Lessening Light Could Be Making You SAD

If your mood takes a nose-dive about this time each year, you might have a common, treatable condition that comes and goes with the seasons, experts say.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, often dubbed the “winter blues,” afflicts about 10% to 20% of Americans, especially those living in Northern climes, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

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SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is a disorder that occurs to changing seasons with changing moods and behavior. People sleep less in winter and dislike the dark mornings and short days. In some people, the symptoms may be severe enough to disrupt their lives.

The main problem of SAD is lack of bright light in winter. People who live or work in basements or poorly lighted environments are the main persons to be affected.

Effects of seasonal affective disorder:

People with SAD oversleep, but not refreshed, not able to get out of bed and need an afternoon nap.
They have cravings on carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain.
They become too lethargic and tired to cope.
They may have depression, anxiety and guilt and normal tasks become difficult.

Bright light therapy for SAD:

As the cause of SAD is bright light, it would be better to go for bright light therapy. Using a light box everyday provides bright light. The light level should be about as bright as spring morning on a clear day.

People have to sit in front of the light box and allow the light to reach the eyes for 10 to 15 minutes will be sufficient to relieve from symptoms.

There is no need to stare at the light, but the person can watch television or read something to allow the light to enter into the eyes. Light boxes help to reset and entrain the circadian rhythm, which is the main problem of seasonal affective disorder.

People with SAD are expected to benefit from bright light therapy. People can experience improved mood and energy after a single sitting. For some people, it takes two to four weeks for the improvement.

Some side effects with light therapy:

Some side effects in people who use light therapy are headache, photophobia, irritability, fatigue, and hypomania. So, before using light therapy, consult your doctor and discuss whether the therapy is suitable for you or not.