- Light Therapy Helps Lift SAD Symptoms - Anxiety Cure
Light therapy is well known these days as being an effective form of treatment for those suffering from the condition known as seasonal affective disorder, commonly referred to as SAD. However, while a light box is very easy to find it is not simply a case of just plugging it in at anytime of the day or night. In order for light therapy to be effective, it has to be used at specific times of the year and day.
What Time of Year Should Light Therapy Be Used?
Light therapy is most effective for treating sufferers of seasonal affective disorder during the darker, winter months on a daily basis, as these months have the shortest days and thus contain the least amount of daylight hours in the year. However, some research studies have identified that there are benefits of starting light therapy much earlier than was previously recommended.
Rather than waiting until the clocks go back an hour in late October, some evidence has suggested that starting as early as August may help some sufferers of seasonal affective disorder. Further research has also indicated that if one begins light therapy treatment very early on in the year, symptoms may even be completely eliminated, resulting in the sufferer being able to enjoy a winter totally free of SAD-related symptoms.
What Time of Day Should Light Therapy Be Used?
Again, the time of day just as the time of year where light therapy usage is most effective for SAD sufferers will typically depend on the individual concerned. Most evidence overwhelmingly indicates that early morning is the best time of the day for light therapy. There are some forms of light therapy boxes which work with a setting that provides a gradual increase in light intensity over a set period of time until the alarm is activated. This is very effective as it mimics the way that sunlight helps one wake up during the brighter summer months.
Many SAD sufferers use the light box for an hour or two from around 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and then again in the late afternoon. However, despite the usage in the evening usually causing most sufferers to have great difficulty in trying to get to sleep. There are some SAD sufferers who report benefits from using the light box, even before bed, though this is definitely the exception to the rule.
Clearly, it is a case of horses for courses with different SAD sufferers benefiting from using a light box to help them at different times of the year and at various times of the day. Although some research has been proven the effectiveness of light therapy in treating SAD it is important to understand that this is not always the case for every individual.
Source:
Marshall, F. & Cheevers, P. (2002) Coping With SAD London: Sheldon Press.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
