Seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD, can make the darker, winter months of the year a really miserable time for sufferers. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to help chase away the darkness with SAD gadgets to lighten up your day.
Best SAD Gadgets
In addition to getting plenty of exercise during daylight hours and making the most of sunny days, eating a diet rich in tryptophan can help minimise symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder. While medication, such as antidepressants may also help, a light box is possibly the single most important treatment. Here are some examples of SAD gadgets available online, making the winter a less depressing time of year:
- dawn simulator (simulates sunrise)
- BLU energy SAD light
- portable stimulated daylight box
- Lumie desk lamp
- energy saving daylight bulbs
- 2 in 1 light box and dawn simulator
- Mesa 160 mega bright SAD light box with dimmer
- full spectrum daylight craft-light
- Visor Solarmax portable light therapy
- Qunicom Lightsleeper
- SUNNY SAD table lamp
- KUBO SAD Lamp
- BLUE light SAD light therapy
- Aurora SAD mega light box
- Diamond Light Box floor stand
- Diamond Light Box wall bracket
- Physio-light light treatment (treats three people at a time)
- Innosol Bright Bag SAD light
Tips for Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder
A great idea for helping seasonal affective disorder sufferers involves taking a winter sun vacation and with many cheap deals to the Canary Islands, this does not have to be as expensive as it sounds. For those unable to take a holiday, here are some practical tips suggested by Courteney et al. (2011) for relieving some of the symptoms related to SAD:
- reduce intake of stimulants, sugary, starchy-based foods
- eat more serotonin producing foods - bananas, turkey, chicken, cheese
- drink organic milk
- discuss taking St. John's Wort with your doctor
- take vitamin B complex, magnesium, zinc supplements
If symptom either persist or worsen, despite trying alternative treatments, it is important to seek medical advice from your family doctor. Sometimes, simply taking a short-term course of antidepressants can make a huge difference to daily life, making it easier to function during the months when SAD symptoms are at there worst. Regular exercise is another helpful way to improve mood, especially when taken outside during daylight hours.
As highlighted above, suffers of seasonal affective disorder need not suffer in silence. There are now a wide range of SAD gadgets available online, from dawn simulators to BLU light boxes to portable lamps and visors. In addition, a combination of exercise and eating foods rich in tryptophan may greatly improve the daily lives of those suffering from the condition.
Sources:
Courteney et al. (2011) 500 of the Most Important Health Tips You'll Ever Need London: Cico Books
SAD UK
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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