The savings time for summer affects your health? Light therapy can help
The hours moved forward again and now the sun is setting a little later. However, many of us continue to fight seasonal sadness in late winter. If you feel tired and slow as you adapt to summer saving time consider using a lightweight To help mitigate fatigue.
Adaptation to change of time can take several days to a week and you may feel out of impact when we pass from our winter combinations in spring. However, if you feel low in most days for multiple cold seasons, it may not only be winter blues – this can be seasonal affective disorder (sad). Thehe American Association of Family Doctors It estimates that 4 to 6% of the population is influenced by seasonal depression, with another 10 to 20% experiencing mild effects without seeking treatment.
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What is a seasonal affective disorder?
Sadly is a disorder prevalent in certain months (most often in the fall and winter) and can be facilitated by changing seasons. In rare cases, people can feel sad in the spring and summer and the symptoms are allowed in the fall and winter. Some people experience a combination of symptoms such as lethargy, low mood, lack of interest in things they usually enjoy, gain weight and HypersomniaS Common Sad treatment Include medicines, psychotherapy and phototherapy (mild therapy).
Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder It will look different depending on your unique expression of it. The general symptoms mentioned in the diagnostic and statistical guide for mental disorders, also known as the DSM-5- where it is called a Mainly depressive disorder with seasonal pattern – Include the following:
- Feelings of sadness
- Sleep
- You feel tired or unusually tired, despite an adequate dream
- A feeling of uselessness or guilt
- Thirsty carbohydrates or otherwise change the typical appetite
- Loss of interest in activities
- Difficulty with thought, decision -making and concentration
- In severe cases, thoughts of suicide or death
Why are some people sad?
Although there is no known reason for sad, Women are four times As likely as men experience sad. Family history is increasing someone’s probability of having itas well as last major depression or bipolar disorder. It correlates to live away north or far south (where the winter months have much less sunlight) and there is no enough Vitamin Dwhich is produced during exposure to sunlight.
What is a light therapy?
For adequate sunlight and vitamin D seems to decrease the spread of seasonal affective disorder, Various special lamps are designed to provide this light. Sun lampsAlso known as “happy lamps”, it provides light therapy, offering about 10,000 lux (unit of light) light with most, if not all, from UV radiation filtered. Light therapy involves sitting or standing in direct light for around 20 to 30 minutes Every day. Different colored filters are also considered useful, in addition to typical white light lamps.
Types of light therapy
While very sad lamps offer visible light with a full spectrum that looks white, other people have examined the effect of different colors of light on seasonal affective disorder.
Therapy with blue light
Although more research is needed, showed evidence That the blue wavelength of the visible light is a large part of the benefit obtained from bright light therapy for depression and low mood.
Red light therapy
While Red light therapy is known to Take advantage of the skin, It usually did not show the same benefits of seasonal affective disorder that blue and green light therapy showed. In some studies, the red light is associated with better sleepSo if insomnia is part of your sad symptoms, red light can be a good option.
Green light therapy
Examination directly contrasting light therapy with green resin with open therapy with red light green to be more effectiveS However, since sample sizes are often small for these types of studies, it may be helpful to consult your doctor to find the best shade for you.
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Benefits of light therapy
Obtaining more light -like light in your days may be useful for your mood. If you have a seasonal affective disorder, here are some ways in which mild therapy can help.
Effective treatment of sad symptoms
The theory behind light therapy therapy is that vitamin D and sunlight stimulate serotonin production, and serotonin is important neurotransmitter that influences the moodS It is believed that getting a larger light exposure has a positive effect on the regulation of your mood. Light therapy is associated with short -term relief – Which means it may be effective in relieving symptoms when they occur, but this will not prevent you from hating in the long run.
Improves symptoms of depression
Individuals who have used light therapy therapy a reduce the symptoms of depression When taking the inventory of symptoms compared to individuals who do not receive intervention or different light intervention, so much that it is also used in cases of non -seasonal depression.
Helps to support sleep
Just as it is evident that exposure to blue light is energizing and therefore not great for just before bedtime, the red light is seen that there is more Soothing, moisturizing sleepS If some of your symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include a Fighting to fall asleepUsing a red light lamp can be useful during bedtime to help transition from wakefulness.
Potential risks of light therapy therapy
Although light boxes and light therapy are considered generally safe, it is best to talk to your healthcare provider to ensure that this is the right option for you and to minimize potential disadvantages. Potential Side effects of using light box Turn on:
- Headache
- Irritability
- Ocular tension
- Nausea
- Induced maniacal symptoms (If you have bipolar disorder and increase light exposure too quickly)
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How to use mild therapy for seasonal affective disorder
1 Talk to your doctor or mental health specialist. They will know if any elements of your unique medical profile require caution with a light therapy lamp.
2. If they tell you that light therapy can be appropriate, consider taking a loan lamp if this option is available to you. If you can find a lamp with multiple colored filters, you can use them to appreciate what kind of light therapy works best for you.
3 Start your light therapy with a white light lamp that emits 10,000 lux and without UV radiation. Place the lamp aside and at least on your body and observe any other instructions in the operational directions of your lamp.
4. Consider a 30-minute session in the morning or spread a few minutes with the lamp throughout your day. Maintaining a daily diary to think and evaluate your mood can help you see if and how the use of light helps you.
5. If you are under the care of a psychiatrist or mental health advisor, talk to them about the benefits you have received from mild therapy. They may have other suggestions for combining it with other seasonal affective disorders.