SAD

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, affects over 2 million people in the UK and 12 million in the Northern Europe.

200 years ago people tended to spend most of their time outdoors. Nowadays, only 10% of society works outdoors. It doesn’t matter that much in the summer months, when the days are long and we are still able to catch plenty of sunlight in the afternoon. In the winter months, however, people tend to go to work in the dark and get back home after sunset. Our ancestors used to live by the sun rhythm – getting up with the sunrise and going to bed just after the sunset. The population today works longer hours, not paying much attention to the darkness outside. And after the tiring work day, we socialise until long hours thanks to electric lights.

This type of lifestyle has resulted in a dramatic increase in light-deficiency symptoms.

Unfortunately, people in the UK and Ireland we are more susceptible to SAD as we are situated in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere. What is more, with the long periods of rain and darkness, we get even less light and that affects heavily our body clocks.

All those factors can result in people suffering from SAD.

Why is daylight so important ?

The daylight plays a crucial role in our life. Our body uses light cues, such as those provided by the sun, to time certain functions.

The daylight regulates all the major functions in our life such as mood, sleep, waking, appetite, digestion and energy. When these cycles, called ‘Circadian Rhythms’, fall out of time, we get the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

How is SAD caused?

The life-styles of most people nowadays are extremely stressed and busy. We don’t get enough light in the morning to allow our body to wake up properly and start being active for the day.

Then, during the day, we miss the sun again, and we are not as productive as we might have been. More work means longer working hours, so again, missing the daylight. All this causes mood and sleep problems.

The human’s body needs to get enough daylight as if it doesn’t, we feel tired, moody, and sluggish. The right type of light helps to produce the hormones our body needs in order to function correctly. Lack of light causes an increase in the production of Melatonin (the hormone that makes us sleepy at night), and a reduction of Serotonin, the lack of which causes depression.

These hormones are needed for good sleep, mood, and energy, to help sleep better at night and feel great during the day.

SAD symptoms

In general, Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms are easily seen and are often associated with feelings of depression.

Some symptoms might include:

~ Lethargy, lack of energy, inability to carry out a normal routine
~ Sleep problems, finding it hard to stay awake during the day, but having disturbed nights
~ Loss of libido, not interested in physical contact
~ Anxiety, inability to cope
~ Social problems, irritability, not wanting to see people
~ Depression, feelings of gloom and despondency for no apparent reason
~ Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, leading to weight gain

SAD treatment

Years ago the disorder had been treated with prescribed medications. Nowadays, however, researches show that light treatment brings much better results.

By using a good daylight lighting, not only all the symptoms of SAD can be reversed so that former sufferers can lead a normal, happier life, but also people who didn’t realise they were missing the sun, can benefit from increased energy levels.

The light therapy treatment is very easy. You flick a switch and you should start to feel better within 7-10 days of using a medically certified SAD Light.

Buying a SAD lamp

Most SAD lamps are safe to use, if your general health is good. In some cases, however, consulting a doctor is important, especially if you have an eye problem, if you are particularly sensitive to light or are taking antidepressants or medication against epilepsy.

Most people wonder if they will get a suntan or will be exposed on harmful UV light. The SAD lamps do not give a suntan and have no more UV than any ordinary bulb.

Before buying a SAD lamp it is advisable to ask lots of questions about it to make sure you get the right one for your needs. It is good to pay attention to these features:

~ Treatment time
~ Treatment distance
~ Price
~ Portability

It is also a good idea to ask some fundamental questions to the company that sells SAD lamps in order to choose the right one:

~~ What lamp they would recommend in your situation?
~~ Has the lamp proved effective?
~~ What is the cost of the lamp?
~~ Are there any additional cost? (ie. delivery, bulb replacement)
~~ What are the dimensions and weight of the lamp?
~~ What is the recommended treatment distance and time?
~~ What is the warranty time of the product?
~~ Is there a return policy if the lamp does not work as expected?

It is very important to purchase a good quality SAD lightbox as cheap copies do not produce the right level of light. It does not mean they are dangerous to use but they will not be effective.

White light & blue light products

The light emitted by the sun is not only white as it might appear on a sunny day. It is made of many more colours which we can see in a rainbow.

On the market there are Full Spectrum (White Light) lightboxes which simply replicate the sunshine. When using them, the need for the sunshine is fulfilled.

In the past, only Full Spectrum lightboxes were used to treat light deficiency disorders. Research on this matter proved though, that Seasonal Affective Disorder can be effectively treated also by the blue light.

Both types of lamps are recommended in SAD treatment, depending on the personal circumstances.