Has seasonal affective disorder got you in a rut? Is the winter starting to take its toll on your physical and emotional well-being? A new approach to working out just might help you deal with the cold-weather blues. I’m Kimberly Walleston, with a health and wellness focus for Insider’s Health News. If you belong to a gym, you know all too well how crowded your favorite workout spot gets after the new year. But after a few weeks, everything returns to normal as people give up on their resolutions and settle back into the comfort of a warm couch and holiday leftovers. Medical researchers are now linking a lot of those holiday quitters to a mild case of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. And it’s not as rare as some people might think. SAD is an apt acronym, basically resulting in depression and lost will power during the shorter winter months. While it can get to truly dangerous levels, it also affects a large portion of the population with lesser problems. But some fitness pioneers in New York City are starting to fight back; giving their workout classes a real reason to get to the gym… natural light. Exercise light therapy, which runs a gamut from cardio to yoga to mediation, was designed to beat the winter doldrums and keep people enjoying themselves. By using simulated natural light during the workout, most attendees are actually stimulated into an improved mood and more enjoyable experience. And for some, it can actually be a lifesaver. Suicide rates go through the roof during our coldest season, and light therapy can help take someone off of that ledge. So if you’re looking at a way to renew your spirit before the spring thaws us all out, maybe adding a light box to your yoga time or finding a local progressive program would give you the extra jolt you need. Because if exercise, light therapy, and a healthy routine all fight against depression… then putting the three together just might work out for your workout. That’s it for this edition of Insider’s Health TV. I’m your host, Kimberly Walleston. And remembe t’s your health. We’re just helping you think outside the box.