Summer is already over, the days are getting shorter and shorter and the weather makes the usual walks in the park impossible. You feel tired and listless and are already longing for itfirst warm days of spring. The cause is one – lack of light. The consequences of the lack of light in autumn and winter can be treated with light therapy. A special light therapy lamp is used for this, which has a high illuminance and is similar to daylight. Light therapy can be used to relieve symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and treat problems such as sleep disorders, jet lag and dementia. You can read exactly how this works in our article!
What is light therapy and when is it used?
In the cold season, the daylight hours are significantly fewer than in summer, which has a negative effect on our organism. Fatigue and listlessness are the most common consequences of a lack of light. Insufficient daylight can also disrupt your hormonal balance. When we are exposed to light, the happiness hormone serotonin is produced in the body. When there is a lack of light, this is broken down into the sleep hormone melatonin, which leads to a feeling of tiredness. Furthermore, one canVitamin D Deficiencyare triggered, which makes you more susceptible to viruses and increases the risk of depression. In this case, treatment with a daylight lamp can help.
Light therapy involves exposing you to an artificial light source that is intended to mimic the function of normal daylight. Usually it is a type of light box that has a luminous intensity of at least 10,000 lux, which is twenty times more than the luminous intensity in enclosed spaces. For comparison, on a cloudy winter day this value is no more than 6000 lux.
Although light therapy is generally well tolerated, some side effects can occur. Some of them are:
- Eye pain
- Headache
- nausea
- Irritability or agitation
- Mania, euphoria, hyperactivity or restlessness associated with bipolar disorder
If these side effects appear, they are usually mild and do not last long. If necessary, talk to your doctor about whether you need to reduce the duration of light therapy treatment or perhaps use the daylight lamp at a different time of day. The distance to the lamp also plays an important role.
Use light therapy lamp for seasonal depression
Light therapy is typically used to treat depressive conditions caused by a lack of light. Theseasonal affective disorder(Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short) is a condition that is particularly common in northern countries. Since sunlight is very scarce in these areas, especially in the cold season, the so-called autumn or winter blues strike.
Common symptoms of SAD include:
- Feelings of depression that occur at the same time every year, usually in fall and winter, but in some cases also in summer
- A lack of energy, feeling tired and lethargic, sleeping more than usual
- Increased appetite, sometimes accompanied by weight gain
- Cravings for carbohydrate-rich and sugary foods
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating on normal daily tasks
- More severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Low libido
- Angstgefühle
Since therapy with daylight lamps is primarily used for...Combating winter depressionIf used, it is recommended to start in early autumn to prevent the symptoms from first appearing. According to Harvard University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, light therapy reduces the symptoms of SAD in 50 to 80 percent of sufferers.
This is important to consider when choosing a light therapy lamp
In order for light therapy to be truly effective, the right therapy device plays a crucial role. Since there is a large selection of SAD lamps on the market, you can quickly lose track. Here are some special features that you should definitely pay attention to.
Clinically tested– Choose a daylight lamp that provides data from peer-reviewed clinical studies. These should demonstrate their effectiveness in treating SAD symptoms.
Sufficient light intensity– If you sit at a comfortable distance from the daylight lamp, it should ideally provide you with 10,000 lux of illumination and no less. Avoid products that lack specifications or have not been verified.
Light therapy lamp with UV filter– The lamp you choose should have a smooth diffuser screen to filter out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and emit as little UV light as possible. This means that the skin is not damaged by UV radiation.
Minimize glare– To minimize glare, the light should be projected diagonally downwards onto the eyes.
Appropriate size– A larger light therapy lamp is better because even small head movements can take the eyes out of the therapeutic range of the light when a smaller version is used.
Use a daylight lamp correctly
Light therapy to treat seasonal affective disorder was previously only performed by psychiatric specialists. Today there is a large selection of daylight lamps available on the market, so you can carry out light therapy comfortably in your own home. There are a few things to take into account. The first thing you should do is get a good therapy lamp that meets all your requirements. Furthermore, the morning hours are the best time for light therapy, namely the time immediately after getting up. In this way, the day-night rhythm is updated and you get a good portion of daylight to start the day.
If you can't do it in the morning, you can also take a light shower in the afternoon, as you are usually a little sluggish at this time. The daylight lamp is mobile and can be used both at home and in the office. In the USA, such lamps are already available in many libraries. However, light therapy in the evening is not recommended at all. At this time the body does not need any new energy, but is prepared for a period of rest. A light shower in the evening can disrupt normal sleep patterns and lead to more sleep problems.
It is also important not to look directly at the light because this can cause inflammation in the eye. Instead, try doing something to stay busy and distracted from the light, such as: E.g. reading a book, watching TV or using your computer.
How long you use the daylight lamp per day depends on its light intensity. With the recommended output of 10,000 lux, 30 to 40 minutes a day is completely sufficient.
The distance to the daylight lamp also plays a role in the duration of the treatment. The following applies: the greater the distance, the longer the treatment. If the distance to the lamp is 20-25 centimeters, then 30 minutes per day is enough. At a greater distance of 50 to 70 centimeters, the daily duration of light therapy is increased to 2 hours.
And how often should you use a light therapy lamp? To achieve the desired effect, light therapy must be carried out every day for at least 14 days. If you start in the first gloomy days of autumn, you can avoid the winter blues completely.
Alternatives to daylight lamps
The best alternative to light therapy is of course to spend more time outdoors. Whether cycling, running or walking – natural light can work wonders. The morning hours are preferred for this.
In recent years, a number of alternatives to the usual light therapy lamp have been developed. One of them isa kind of glassesthat you wear on your head. However, this does not have lenses, but is located above the eyes and emits white-blue light. Another light therapy device is the Finnish-designed HumanCharger, which is designed to be a “charger” for people. It is similar to an MP3 player with in-ear headphones that send white light into the ear and thus into the light-sensitive areas of the brain instead of music.
Reduce or prevent SAD symptoms
In addition to light therapy, you can also take other steps to prevent seasonal affective disorder or minimize the severity of your symptoms:
- Increase your light exposure, especially in the fall and winter months. Increase the lighting in your home and, if possible, keep your curtains and blinds open to let in light. If the weather permits, spend a little time outside every day. Even a walk outdoors during your lunch break has a positive effect on your mood.
- Get regular exercise. Increasing daily physical activity may help relieve some feelings of depression. Walking or jogging outside every day can be particularly helpful because this also involves increased sun exposure.
- Try taking a vitamin D supplement. Although there are no conclusive studies on treating winter depression with vitamin D supplementation, some evidence suggests that increasing the amount of vitamin D in your diet may help prevent or relieve SAD. Always talk to your doctor before starting to take any supplements to avoid possible interactions with other medications you may be taking.
- Reduce your caffeine intake. Drink caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea only in the morning. Drinking caffeine later in the day can affect your ability to sleep well at night, and poor sleep can make feelings of depression worse.
References:
“Seasonal affective disorder”– Harvard Health Publishing
“Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond”– Philip D. Campbell, Ann M. Miller und Mary E. Woesner
