By JANE CLAPP

Every fall when the sun starts setting early and I wake up to an alarm in the dark, I feel a strong desire to conserve energy, hibernate and just slow down.  But the reality of my life is that I still have to be full of energy to motivate my clients and be fully present as a parent.  I’m not a bear that gets to crawl into a cave for winter.  I’ve traveled all over and constantly find myself picking hot climates with lots of sun, sand and the ocean at my disposal. I’m not built for Toronto winters!
 
A few years ago, right around this time of year, I knew I had to start being proactive about my energetic deficit.  I couldn’t spend another cold Toronto winter just trying to make it to spring.  I had read about light therapy lamps for people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder.  I started being very honest with myself.  Maybe I suffered from SAD. But as I started researching light therapy, it became clear that most people who lose sunlight in the winter could benefit.
 
SAD or not SAD, I bought a full spectrum light and started using it at Urbanfitt especially for my early morning or evening training sessions.  I tried to use it at the same time every day and not to overuse it in the evening so I wouldn’t get wired before bed.  Soon, my clients started feeling the benefits of the light during their workouts.  It was like a gentle fog had been lifted off them and I could kick their butts just the little bit more.
 
At Urbanfitt, my desk is situated at the far end of my studio away from the windows.  If I do any extended computer work, I have my light on.  I actually don’t know how people can work at a desk away from any natural light for eight hours a day. No wonder so many people in our desk-bound society don’t feel motivated to exercise!
 
Anyone who has ever worked with me knows how much I harp on getting good shut-eye to support health and fat loss.  Without quality sleep for a minimum of 7.5 hours a night, our bodies are more stressed and want to store belly fat due to higher levels of cortisol.  Plus, most holistic health practitioners also believe that poor sleep habits can be linked to most illness.
 
I love any non-pharmaceutical interventions that help people sleep better and light therapy has been shown to improve circadian rhythms.
 
I know most of my clients are converts about the benefits of light therapy.  Just a couple weeks ago, a few of my regulars asked me when I was bringing my light back into the studio.  So funny.  They’re using me to get their fix.