How Light Therapy for Depression Effectively Works
It can happen at any time of the year, but the cold, dark winter months often are met with an increase in depression symptoms.
Some signs and symptoms that may indicate you are suffering from depression include marked changes in sleeping patterns or appetite, a general feeling of hopelessness, an inability to control negative thoughts, difficulty concentrating and an unusually short temper.
If you find symptoms like these affect you specifically when the days are shorter, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Luckily, many of your SAD symptoms can be improved or conquered using light therapy for depression.
Light therapy for depression is a technique that was developed to combat SAD symptoms as recently as the early 1980s.
Until that time, the medical world did not embrace the possibility that changes in seasonal light exposure affected humans similarly to other species.
In 1981 the first patient treated with light therapy was exposed to four extra hours of light a day, two in the morning and two in the evening.
When the treatment was successful, the disorder was given the name SAD, and SAD sufferers are now using light therapy as the primary treatment for this disorder.
While your doctor can help you decide if and how much light therapy for depression is right for you, in the meantime consider what a patient of this therapy can expect.
Generally treatment begins in the early fall, when the days are just beginning to get shorter.
Each light box has different exposure levels, so your doctor can help you decide how long each session should be.
The typical patient will begin with 15 minute daily sessions, and work his or her way up to as much as 2 hours of treatment a day.
The key to successful treatment is consistency.
Set aside time each day to complete your session.
Skipping sessions may make the treatment less effective.
What can patients hope to achieve? When using light therapy for depression, a patient can expect many positive results.
While your SAD won't cure your condition, you will enjoy noticeable improvements in your symptoms.
Your energy levels will increase and you'll have a more positive outlook on life.
Work with your doctor to find the light box that's right for you, remember to use it consistently, don't skip treatments or stop them too soon, and always adhere to your doctor's other treatment guidelines.
With light therapy treatment a brighter day can lead to a lighter day.
Some signs and symptoms that may indicate you are suffering from depression include marked changes in sleeping patterns or appetite, a general feeling of hopelessness, an inability to control negative thoughts, difficulty concentrating and an unusually short temper.
If you find symptoms like these affect you specifically when the days are shorter, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Luckily, many of your SAD symptoms can be improved or conquered using light therapy for depression.
Light therapy for depression is a technique that was developed to combat SAD symptoms as recently as the early 1980s.
Until that time, the medical world did not embrace the possibility that changes in seasonal light exposure affected humans similarly to other species.
In 1981 the first patient treated with light therapy was exposed to four extra hours of light a day, two in the morning and two in the evening.
When the treatment was successful, the disorder was given the name SAD, and SAD sufferers are now using light therapy as the primary treatment for this disorder.
While your doctor can help you decide if and how much light therapy for depression is right for you, in the meantime consider what a patient of this therapy can expect.
Generally treatment begins in the early fall, when the days are just beginning to get shorter.
Each light box has different exposure levels, so your doctor can help you decide how long each session should be.
The typical patient will begin with 15 minute daily sessions, and work his or her way up to as much as 2 hours of treatment a day.
The key to successful treatment is consistency.
Set aside time each day to complete your session.
Skipping sessions may make the treatment less effective.
What can patients hope to achieve? When using light therapy for depression, a patient can expect many positive results.
While your SAD won't cure your condition, you will enjoy noticeable improvements in your symptoms.
Your energy levels will increase and you'll have a more positive outlook on life.
Work with your doctor to find the light box that's right for you, remember to use it consistently, don't skip treatments or stop them too soon, and always adhere to your doctor's other treatment guidelines.
With light therapy treatment a brighter day can lead to a lighter day.
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