Executive Summary
"Winter Blues" "Seasonal Depression" Seasonal Affective Disorder"
Phrases all of us have heard, but what do they really mean? Do you suffer from any of them or all of them?Recent studies have indicated that one in ten people suffer from them. This means there is a high probability that you feel at least one or all of the symptoms at the same time each year. Seasonal affective disorder is a mood disorder characterized by recurrent depressive episodes that occur with changes of season. Although recurrent spring-summer depressions have been documented and may be classified as SAD, the most common form of the disorder involves onset of depression in the late fall or early winter with remission in the spring or summer. Patients who suffer from SAD can have one or all of the following symptoms: Depression, fatigue, increased sleep, increased appetite, or weight gain. Winter pattern SAD is the focus of the majority of the light therapy studies. Since it is believed that SAD is associated with decreases in light exposure during the fall and winter seasons, light therapy has been recommended as the first-line treatment for SAD. The most commonly used and studied form of light therapy involves the use of a light that administers bright light during a particular time of day, usually in the morning but sometimes in the evening.
In light therapy research it is reommended that people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder should be exposed to 10,000 lux of light for two to four hours a day. The product I have presented, The Natural Sunlight Lamp, simulates this bright light. It may be used as a lamp or as an alarm clock. It emits high intensity light which simulats natural sunlight. Program it to be used as an alarm clock, it will wake you gently to gradual, brightening light. Use it as a lamp and it will provide light comparable to that outdoors.
The technology of light therapy is relatively new. Research is still continuing. Light therapy has been found to help enhance our energy level, make us more productive, and make us happier. Normally people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder find that once they start using light therapy as a form of treatment, they see results in 2-4 days. If an improvement has not been made in that time, it is possible the person may need to sit closer to the light or use the light for a longer duration of time. Researchers are finding that light therapy is beneficial in treating other disorders such as PMS, Jet Lag, Non Seasonal Depression, and Eating Disorders.
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