Written by: Zeenat Hatami
Edited by: Tiffany Ang
Seasonal affective disorder is a recurrent major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern that occurs at the same time during the year, usually during the fall or winter season. As colder months descend, many individuals with SAD find themselves dealing with a depressed mood, changes in appetite, and feelings of lethargy. Although there is no direct cause to this disorder, the fewer hours of sunlight and shorter days associated with winter are associated with dysfunctional serotonin, melatonin production, and a disrupted circadian rhythm. One common treatment for SAD is light therapy, or phototherapy, which involves exposure to artificial light to mimic outdoor light for specific time intervals, and serves to be effective in treating SAD.
Light therapy is carried out by sitting in front of a light box during certain times of the day, such as when you wake up in the morning. Light exposure influences higher functioning areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating mood and cognition (Corliss, 2022). Furthermore, our bodies internal circadian rhythm also plays a role in seasonal affective disorder. Individuals with seasonal affective disorder have disrupted circadian rhythms from the diminishing levels of natural light exposure, which can cause hormonal imbalances and a low energy state. Light therapy aligns the previously disrupted circadian rhythm as receptors in the retina transmit information to the brain (Corliss, 2022). Individuals with seasonal affective disorder have shown to respond well to light therapy – and mood is shown to be improved after a week of light therapy – and is effective when combined with antidepressants as well (Corliss, 2022).
The study conducted by Virk et al. (2009) sheds further light on the effectiveness of bright light exposure and its effectiveness in reducing mood disturbances within the context of seasonal affective disorder. Bright light exposure in contrast to dim lights prevents the lowering of one’s mood, and also prevents mood disturbances such as depression or anger. After exposing the participants to bright light for different time intervals, these individuals then had to rate their moods. The main finding of this study suggested that exposure to bright light can immediately reduce depression scores after 20 to 40 minutes, and after 60 minutes, there are no additional benefits. This indicates that light therapy can be a very effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy can easily be adopted into one's daily routine, ensuring that affected individuals can easily have access to light therapy.
It’s important to recognize the impact of seasonal changes on mental health to address issues about seasonal affective disorder as the colder seasons come forth. Even if an individual is not diagnosed with SAD, the lack of sunlight and the shorter days can still impact mental health and bring about a melancholic mood. During the fall and winter seasons, exposure to natural, bright light can have significant improvements on one’s mood and energy levels. Engaging in activities that increase exposure to natural light such as taking walks, even on overcast days, can help one to combat the feelings of the “winter blues”.
References:
Corliss, J. (2022, October 28). Light therapy: Not just for seasonal depression? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/light-therapy-not-just-for-seasonal-depression-202210282840
Virk, G., Reeves, G., Rosenthal, N. E., Sher, L., & Postolache, T. T. (2009). Short exposure to light treatment improves depression scores in patients with seasonal affective disorder: A brief report. International Journal on Disability and Human Development : IJDHD, 8(3), 283–286. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2009.8-283
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