Do Sad Lights Really Help To Overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder also known as SAD is a condition wherein a person suffers from depression during fall or winter. During these times, people with SAD suffer from low energy and weight gain. So far, doctors still have no idea what causes SAD and therefore have no means of curing it permanently. However, a treatment method is available which has so far alleviated symptoms from sufferers with the use of SAD light being the most popular.

Light Therapy

When using a SAD light, a person basically just placed the box in a room and stays within reaching distance of the light for a prescribed amount of time. This is usually done in the morning where the light will open up at a specific time and slowly go brighter as morning approaches. For some, this is somewhat like a simulation of how the sun rises and spreads out light during the summer.

Effectiveness

More often than not, it takes a few sessions before light therapy starts to be effective. For some, the results may show up after one or two weeks of waking up on the SAD light. Use of the device is then continued until the season once again becomes favourable to the user. Thos who stop the treatment before the depression phase is over usually get depressed all over again.

Why it Works

Since the core cause of SAD is not yet known, the reason why SAD lights work is still not that clear for some people. However, the theory is that the light increases the level of serotonin in a person, a hormone associated with one’s mood. Other’s see it as a way of manipulating a person’s biological clock. Since the light also simulates that of the rising of the sun, some speculate that the light basically lets sufferers associate the brightness to a day of summer.

People who suffer from SAD are finding it fairly easy to adjust to their circumstances with the help of SAD lights. As the topmost effective treating method, using a SAD light is now more preferred compared to other SAD treatment alternatives including antidepressants.

Resources:
sad lights reviews
sad lights help

Processing your request, Please wait....