Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) effects millions of people throughout the world and over 1/2 a million people in Britain alone. Bright light entering the eyes changes the way the brain controls our moods, which is why most people fell more cheerful on a bright day. Our bodies produce chemicals to make us feel drowsy at night and the morning sunlight serves as a "wake up call" and ceases production of it. For sufferers of SAD this lack of morning wake up creates their problems and they are often treated for depression.
Symptoms include
Depression, despair, misery, guilt and anxiety- normal tasks become frustratingly difficult.
Lethargy - too tired to cope, everything is an effort.
Overeating - carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain.
Family / social problems - avoiding company, irritability.
Physical symptoms - often joint pain or stomach problems, lower resistance to infection.
Sleep problems - oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon.
Loss of libido - lose any interest in physical contact.
Memory loss - inability to recall even the basic facts.
SAD symptoms tend to start from around September each year lasting until April, but are at their worst in the darkest months.
While we know that animals change their behaviour during different seasons, it has now been proved that human beings are just the same. Most people find they eat and sleep slightly more in the winter and dislike the dark mornings and the short days. For some, however, symptoms are severe enough to totally disrupt their lives and to cause major & deep distress. These people are suffering from SAD. The problems are caused by the lack of bright light in wintertime and researchers have proven that bright light makes a difference to the brain chemistry. By providing summertime levels of light during the winter the symptoms of SAD can be relieved meaning that life can carry on as normal for the sufferer.
Unfortunately ordinary light bulbs and fittings are just not strong enough to treat SAD but sufferers can be helped by the use of light boxes. These are boxes that shine bright light and give the feeling of being in bright sunlight while indoors. They have been proven to help those suffering from SAD and they are the most effective proven way to treat the problem. Many SAD sufferers have replaced there anti depressants, or other medication, with some form of light therapy and been delighted to find that their symptoms disappear.
There are various different designs of SAD light boxes, so sufferers are bound to find one to suit them. Chooses include, small portable SAD light boxes, or visors (for on the move), bright SAD lamps, dimmer SAD light boxes, and large bright SAD light boxes. The latter one gives the speediest results. Busier people will need the higher power boxes, with lower power SAD light boxes being more suited for those with a little more time to spare. It is not necessary to.
Stare into the light itself: just to ensure that it can reach the eyes is sufficient for most SAD cases.Also available are dawn simulators, otherwise know as "body clocks". For SAD sufferers these are a great way to start their day, as they provide the effect of a summer's day shone into the room. The light gradually brightens over a period of between 15 and 90 minutes and the light "seeps" through the eyelids, replacing the summers day dawn in winter. The simulators are ideal for SAD sufferers to complement their treatment.It is now believed by leading specialists on SAD lighting that bright light provided during the day from using the light boxes, combined with the use of a dawn simulator is the most effective way of treating SAD.
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