Winter Depression Light Therapy

Scientists in the early 1980s, working to discover a treatment for seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, became aware that disturbances in light absorption during the late fall and winter months affected mood in a depressive way. They quickly realized the benefit of light therapy for treating winter depression. Not only does exposure to light help reduce the symptoms of SAD, but it is also used to treat other ailments such as jaundice. These days, this winter depression light therapy is available at home or in hospitals.

Light therapy is relevant and effective in numerous medical conditions and helps sufferers to quickly find energy when winter depression puts them in a dark mood. Light therapy lamps are used to treat seasonal depression, and the main symptoms start to manifest in the winter, when the days are shorter and sunlight in minimal. There is less light, and this seasonal change can affect people who are susceptible to SAD.

People dealing with this seasonal disorder don't automatically exhibit all the typical symptoms, so it is very important to contact a doctor for a check up. Winter depression light therapy can help until longer days and more hours of sunlight arrive. Miraculously, the signs of this depression seem to disappear with the arrival of the beautiful days of spring and ample sunlight.

So how do light boxes for bright light therapy work? This type of therapy consists of exposing yourself to the light that an ultraviolet lamp emits. This transmits light to the skin and the eyes. For best results, the intensity of the light should be between 2500 and 10,000 light units. Melatonin is a sleep hormone, which is thought to be partially responsible for the problems linked to diminished light exposure. This hormone is normally secreted at night to help us relax and fall asleep. The thought is that this hormone is somehow blocked from being produced during the day and so our patterns of sleep are disrupted.

Light therapy lamps are relatively easy to use. The first thing you have to remember is that they are used as treatment in hospitals and at home, and they respond in the same way as any normal lighting device, such as desk lights for SAD. However, always verify that the lamps you have will produce ultraviolet light.

When winter depression light therapy was first used as treatment, they were reserved for medical use in hospital and clinical settings. Today, light lamps can be used at home, at the office or anywhere you find the most convenient. When choosing a lamp, the power should be the first factor in your choice of fixture. The more powerful the lamp, the more benefit you will receive in the shortest amount of time.

Related topics about Winter Depression Light Therapy

Winter Depression Treatments: Go Natural
A person with winter depression does not have to dread the fall and winter months, with the long nights and shorter days that they bring. It is possible to become pro-active in reversing the symptoms when using the right winter depression treatments. Also known as seasonal affected disorder (SAD), winter depression seems to affect more females than males or children, with seventy to eighty percent of all sufferers being female, for reasons that aren't completely known.

Winter Blues Depression And You
The causes of winter blues depression are not fully known, but there appears to be a relationship between lack of sunlight and feeling depressed. Those who live in northern climates tend to be more susceptible to the disorder, known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Because of the shorter days and more hours of darkness during the winter months, a person living in Maine is more likely to suffer from winter depression than a person living in Florida, for example.

Treating SAD Winter Depression
Light therapy is done with the help of special light therapy lamps. Also known as photo therapy, this form of treatment involves exposing the eyes and skin to specific light wavelengths using LEDs, or light emitting diodes, fluorescent light, lasers or bright lights that emit all the colors of the spectrum. This type of procedure is prescribed for a short period of time and is non-invasive.