Shine a light on S.A.D.

As I write this post today, the weather outside is beautiful. It’s one of those warm and sunny days in October, the kind where I thought I would be pumpkin picking in a sweater and boots with a hot latte but end up sweating and looking as orange as my pumpkin in all my ‘fall’ photos. But despite these warm sunny gems that always pepper mid fall in Maryland, shorter days and colder temperatures are near.

Many people at this time of year develop something known as SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is the onset or worsening of depression symptoms that happen in a seasonal pattern, and typically include symptoms like increased sleep, increased appetite, carbohydrate craving, and weight gain.

SAD typically responds well to the same type of medications that are used to treat major depressive disorder. However, there are two non-medication treatments that offer significant improvement in symptoms, either on their own or when used along with anti-depressant medications: Light therapy and Dawn Stimulation.

Bright light therapy involves exposure to a 10,000 lux light for about 30 minutes a day, ideally in the early morning. Dawn stimulation starts with low lux level exposure during sleep, which gradually increases as you awake. Studies of these treatments show a significant improvement in SAD symptoms in about 60-65% of patients. Both of these treatments are very safe, though if you have eye conditions or take photosensitive medications (like doxycycline for example) then make sure you talk to your doctor before trying.

At SFP, I’m always happy to help patients explore evidenced based non-drug therapies to improve their health or treat their conditions. I plan to continue to highlight these strategies in this blog, so stay tuned, stay cozy, and light it up this winter!