The Effective Use of Light Box against Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

More and more people are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Probably because in the past, this problem is simply brushed aside as winter blues or just plain mood swings.  But due to advances in clinical research, more people are becoming aware of what SAD is.

Researchers believe that more than 35 million Americans are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.  But this could be just the tip of an iceberg because some people dismiss SAD as just common depression problem.  It has been found out that majority of those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder are women and the incidence of the problem is more pronounced in colder regions.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by sever depression, unexplainable mood swings, easy fatigability, attacks of anxiety, and unstoppable craving for starchy foods and carbohydrates.  It usually affects normal social life and behavior because SAD victims shun social functions. They usually withdraw from friends and family preferring to be alone to nurse their depression.  It severely affects performance in school and lowers productivity at work because of increasing lack of concentration.

If you fit in with this profile, you better seek the advice of your health therapist or physician.  There are many solutions against Seasonal Affective Disorder but none can match the effectiveness of Light Box therapy.  Because SAD is caused by the diminishing day light due to seasonal shift, light therapy provides SAD sufferers with intense artificial light that can approximate regular day light.  It could correct the problem in a matter of days or weeks if the disorder is serious.

To maximize the benefits of Light Box, it should be used properly and consistently.  Improper use of the Light Box device could render it useless against Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Here are the correct steps in using Light Box devices for your light therapy.

1.  Light Box devices emit 10,000 lux of illumination.  Looking directly at it could damage your vision.  To be effective, you must look indirectly to the source of light.  This will allow light from the device to enter your eyes directly without damaging your vision.

2. As much as possible, position your Light Box device at sitting distance.  The full effect of the Light Box is at its best if it is positioned two feet away from your head.  Too much distance would diffuse the beneficial effect of light and lessen its performance while being too near could be uncomfortable and may affect your eyes.

3.  The intensity of light emitted by your Light Box device should not fall below 10,000 lux.  So when you buy a Light Box, be sure to check its lux measure specification.  You need not worry about UV rays because Light Box bulbs protected by plastic screen that could block harmful UV ray.

4.  The length or duration of your Light Box therapy will depend on the intensity of light emitted by the device.  If you have a Light Box that has 10,000 lux illumination, a 30-minute session would be enough.  However, if your Light Box device only has 2500 lux, therapy should last for at last one and half to two hours.

5.  The most important thing during Light Box therapy is regularity and consistency.  You must undergo daily Light Box therapy at fixed schedules or sessions.  It would not work if you use your Light Box erratically at different time periods.  If therapy is irregular, you will not solve your Seasonal Affective Disorder.

6.  It is best recommended to use the Light Box device and conduct therapy session in the early morning right after you wake up.  The session can rejuvenate you and give you enough energy for the whole day. 

Regular and correct usage of Light Box devices could solve Seasonal Affective Disorder.  You can be free from SAD in a matter of days if you use Light Box correctly.