Winter Blues: Treated With Light Therapy And Positive Outlook
The winter season usually causes people to be in a celebratory mood and more energetic because of Christmas.However, to some people, winter brings a negative effect.Some individuals fall into a kind of depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD, or more commonly known as winter blues, because of the cold weather.
Seasonal affective disorder is a mood disorder caused by lack of sunlight affecting the hormone in our bodies called melatonin, which is responsible for our sleeping pattern.The symptoms include mild to severe depression, lethargy, sleep problems, anxiety, self-isolation, difficulty in concentrating, and tendency to overeat.
People experiencing winter blues should get as much exposure as possible to natural sunlight.However, for those who don't have the luxury of time or sunlight, one of the most recommended treatment methods is light therapy.Different kinds of light therapy lamps have been developed and being sold in the market, including those design for home use.
Specially designed light boxes that make use of high luminosity bulbs with at least 2,500 lux are called light therapy lamps.Patients who use light boxes that offer as high as 10,000 lux need less exposure time.The intensity of the light box and the distance the patient sits from it is related to the time of exposure spent under the light box.
A winter blues patient simply sits under the light box for a specific period of time, depending on the prescription of his physician.Psychiatric evaluation is recommended before going through treatment as that will help his physician determine the severity of his depression and the amount of light he needs.The patient will feel the positive effects of light therapy if is done religiously on a regular basis.
The winter blues patient may experience some side effects while undergoing light therapy, although it is perfectly safe when used according to the physician's instructions.Chronic anxiousness, headache, nausea and eyestrain, especially at the beginning of the treatment process, are among these side effects.Continuous therapy sometimes causes irritability, sleeping problems, exhaustion, chilling and shaking, and other temporary discomforts.These side effects, however, usually go away on their own within a few days.
The winter season usually causes people to be in a celebratory mood and more energetic because of Christmas.Other people, though, get a negative effect during winter.Some individuals fall into a kind of depression called "seasonal affective disorder" or SAD, or more commonly known as winter blues, because of the cold weather.Light therapy is commonly used to improve the symptoms of this ailment.
Published November 23rd, 2009
Filed in Health