Treating SAD With Light Therapy Is Extremely Effective
In the early 1980s, researchers established the benefits of using light therapy lamps in clinical environments in the treatment of depression. In the beginning it was only employed in cases of seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD. Currently, however, light therapy for treatment of SAD is employed in a number of medical facilities for a range of conditions. It is principally used in the treatment of SAD and conditions associated with the disturbance of the body’s circadian rhythm, or biological clock, like insomnia and other sleeping disorders.
In many instances, the sense of lethargy a person gets starting in the fall and continuing through the winter months is called winter depression, and a significant number of people are afflicted by it in some way or another. Often it won’t stop sufferers from functioning normally, yet it does appear to interfere with energy levels and excitement about formerly loved pursuits. Light therapy for SAD treatment can be useful to help most of the depressive symptoms.
So just how does light therapy work? This style of treatment involves exposing yourself to the rays emitted by an ultraviolet lamp. This transmits light to your skin and the eyes. For best results, the power of the light should be between 2500 and 10,000 light units. Melatonin is a sleep hormone which is believed to be somewhat to blame for the problems associated with reduced exposure to light. This hormone is typically secreted at night to help us relax and get to sleep. The thinking is that this hormone is in some way hindered from being produced throughout the day and thus our sleeping patterns are disturbed.
For the greatest benefit, you should plan each light therapy session in the morning after you first wake up. Place the lamp at eye level or just beneath the eyes and expose as much of your chest, arms and neck as you can. You don’t have to look directly at the lamp, nevertheless it is essential that the light comes in contact with the retina. The length of your therapy needs to be between 30 minutes and 2 hours, according to the intensity of the bulbs you are using.
Other remedies for SAD vary from medication to biofeedback. However, light therapy seems to be the most helpful to those who are suffering from this seasonally occurring ailment. It has only been in the last 30 years that researchers have discovered exactly how beneficial light therapy really is. Of all the treatments available, it is the least invasive and fastest way to supply relief.
Winter depression, also called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a condition that many people are afflicted with each year. Visit our site to learn more about winter depression symptoms and treatment options.
categories: SAD light therapy,SAD,seasonal affective disorder,depression,mental health