It is time to beat the winter blues! The simple solution is to get more light!
Dr. Linda Helps - It’s that time of year again. Daylight is shorter. The air is brisk and people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) know it’s time to get more light! Winter depression, know as the “winter blues” or SAD, gets activated by decreasing daylight. It usually begins in the middle of October and ends around April.

SAD is a treatable depression that affects about 35 million Americans. The farther north you live, the greater your chance to be one of the 10 million people diagnosed, or one of 25 million that have some symptoms. People in the northern states get half as much sunshine as those in the South.

Symptoms can include tiredness, irritability, inability to concentrate, weight gain, craving carbohydrates, isolation, and difficulty getting out of bed in the morning. Women in their 30s are most susceptible, but the disorder affects men and children too.

Treatment is relatively easy. Because light therapy regulates brain chemistry, you need to get more light. It interacts with the eye through the optic nerve and increases brain chemicals that alleviate depression.

This does not mean you can sit anywhere there is light and feel better. Regular indoor lighting is not intense enough to be effective (only 300 - 500 lux). You need something intense, such as a fluorescent light bulb. Some people feel full spectrum light is best because it is similar to sunlight. It provides about 2500 lux, which is what you need.

You can use a commercial lighting device or a fluorescent light box. Some insurance companies will even reimburse you for a light box. Or try 30 minutes of morning light by walking outside or sitting under a fluorescent or full spectrum light while working or watching television. Do not just stare into the light. You’ll just get a headache doing that!

A German study found that light might even help those without SAD, although this is still being studied. Other psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorders and eating disorders might potentially benefit from light.

Do not confuse the symptoms of SAD with other conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. See a doctor to be sure SAD is the cause of your problems. And if you suffer from severe depression, consult a mental health professional. Light will not hurt you, but depending on the problem it may not help you either.

If you are someone who suffers from SAD, light therapy should be the first step in treatment. And hey, a trip to the Bahamas come late January couldn’t hurt any of us either!

Dr. Mintle – author, professor, Approved Supervisor and Clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – is a speaker and media personality, as well as a licensed clinical social worker with over twenty years in psychotherapy practice.

For more articles by Dr. Linda Mintle, visit www.drlindahelps.com. 

E-mail Dr. Linda with your questions and concerns.

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