The proper way to use the light box is to be about 18-24 inches from the light and to use it 30 minutes each day.
Over the winter months, many of us experience more intense symptoms of depression than in the warmer, sunnier months. For some, the reason for this depression may be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a depression specifically linked to the change in seasons, particularly as days start to get colder and it gets darker earlier in the evenings.
It is thought that a main cause of SAD is the lack of sunlight people are exposed to during the colder and darker months of the year.
“Light goes through the eyes and retina and transfers impulses to your brain that regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle,” said Mike Field, a nurse practitioner in Behavioral Health at Marshfield Clinic Health System.
Field added that while experiencing SAD during the winter months is most common, it’s also possible for people to feel the impact of light deprivation during the summer.
“In our modern society, you can have a person working long hours in a windowless office. Regardless of the season, that deprivation of light could impact a person’s mood,” Field said.
Symptoms of SAD
Symptoms of SAD may be very similar to the symptoms of depression:
- Depressed mood
- Low energy
- Change in appetite
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling hopeless
Field said when diagnosing SAD, he looks for people whose symptoms get noticeably worse as the seasons begin to change, particularly after Labor Day as the weather turns colder.
Seeing the light
Therapy and medications are options to help treat SAD. Light therapy may be used to complement these other treatments. Field said bright light can have a more rapid and possibly larger antidepressant benefit than antidepressant drugs. When people stop using a light box, depression can return.
You can try to get light naturally by getting outside, but in the colder months, especially in a climate like Wisconsin, it may make more sense for people affected by SAD to purchase a light box,” Field said.
For those dealing with SAD, Field suggests beginning to use your light box shortly after Labor Day in early September.
Field said there are quality light boxes available from online retailers. He added that the key in purchasing a light box is that it should have at least 10,000 lux, which is a measure of how intense the light is. The proper way to use the light box is to be about 18-24 inches from the light and to use it 30 minutes each day.
You also may be able to get a light box via prescription. If you’re concerned about seasonal affective disorder, talk with your doctor.
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Thanks for addressing SAD, For years, doctors sort of poo pooed that it was real. Well it is! I have had issues with it for years.
I recently purchased a light box and it really helps.
If one doesn't get a good nights sleep, That has an affect throughout the next day. So, with many sleepless nights the low feelings compound.
I don't think that Medicare covers the cost of a light box They SHOULD as the symptoms listed above are REAL
Thank you for sharing your story with our readers, Eileen!
-Kirstie
1. Where to purchase light box?
2. Is light Box safe if a person has had a facial skin cancer?
Hi, Joanie. You can purchase quality lightboxes from online retailers. Mike, behavioral health nurse practitioner, said the most inexpensive place he's found to locate lightboxes is eBay; they range from $60 to $400. Just search "100 lux light box." He said you also may be able to get a light box via prescription.
To your second question, he responded, "I am not aware of a warning for people who have a history of facial skin cancer. I recommend consulting the manufacturer."
-Kirstie
Start the day with a walk. “One of my colleagues jokes that people with dogs are the least likely to be depressed,” said Schwartz, because they’re out walking them every morning. Getting out in the sun early in the day helps reset your internal sleep-wake cycle and boost your mood. A small study just published suggests a link between morning light exposure and a healthy body mass index .