Light Therapy for S.A.D.
The Counseling Center offers Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder to currently enrolled UW-Seattle Students. Please call (206) 543-1240 to schedule an intake appointment or for more information. There is currently no charge for light therapy services.
What is S.A.D.?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) is a pattern of seasonal
depression
experienced by otherwise healthy and happy people. Typically,
fall
and winter bring “down” feelings not explained by day to day
experiences.
It is estimated that as many as 20-30% of the population living at
latitudes
similar to Seattle's may experience at least some S.A.D. symptoms. The
most
typical symptoms of S.A.D. are:
Mood changes
- Increased sadness
- Higher irritability
- Greater anxiety
Appetite changes
- Increased appetite
- Craving of carbohydrates and sweets
Weight increases
Sleep and activity changes
- Increased sleep duration
- Lower quality of rest
- Daytime tiredness
Social and interpersonal strain
Menstrual difficulties
Mood lifts with onset of spring or movement toward equator
Because of the seasonal pattern and the fact that S.A.D. occurs more
frequently in northern latitudes, it is thought to be caused by the
body's reactions to reduced natural light. The mechanism mostly widely
thought to be responsible is altered production or uptake of serotonin
in the brain. Other possibilities include abnormally delayed circadian
rhythms, or abnormal patterns of melatonin secretions. Regardless of
the cause, photo (light) therapy has been widely demonstrated to be an
effective treatment for S.A.D.
How
do I use light therapy for S.A.D.?
Light therapy requires very bright light. The light box used in the
Counseling Center, produces 10,000-lux. This is approximately 20 times
brighter than normal room lighting. Since light intensity drops off
sharply with distance, it is best to sit near the light - about 23
inches away is optimal. Sit
with your eyes open. Exposure to other skin areas will have little or
no
positive effect. The light box sits at eye level on an angle to provide
the most comfortable and effective exposure without excessive glare.
Reading
at the desk, or just sitting in a chair facing the light about two feet
away is all that is necessary.
At this light level, 20-30 minutes a day is an appropriate
treatment. Most
persons who benefit from light therapy experience positive changes
within two days to two weeks of daily treatment. If symptoms do not
improve, increasing the treatment up to 45 minutes a day, or using
briefer periods twice a day, may be worth trying. Daily, or almost
daily, treatment is likely to have
the best effect. You may find it helpful to increase the length of
exposure
during the darkest winter months. Since symptoms may return after
cessation
of treatment, many S.A.D. sufferers find repeated treatment periods
during
the fall-winter season most effective. There is some research evidence
to
suggest that light exposure in early morning may be more effective than
afternoon
exposure. It is best to avoid exposure to bright lights in the late
evening
as this may shift the timing of your sleep period.
What
about side effects or dangers?
Though side effects are uncommon and generally mild, light therapy
users sometimes complain of irritability, eyestrain, headaches, dry
eyes or insomnia. Reducing the period of daily treatment or sitting
farther from the light will usually eliminate such effects. The light
box shields out most potentially harmful ultra-violet-B light.
Research to date has found no indication that exposure to light
therapy devices can harm the retina or in any way cause or accelerate
eye disease.
While no such side effects have yet been seen, if you have any
history of visual difficulties (apart from the need for ordinary
corrective lenses), be sure to consult with your eye doctor before
undertaking light therapy.
How
effective is light therapy for S.A.D.?
Most studies have shown that about 75% of S.A.D. sufferers
experience improvement
when using light therapy. Though results cannot be guaranteed, this is
a
high success rate compared to treatments available for other forms of
depression.
You can increase your chances of success by adding some of the
following
to your self-care plan:
- Take daily walks outdoors
- Set a timer to turn a light on early in your bedroom, or try a
dawn simulator for a more gradual artificial dawn
- Increase aerobic exercise, particularly under bright lighting
conditions
- Take opportunities to travel south during the winter season
- Take steps to manage your stress
- Consider counseling to help with self-esteem issues and stress
management
- Consider counseling or medication to manage other forms of
depression
Can light therapy help with other concerns?
Research on the use of light therapy for conditions other than
S.A.D. is
in its infancy, but some of the possible applications include the
resetting of delayed or advanced sleep phases (extreme “night owls” vs.
extreme “early birds”), as well as treatment of premenstrual syndrome,
jet lag, and seasonal insomnia. The light box is not a recommended
treatment for such concerns at this time.
Feelings of sadness, lethargy, and hopelessness are also symptoms of
other
forms of depression that do not necessarily lift with a change in
seasons.
Counseling and/or medication are still the most effective means of
combating
non-seasonal depression, but light therapy may be of moderate
assistance.
For this reason it is always wise to consult with a counselor to
determine
the most appropriate form of treatment before attempting
‘self-medication’
with light therapy or drugs.
There are no known negative effects of using light therapy in
conjunction
with counseling or medication, but some commonly used antidepressants
do
increase skin sensitivity to light. If this occurred, one would
want
to reduce either the length of light exposure or the light intensity
used.
Additional Resources
Barr, B.C. (2000). Banishing the blues of seasonal affective
disorder .
Rosenthal, N.E. (1998). Winter blues.
[]
