Light treatment brings fast relief for SAD

By Neal Owens
    Worshiping the sun has been with us since the beginning of human life on earth. Light is an important source of energy and warmth and supports our spiritual and emotional needs.
   When Daylight Saving Time ended on Nov. 1, most people enjoyed having an extra hour to sleep, but for a large portion of the population the changing of the clock was not a welcome event.
   An estimated 25 million Americans notice significant changes in mood and behavior as the seasons change. Another 10 million are so seriously affected that they find it difficult or impossible to maintain normal lifestyles.
   Plagued by fatigue, lethargy, increased appetite, cravings for starches and sweets, weight gain, social withdrawal and feelings of depression, these people fit the criteria for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
   More than 20 years of clinical research supports the diagnosis of SAD – Bipolar or Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, with Seasonal Pattern, according to DSM-IV criteria. Those with milder symptoms are said to have “the winter blues,” also known as Subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD). Both conditions are caused by chemical changes in the brain triggered by lower light exposure.
   Exposure to light much brighter than typical indoor light is the most effective treatment for keeping symptoms at bay. The end of Daylight Savings Time is a turning point for people with SAD and S-SAD.
   Suddenly the sun sets early before many people make it home from work. As the days continue getting shorter people will start leaving for work in the dark and driving home in the dark. Winter weather will keep people indoors for much of the day, limiting their exposure to bright sunlight.
   A poll on www.weather.com asked: “Do you tend to feel depressed during dark winter days?” More than 76 percent of respondents said, “Yes, I’m definitely in a better mood when the sun is shining” while fewer than 23 percent said seasonal changes usually do not affect their moods.
   It has been established scientifically that light is a major synchronizer of the brain’s biological clock. Light deprivation in any form can cause serious problems for people. Bad weather, under-illuminated indoor environments or living in areas that are constantly cloudy are good examples. It is not a surprise to see light as a practical treatment for mood disorders. Research proves that morning light therapy can indeed help with depressive disorders.
   People with SAD can find fast relief – within three to five days – with fixtures specifically designed to produce light bright enough to reverse the process. Bright light devices signal a springtime sunrise to the brain with light 10 to 20 times brighter than indoor room lighting.
   With only one 15- to 30-minute session per day of 10,000 lux of white light, most people notice significant improvement that allows them to lead normal lives in the fall and winter months. Patients should continue to use bright light treatment at least until symptoms fully resolve but may be able to reduce the duration of daily treatment once response occurs. Clinicians should individualize the dose of light to balance treatment.
   Light can bring joy to patients and their clinicians as they see how fast symptoms improve.
   Resources for health professionals to learn more about bright light therapy include the work of two experts in the field:

• Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego was the pioneer who proposed and tested light therapy for non-seasonal depression. Now, more than 20 years later, there are adequately controlled long-term studies to support his predictions.



• Light is emerging as a broad-spectrum antidepressant with an effect equal to or better than medication. See his website – www.brightenyourlife.com – to learn more.



• Michael Terman, Ph.D., professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University heads the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and the Clinical Chronobiology Program at New York State Psychiatric Institute.



• Terman and colleagues just published a treatment manual for Chronotherapeutics for Affective Disorders. The manual integrates light therapy, wake therapy (sleep deprivation) and sleep phase advance as effective non-pharmacologic antidepressants. To order the manual go to www.cet.org.

 

 

------------

 

   Neal Owens is president of the SunBox Co. He was diagnosed with SAD in the early 1980s and developed the first therapeutic lightbox in conjunction with the NIMH. He founded the company to manufacture and sell lightboxes in 1985. Clinicians may get more information on a free loaner Lightbox by e-mailing to: info@sunbox.com Owens may be contacted by e-mail at: Sunbox@aol.com.

 

Subscribe here  

Home