Get Happy…Light
Are you tired of all the grey outside? It’s not just the winter blues or postpartum from the holidays. It’s a real condition that is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, and is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. It generally starts after Daylight Savings, when the days get shorter and we get less sunshine, all the way through winter until spring. SAD is often classified as a mood disorder for those who exhibit good mental health throughout the year and then show signs of depression in the winter months.
It’s believed that hibernation behavior still is a part of our animal makeup and that in the winters long ago, there was low calorie intake and less reproduction occurring so it was harder to survive. Now with more scientific research being done, we have also found out that winter also changes your circadian rhythym due to the light difference, which can also alter your brain chemistry.
SAD can be very daunting to deal with and can seem to last what feels like forever.
And there are many symptoms that can pop up along the way for SAD:
However, one thing that you can do to help with this is phototherapy. It has been the most common antidote for those affected by SAD. Phototherapy (classically referred to as heliotherapy or light therapy) consists of exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light using light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps or very bright, full-spectrum light. The light is administered for a prescribed amount of time and,
in some cases, at a specific time of day.
And in the past, these light boxes and lamps looked very utilitarian…
But now you can find them with a modern twist so that they enhance not only your mood but the decor in your home…Check them out online, or locally at Gross Electric.
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