Light boxes for SAD – the primary peculiarities

Nowadays, there are a lot of people with a seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Such people feel deeply depressed, anxious, and frustrated in winter. However, as soon as spring comes, the symptoms of the disorder are over. Although the symptoms of the disorder are temporary, such people require therapies that would simplify their daily life during the winter period. The disorder affects people that live in cold countries oftener than people who live near equator. People of 20-30 years old are usually affected by the disease. However, there are exceptions and people of different age categories can suffer from SAD. Researchers have proved that women suffer from SAD oftener than men. The causes of SAD are very diverse: environmental changes, genetic inheritance, changes in the balance of brain chemicals, and changes in the balance of hormones.

The symptoms of the disorder are very diverse. The most common of them are the following ones:

• Necessity to eat much food full of vitamins.
• Difficulty in walking.
• The desire to be alone and isolated from society.
• Non-desire to communicate to family members or close friends.
• Necessity to sleep much.
• Increased appetite.
• Problems with concentrating on something.
• Difficulty to memorize and reproduce some information, and this list can be prolonged.

People with a seasonal affective disorder need to be provided with effective therapies to reduce the negative effects of the disorder. The most common methods of treatment are the following ones:

• Light boxes for SAD. Researchers believe that light therapy helps to reduce the symptoms of SAD. A light box is not big – it is approximately as big as paper of A4 format. Everything people need to do is to sit in front of the box for 10-15 minutes every day for a particular period of time. It is not obligatory to look at the light box directly. You can read, listen to music, knit, or occupy yourself with other things during the therapy. Specialists recommend having the therapy early in the morning, because it brings the most effective results during this part of a day. People who suffer from the analyzed disorder should start using a SAD light box long before the symptoms occur. In this case, they have greater chances to reduce the disorder symptoms. In case people do not have such an opportunity, they are recommended to start using a SAD light box as soon as the first symptoms appear.
• SAD light bulbs. Light bulbs can be used if people have soft symptoms of the disorder. In case people have severe symptoms of the disease, they should not use light bulbs. The reason for it is clear: SAD light bulbs have only 200-500 lux, which is not enough for the treatment of the symptoms.

To conclude, I must admit that if any of your family members, close friends, or you personally suffer from seasonal affective disorder, take the following tips into consideration and you will be able to provide effective help any time and under any circumstances.