| What an appropriate acronym. It stands for Seasonal | | | | Cambridge University in England, the rats were gaining |
| Affective Disorder. I used to live in the arctic. In | | | | weight and thriving. In the other location, Harvard |
| winter, we didn't see the sun for many months. I am | | | | University in the USA, the rats were experiencing less |
| acutely aware of the winter blues and how people | | | | measurable growth. |
| are affected emotionally, physically, and intellectually. | | | | The researchers were unable to rationalize the |
| Much has been written on the subject, so I would | | | | difference until they later discovered the one factor |
| like to provide you with some supplemental | | | | that made the difference. In order to clean the cages |
| information.Natural LightResearch has demonstrated | | | | at Harvard, the maintenance staff moved the rats |
| that exposure to natural light has a positive effect on | | | | into other cages. At Cambridge, while some |
| human health, emotional well-being, and therefore | | | | maintenance workers cleaned the cages, other |
| learning. Some of the common symptoms of lack of | | | | workers held and stroked the rats. If TLC (tender |
| natural light are fatigue, disturbed sleep patterns, | | | | loving care) can have that kind of effect on the |
| appetite and weight disorders, depression, skin | | | | physiology of rats, think what it can do for a human |
| damage, and suppressed immune functions. During | | | | mind.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)EFT is one |
| the short days of winter, a common problem is | | | | of the many techniques in the new field of Energy |
| Seasonal Affective Disorder. The symptoms can be | | | | Psychology. It is in the branch known as meridian |
| easily remedied through daily exposure to sunlight. | | | | therapies. The technique removes negative emotions, |
| Alternatively, Bright Light Therapy (phototherapy), | | | | reduces or eliminates pain, releases phobias, and |
| using a minimum of ten thousand lux units for thirty | | | | assists in setting and implementing positive goals. EFT |
| minutes in the early morning, will often cure SAD. Just | | | | is a form of psychological acupressure, based on the |
| to put this into perspective, even the cloudiest day is | | | | same energy meridians used in traditional |
| rarely below ten thousand lux, and a sunny afternoon | | | | acupuncture, to treat emotional disorders. Focusing |
| could be as much as one-hundred thousand lux. Do | | | | on the issue and stimulating the major neural |
| your own research to understand the current | | | | pathways initiates a memory process causing change |
| technology for Bright Light Therapy devices.The | | | | by unblocking the emotional short-circuit. This process |
| commonly-used fluorescent tubes, found in many | | | | results in substituting positive emotions for the |
| offices and training facilities, have only narrow | | | | negative emotions, which were previously learned |
| spectrum light, and they also emit a constant pulsing | | | | and associated with the issue.The process initially |
| that can create stress and fatigue. A study of 750 | | | | requires the person to think about the event or issue. |
| classrooms ((21,000 students) in California, | | | | Simple tapping with the fingertips is used to input |
| Washington, and Colorado found that students in | | | | kinetic energy onto specific meridians on the hand, |
| classrooms with windows and skylights learned 20 to | | | | head, and chest. This combination of tapping the |
| 26 percent faster than students in classrooms with | | | | energy meridians and voicing specific phrases works |
| the least natural light exposure. A Florida study of | | | | to clear the emotional block from the body's |
| two first grade classrooms found that full-spectrum | | | | bio-energetic system. This restores the mind and |
| lighting reduced nervousness and hyperactivity. The | | | | body's balance, which is essential for optimal learning |
| students also improved their overall classroom | | | | and mental health. EFT can dramatically enhance |
| performance.The Law Of EmotionA person can only | | | | intellectual performance simply by eliminating the |
| have one set of emotions and feelings at a time. | | | | emotional lids on our intellectual potential.Most SAD |
| Stronger emotions and feelings replace weaker ones. | | | | Goes Unnoticed.Most of us navigate through the |
| Indifference or boredom can be substituted with | | | | winter totally oblivious to how poorly we are |
| appreciation or curiosity. Curiosity can then be | | | | functioning. Those who evade SAD are regular |
| replaced with excitement, which in turn can enable a | | | | outdoor exercisers and walkers. Many of us just feel |
| high-energy learning state. Self-criticism can be | | | | a bit down, and turn to comfort food. The lethargy |
| substituted with a strong self-esteem. Neurolinguistic | | | | sets in and we pine for the spring. Be assertive. |
| Programming (NLP) is a way of modeling how | | | | Releasing the winter blues is simpler than you think. |
| successful people achieve their results. It gives us a | | | | Begin today. Get outside.International speaker, Dr. |
| wonderful set of tools and principles for enhancing | | | | Brian E. Walsh, is the bestselling author of Unleashing |
| the components of emotional intelligence: | | | | Your Brilliance. For much of his 30-year corporate |
| self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy, and | | | | career he was involved in human resources, |
| social skills.The Love FactorTwo parallel studies were | | | | specifically training.While living in the arctic, Brian |
| conducted on young newborn rats sourced from the | | | | studied anthropology and Neurolinguistic Programming |
| same supplier. All aspects of the experiments were | | | | (NLP), which prepared him for working with other |
| identical, including their food. In one of the locations, | | | | cultures. |