A great many people find themselves suffering from the "Winter Blues", and its more serious form, SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. What are winter blues and SAD? Winter blues is categorized as feeling unusually tired, experiencing appetite disturbances, difficulty getting up or lethargy, weight gain, and feelings of loss and sadness - "the blues". It is brought on by the shortening days and darker hours of winter. SAD is a recognized as a subtype of a depressive episode. It is a more exaggerated expression of the same symptoms, beginning in fall, reaching their crux in winter and ending in spring. A catch-all term for the above is Seasonal Depression.
In 1984, Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Metal Health, published his findings on using bright lights to treat patients with Seasonal Depression, showing that it helped to manage the symptoms. While Dr. Rosenthal has continued research in this arena, there have since been many new studies showing how the use of implements such as the Sunbox helps to get through the difficult winter season.
While you should always see your doctor and discuss with them any treatments before beginning, light therapy is easy and not terribly expensive to use at home. Products such as the
Sunlight Jr. are lightweight, portable, and powerful. Smaller light boxes can be used effectively in dorm rooms and while traveling without taking up too much space. There are also larger options available. Sunbox is a company founded by a man who received treatment from, and then helped create for the consumer the first
light boxes for use in treating Seasonal Depression in the 1980's with the National Institute of Mental Health.
How do you decide what light treatments are right for you? The first step, or course, is to discuss it thoroughly with your doctor. There are light boxes ranging from 2,500 lux to 10,000 lux available on the market today. Lux and lumens are not the same. While lumens are measured by the surface light of a given bulb, lux is how much light you will actually receive, at a certain distance from that light. Consider where you'll feel most comfortable while using your light box. Make sure you have enough space for the light box itself, and for you to sit at the recommended distance from the box.
If you are unsure about making the investment after you've talked to your doctor, try renting a Sunbox to see how it works for you. If you enjoy its effects, purchasing one of your own will cost less than a rental over a relatively short period of time, and pay off in convenience as well.
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Labels: light therapy, sad light, seasonal affective disorder, sunbox light, winter blues
