go a brightly lit climate or try light therapy. My choice is go to a brightly lit climate as you can get outdoors and enjoy life rather than sitting under a special light bulb.

Where do you want to go for your next sunny vacation? Mexico? Fiji?

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