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SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER - S.A.D. (WINTER DEPRESSION) |
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 The long nights and dull days of winter can cause some
people to experience feelings of low mood; this is called
‘seasonal affective disorder’ or ‘winter
depression’.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I MAY BE SUFFERING FROM S.A.D. ?
Seasonal affective disorder is typically characterised
by the following symptoms :
• Depression (low mood) - feeling miserable,
guilty, despairing
• Tiredness (lethargy / fatigue)
• Sleep problems - inability to wake up and feel
alert
• Overeating - craving sweet foods and carbohydrates
(bread, potatoes, etc)
• Weight gain - from overeating
• Loss of sexual interest
• Desire to avoid social contact
• Anxiety - feeling tense and stressed
WHAT CAUSES S.A.D. ?
Seasonal affective disorder is believed to be caused
by an imbalance in the production of melatonin, a chemical
(called a hormone) that affects the area of the brain
that triggers sleep. Production of this ‘sleep
hormone’ is usually ‘turned off’ in
the morning in response to increased light levels, and ‘turned on’ again at night. The melatonin
levels of people with seasonal affective disorder do
not fall in the morning, and as a result, they continue
to feel very tired and sleepy all day.
The main treatment for seasonal affective disorder
is bright light therapy, such as BIOPTRON Light Therapy.
The increased light levels experienced during BIOPTRON
treatments are believed to cause a reduction in melatonin
production and, thus, reduce the desire to sleep during
the daytime. Conventional light boxes supply a dose
of 10,000 light units (called a lux) and daily treatment
periods of app. 30 minutes are considered effective.
The light intensity generated by BIOPTRON Light Therapy
devices are :
Bioptron Model Light Intensity (Light Units - Lux)
BIOPTRON Compact II 10,000 to 22,000 lux
BIOPTRON Pro 1 10,000 to 20,000 lux
BIOPTRON 2 13,000 to 14,000 lux
For comparison, indoor light is around 500 lux, outdoor
light (a cloudy day) is up to 5,000 lux and midday summer
sunlight can reach at least 50,000 lux.
HOW DO I USE BIOPTRON LIGHT THERAPY IF I HAVE S.A.D.
?
It’s very simple. The patient should place the
BIOPTRON device on a table or desk, turn it on and then
sit at a distance of 60 – 90 cm (2 – 3 ft)
facing the light for about 30 minutes per day. It is
not necessary to look directly at the light. The patient
can carry out normal activities, such as watching TV,
reading, knitting, etc, while enjoying BIOPTRON Light
Therapy. Continue to use BIOPTRON for as many days as
symptoms persist.
BIOPTRON Light Therapy is completely safe to use and
is ideal for the effective treatment of seasonal affective
disorder.
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