Illuminate Your Mood with Bright Light Therapy
Using a light therapy box can help with seasonal depression AND depression - even NOT related to seasonal changes.
When and How to Use Bright Light Therapy
Daily Exposure: Begin bright light therapy in the early morning, shortly after waking up, ideally within the first hour of waking and at the same time everyday.
Device: Use a 10,000 lux light box, a standard for therapy.
Positioning: Place the light box 40-80 cm (16-31 inches) away with eyes open. You can glance at the light box but avoid looking directly at the light.
Duration: Typically, start with 30 minutes/day. Experiment with shorter exposures if responding well. Some studies show benefit with use of 45-60 minutes per session. Response typically takes 1-3 weeks to see an effect.
Side Effects and Cautions
Mild Side Effects: Bright light therapy is well-tolerated, with mild and reversible side effects. The more common side effects include headaches and eye strain.
If you are prone to eye strains and headaches, you can try a small dose of light and slowly increase if well tolerated.
If you are not tolerating it well - see an alternative approach - Dawn simulation below.
Beyond SAD
Beyond Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), bright light therapy extends its efficacy to non-seasonal depression and circadian rhythm disorders like Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. It proves beneficial in managing sleep patterns disrupted by conditions such as non-seasonal depression and addressing the challenges of sleeping outside the normal pattern, such as difficulty falling asleep before midnight and trouble waking in the morning.
Dawn Simulation: An Alternative Approach
A different form of light therapy that is administered during the final hours of sleep, which uses less intense light than bright light therapy. The device is set to utilize a low level of light in the early morning, prior to waking which gradually increases in intensity to room light level. Some patients prefer this method especially if they have side effects from the bright light. You can also do both, offering a light environment during winter that closely mimics the ambiance of a summer morning, gradually increasing in intensity to simulate the natural brightness associated with sunrise.
Make it part of your morning routine
Grab your coffee / tea and breakfast and set yourself up for a better day, mood and sleep = triple whammy!!
References
Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder.
Bright Light Treatment of Winter Depression: A Placebo-Controlled Trial
Circadian Time of Morning Light in Winter Depression
Bright light therapy in depression