Light therapy, a method clinically backed by data investigated for over two decades, is used to treat a depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD. For this, a device called a light therapy box is mainly used usually for approximately 30 minutes daily. The function of the light therapy is to cause a change in the brain by mimicking outdoor light that would liven up the mood of the person affected and reduce the symptoms of the depression. The light used is generally 25 times as bright as normal room light. A study published by Dr. Michael Terman uses an apparatus with fluorescent bulbs which disallow UV radiation through a filter, leaving out unpleasant glare. This when applied as treatment on SAD patients upon awakening found it better than those who used it in the evening. Another group of thirteen specialists from Canada issued guidelines for treating SAD. These professional guidelines include conclusions like 10,000 lux for 30 minutes per day using a light therapy box as a starting dose. If a light box emanates 2,500 lux, it would require two responses in a day. The therapy should start early morning where it would maximize response which would usually show within a week, but may be effective from week four in some cases. The side effects of such therapy could include headache, strain on the eyes, nausea and agitation. Generally mild in nature, these effects disappear with reducing the dose of light.

The therapy boxes are also called light boxes, bright light therapy boxes and phototherapy boxes. The Center for Environmental Therapeutics (CET) recommends requirements for effective therapy as many products in the market claiming to be proficient to help SAD may not be so. These include things like checking whether the product is tested through trials under peer-reviews. One should also verify specifications of the product like whether or not it has a sufficient output like an illumination of 10,000 lux at a comfortable sitting distance.

In a light therapy box, the UV filters if faulty could cause harm to the eyes and skin by allowing UV rays to pass through. The fluorescent lamps should therefore have a diffusing panel and should give off white light rather than a colored light. A compact light box is also not as efficient in therapy as the small head movements render the eyes out of the range of therapy. The angle at which the light reaches the eyes, if projected downward, minimizes glare leading to less eye strain.

Such things recommended by the CET should be kept in mind while buying light boxes for therapy. The quantity rather than the quality is effective in the therapy of seasonal affective disorder.

Light, like every other thing in this world, is meant for a purpose; not only is it the indirect source of providing essential nutrients to our body but has also been researched to be a major factor affecting our mental well-being. Human moods are said to be very well influenced by the impact of sunlight. The glee on every other person’s face on a bright sunny day after prolonged cold days is no surprise. It comes in naturally and has been the subject of study by many medical practitioners since ages.

Light deprivation is usually experienced by people living in areas where the nights are longer and colder than the days. Statistics show that as much as 10% of the population in the north show symptoms of lethargy or lassitude due to the lack of exposure to sunlight. Moreover it has also been found out that women as compared to men are more likely to get affected by nearly a 3:1 ratio1. When at a milder stage, light deprivation can be termed as ”Winter Blues”; a condition that results in restrained energy levels, depression and slower reflex actions. Not that the list ends over here, but the incremented cravings for sweet and carbohydrate rich foods makes the patient place on weight, hence adding up to the complexities. A more pronounced form of the just mentioned condition is what we term as Seasonal Affective Disorder aka SAD. With double the level of depression, it is usually accompanied by lack of concentration and even memory loss!

But as the adage goes, ”Necessity is the mother of invention”; there arose the need of producing artificial light, as much effective as the full spectrum sunlight, to serve people being deprived of the natural blessing and useful light boxes came into being! What a light box or more specifically a light therapy box does is that it mimics outdoor sunlight in a way that it contains high output fluorescent bulbs, shielded by a filter that acts as a UV light protector. The light box is then positioned carefully so that it is tilted and placed a small above your eyes, minimizing any unpleasant glare. The patient is then exposed to this artificial light for a time duration that depends on the demand and lifestyle of the affected person. Usually for a beginner, a 15-20 minutes’ exposure is said to be enough, but the span may be extended when needed.

Light from a light box when hits the retina in the eye, gives the brain a stimulus to release certain ”active hormones” that bring about a biochemical change in the body lifting your mood and reducing the symptoms of SAD. Not only does light therapy aid in resolving core SAD issues, it improvises one’s wake-sleep cycle as well. This add-on benefit has its’ roots lying in the research made by scientists that SAD is related to an imbalance in the body’s natural circadian rhythms or the body’s inner clock. The latter term is responsible for governing the timing of our sleep. Hence when we repeatedly try to sleep out of sync with our circadian rhythm, depression occurs; a continued condition like this might even lead to SAD. Light therapy, but, alleviates every affected person of such prevailing conditions.

To sum up, Light therapy is a simple, effective and medically recognized way to beat these symptoms and live a normal, healthy life.

Reference

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SAD lights find tremendous use during winters to beat the SAD syndromes. This is indeed one of the best methods to deal with such seasonal disorders that affect large population across the world. It happens when a person is confined for most hours at indoors and remains busy at work.

The winter blues or winter depression is medically called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. This is a kind of mood disorder where people feel it hard to lead normal mental health and one experiences depressive symptom during winters or some other seasons as well year after year. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), SAD is ‘a specifier of major depression’. If you feel some kind of mood swing, depression, feeling unlikely to work, socializes and don’t feel to get up in the morning, you may be suffering from SAD. Take help of SAD lights to get rid of this disorder and bring back the happiness to your life.

There are different types of treatments available for SAD but SAD Lights prove to be the most effective kind of treatment for it. SAD light therapy proves better than antidepressant medications, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin. Exposure to SAD lights where you work or at home works magical to deal with this disorder. Some people get results of SAD lights in just two days and start feeling fresh and confident again. Let SAD luminous therapy bring back laughter to your life again and beat the winter blues.