Healthier you
If you’re struggling with the winter blues, a burst of light therapy might help
Feeling low and sluggish? It’s common at this time of year. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recognised condition experienced by around two million Brits *, with symptoms that include depression or anxiety, lethargy, plus disturbed sleeping and eating patterns. Exposure to bright light helps, but is a SAD lamp the answer if you can’t get outdoors? Here’s what to expect before parting with your cash.
1 YOUMIGHT FEEL HAPPIER
Natural sunlight influences the ‘happy hormones’ that make us feel positive – so it’s no surprise that the winter blues may strike during the darker months. ‘A session with a SAD lamp is the next best thing when daylight is in short supply and you notice your mood starting to dip,’ says Dr Victoria Revell, senior lecturer in translational sleep and circadian physiology at the University of Surrey. ‘Bright light therapy triggers the mood-lifting neurotransmitter serotonin, which will help you feel upbeat and energetic – similar to your outlook in the summer months when you’re exposed to enough sunlight.’
2 YOU’LL NEED A ROUTINE
A daily dose of light therapy gives the best results. ‘Place your SAD light at arm’s length and switch on for 30 minutes to an hour. This could be in one stretch or for several shorter bursts during the first part of your day,’ says Dr Revell. Squeezed for time? Sit closer to the device. ‘The light needs to reach your eyes, but the lamp is best positioned to one side so that your face is bathed in light, but you’re not staring at it.’
3 IT COULD REGULA
