"I'm pretty sure I must be half human, half plant how else to explain why I need the light to thrive? During the brighter seasons I feel fine, but when winter comes and the light begins to fade, I start drooping. I have struggled with seasonal affective disorder (Sad) since I was a teenager. The symptoms of Sad are similar to regular depression, with low moods and lethargy, and can be equally debilitating."
"Over the years I've experienced the full Sad spectrum, from moments of excessive tiredness and carb cravings (yes, those are official Sad symptoms), to a low point of breaking down crying on the kitchen floor after school because it was so cold, dark and bleak. I've always struggled to enjoy the cosiness of early winter when Sad feels like a curse waiting to pounce, like an inevitable winter bug that lasts all season."
"His advice? Sit yourself down in front of a light box emitting 10,000 lux, for up to an hour, at least five times a week. Eight out of 10 people will have good results with this, the Finn explained, and you should start a couple of weeks before the symptoms usually kick in. And do it in the morning. The stock advice for Sad is to get light'."
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) causes low mood, lethargy, excessive tiredness, carb cravings, and can be debilitating during darker months. Bright light therapy using a 10,000 lux light box for up to an hour, at least five times per week starting a few weeks before symptoms, produces good results in most people. Morning exposure, ideally before 10am, is crucial to entrain the circadian rhythm by delivering light directly to the eyes. Proper morning light helps regulate the body clock, which influences hormones, hunger, digestion, immune function, alertness, and memory, reducing the seasonal drift into depressive symptoms.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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