Holiday Survival Handbook Covenant Behavioral Health

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Lighten Up!

Light Therapy -- Primary Treatment for SAD

Chilly temperatures that make your bones ache. Gray days. Holiday stress. Uneventful months that stretch on and on. Winter! Just the thought of it leaves some of us feeling gloomy.

These typical winter features contribute to the blues and cooped-up feelings many of us experience. For some people, however, these add to very real symptoms of a cyclical illness called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD, a form of depression, is the result of a physiological change in the brain chemistry that causes mood disturbances. Ten million (6%) Americans are estimated to suffer from SAD, with eight million of those being women.

SAD is caused by response to changes in environmental light, and the key indicator is seasonality. Symptoms usually appear in the fall and end in the spring. Some SAD sufferers are affected whenever there are several overcast days in a row, regardless of the season.

Beyond the typical winter gloomy feelings, people diagnosed with SAD experience symptoms of:

  • Decreased energy, fatigue, tiredness.
  • Depression.
  • Appetite changes, weight gain, craving for starchy foods.
  • Irritability, trouble concentrating.
  • Excessive sleep.
  • Reduction in sex drive.
  • Avoidance of social situations.

Help for SAD may be as simple as getting regular exposure to light. Peninsula psychiatrist Dr. Kris Houser recommends the establishment of a routine that insures adequate exposure to sunlight each day for individuals suffering from SAD.

"Bright light --natural sunlight is preferable -- in their surroundings is essential to people with SAD," Houser explains. "A routine involving regular outdoor exercise in the morning hours has helped many people."

In 75% of SAD-diagnosed patients, artificial bright light reverses symptoms within a week or two. Exposing patients to levels of artificial light five to 20 times brighter than normal indoor lighting, phototherapy, helps to relieve and correct the light deficiencies.

Winter vacations, stress management, medications, psychotherapy, and dietary approaches are also used to treat symptoms of SAD.

If you experience any of the symptoms listed above for an extended period of time, you may be suffering from more than just the "winter blahs." Consult your physician or a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Brighten Your Winter Mood

For persons suffering from SAD, or those just fighting the "winter blahs," these suggestions will make your winter happier and healthier:

  • Exercise -- preferably outdoors if weather permits.
  • Don't hibernate. Maintain social activities.
  • Eat a healthy diet.
  • Manage stress.
  • Take a winter vacation to a warm, sunny locale.
  • Brighten up your house. Open curtains, trim shrubs, decorate with bright colors, and let in the light.

The Holiday Survival Handbook is a publication of Covenant Behavioral Health's marketing and public relations department.
Writers/editors: Christy Newman and Nancy Mayes
Graphic design: David Smith of Shell, Smith & Associates


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