Did you know that the weather could affect people’s moods? Most people will understand how sometimes the rain can bring your spirits down, and a warm sunny day can lift them right up again. But for some the effect of the weather can be much more severe.

S.A.D or Seasonal Affective Disorder affects around half a million people in Europe, with numbers rising annually. It is a mood disorder specifically relating to the winter months and some health experts believe this is down to the number of daylight hours being shorter than that of the summer.

Unfortunately sufferers often go undiagnosed for many years and it is not recognised until consecutive bouts of the illness over a period if several winters each with the same or similar symptoms. Recognising these symptoms may help sufferers seek treatment.

Symptoms of S.A.D can be a combination of factors these can include -

Disturbed sleep patterns - sleeping more than usual, finding it hard to wake up or waking early in the morning and being tired early evening.

Anxiety - feeling anxious and unable to cope well under pressure or tolerate stressful situations.

Lethargy - feeling tired and restless, often feeling unable to carry out daily activities.

Mood Changes - sudden lows or highs can occur for some sufferers.

Loss of Libido and Social Disinterest - Physical contact and intimacy can lose interest for sufferers, not wanting any closeness with friends or partner. This can also be seen reflecting in social behavioural changes i.e. not wanting to mix in social circles with friends, loss of interest in going out and interacting with others.

Eating habits - habits can change dramatically from the norm, either over or under eating can become a problem with sudden weight loss or gain.

Treating S.A.D varies for each Health Authority, the complexity of the symptoms and the severity of the disease. Many people ignore the symptoms and do not seek medical advice, whilst some sufferers chose to go for warmer climates during the winter months. Expensive travelling however is not an option for many sufferers and medical help is often needed.

Experts in Mood disorders have shown that one of the most effective ways in which to help relieve the symptoms of SAD is through light therapy, this usually comes in the shape of a box containing a very powerful and specialised light, patients can sit for up to 1-2 hours a day and let the light penetrate their eyes. These light systems can be bought for treatment for use in the home.

However some health authorities do not use light therapy as a treatment for the disease, and other treatments are recommended. Non-sedative anti-depressants can help control moods and help alleviate symptoms whilst for others counselling is a good option. Sufferers do not always require the same treatment and it is therefore always recommended to consult your doctor for a full diagnosis and prescribed the right medication.

If you have concerns or are a sufferer of S.A.D you may find some of the following links of interest.

OUTSIDE IN
http://www.outsidein.co.uk/sadinfo.htm

NOSAD

http://www.nosad.org/

National Mental health Association http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

Cerianwen has been writing since before she can remember, she is an author, artist and critic with interests in mental health. As a Bipolar sufferer she leads a group dealing with mental health issues and is currently creating a zine for sufferers, friends, family and those who wish to know more about mental illness and its affects on day to day living.
Cerianwen is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for Writers.

Tags: depression, light therapy, mental health, saddepression, light therapy, mental health, sad

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In comes the sunshine. That’s how some people describe the benefits of therapy lights. Scientists think that simulated intense light has an effect on chemicals in your brain and your skin and that they can be used to help some conditions. There are lots of different types of therapy lights so I’m going to described just a few of them and the conditions that they can be used with:

Light boxes (Phototherapy or bright light therapy)

Many therapists have realised that sitting close to a simulated sunlight box can alleviate symptoms for some complaints. The intensity of the light should be at least 2,500 lux and exposure every day is required. Remember that a medical practitioner must prescribe the strength and type of light used in addition to the duration of the exposure.

SAD Light Boxes

Seasonal Affective Disorder in its mildest form is sometimes known as ‘Winter Blues’. You don’t have to be a genius to know that we all feel a lot better during the long sunny summer days. We appear to have more energy too. You lose some of that enthusiasm when winter comes when there aren’t as many daylight hours. Some people get what they call ‘winter blues’ which makes them feel lethargic and ill and gives them a tendency to overeat. For others this becomes bad enough it to interfere with their lives and can cause a lot of upset. It can also change your behaviour.

The symptoms often begin at the start of the winter season and start to get better in March and April when spring arrives. It may not be necessary for you to use light SAD therapy daily during winter and advice from a trained professional is advised.

Jetlag and Sleep Disorders

Where the circadian rhythms or body clock of the brain have been affected by periods of sleep deprivation or extended night or daytime hours. Flying over time zones can have this effect. The light box can simulate the difference between waking hours and sleep or night time and helps to re-adjust the body and brain into rhythm quickly.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Sufferers

There are lots of research papers written on Alzheimer’s Disease and many of them deal with the damage that happens to the part of the brain that controls the circadian rhythms. Damaged nerve pathways together with poor eyesight as you get older can lead to indoor levels of light being insufficient to tell the difference between day and night. There have been experiments to find out how therapy lights and light boxes can be used and they have determined that they can help to maintain the rest and activity cycles of Alzheimer sufferers’ for longer.

UVB/UVA1 light

The technology that is used in tanning beds can also be used to help relieve problems with vitiligo, patches of psoriasis, pale scars and stretch marks. For best effect the light should be focussed onto the affected patch without exposing the surrounding normal skin. This type of light will damage normal skin so you must always take appropriate action to avoid over exposure.

Coloured-light or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

With these types of therapy lights, floodlights have colored filters in order to bathe the skin in light of different wavelengths or colors. It has been shown that certain colored filters are better for different conditions:

Blue: Destroys the bacteria that can cause acne.
Green: Used to treat irregularities in skin pigment like liver spots and age spots,
Yellow: For the treatment of vascular conditions such as thread veins and rosacea.
Combination green and yellow: This light reduces wrinkles and fine lines.
Red: Can be good for headaches and, when directed at one area, for the relief of arthritic pain.

Low-level laser light (Ruby and KTP) therapy

Laser treatment has been developed to help shrink patches of discoloured skin like moles or birthmarks. The pigment (melanin) in the skin absorbs the laser light, which causes darker areas to break up and help it to look more normal.

The two therapy light systems above can be combined and used to remove areas where there is too much hair.

Information in this article is not advice. Anyone wishing to try these treatments should contact their medical practitioner first.

Steve is a software engineer and the keeper of Therapy Lights devoted to the use of light as an aid to good health. http://www.therapy-lights.thecatcollar.com

Tags: light sad therapy, light therapy, sad lights, seasonal affective disorder, therapy lightslight sad therapy, light therapy, sad lights, seasonal affective disorder, therapy lights

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