for proper treatment. Depression or lack of motivation to do anything, especially favorite activities, during certain times of the year is telltale signs of this disease. Light therapy for SAD will not hurt a person, therefore is considered a safe method of treatment even if the diagnosis is unclear. Even though most people encounter winter symptoms, summer symptoms are also considered part of this disease. Approximately 5% of the population has symptoms and is 4 times as likely in women than in men. Other than depression and lack of motivation, symptoms include the inability to concentrate, weight gain, increased sleep, and increased appetite. These are also early signs of depression, if the symptoms only last for a few months and recur every year; the diagnosis is for seasonal affective disorder. The cause of this disease is unknown, but percentages of affected people are greater the farther they are away from the equator. Professional diagnosis is not needed to acquire the equipment needed, however improper self-diagnosis can lead to poor results and possibly other health problems if a person has adverse affects to the box. Evaluating the balance in diet and the quality of food consumed can greatly affect a persons feelings toward life and the need for seasonal affective disorder light therapy. In addition, regular exercise, not matter how minimal, creates routine and increases blood flow throughout the body. Understanding personal triggers for this disease can aid in the recovery and management as well. Avoidance of all possible triggers is one way to aid the situation, but confrontation is the best if at all possible.
The use of illumination to aid in treating SAD has proven in studies to be more effective in the morning. Special alarm clocks are available which simulate the sunrise and have been found to be more effective that those using red lights. The whole process of simulating the sunrise takes between 60 and 90 minutes in order to gradually bring a person out of sleep which studies prove to be the best way to wake up. Not only does this method of light therapy for SAD prove to be physically effective, it also provides therapy while a person sleeps thus not taking away from a potentially busy day. Intensity, duration, and timing are the three key elements considered for the best prescription of this therapy. The higher the power of the box, the less time a person needs to use it. Drugs can also be administered to treat this problem, but the evidence of its effectiveness is inconclusive. Using drugs as treatment rather than seasonal effective disorder light therapy treats only the symptoms and not the underlying problem of the neurotransmitters in the brain that do not function well without daylight. This information should be considered when evaluating life circumstances in order to take proper inventory of such activities a person could possibly do without or change. Changing the position of an office chair or location of where work is generally done in order to increase light exposure will aid in decreasing a persons symptoms of SAD. In addition to implementing light therapy for SAD a person should make a genuine effort to exercise more to increase blood flow to the brain as well as better movement of positive, natural chemicals throughout the body. "If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct." (Ecclesiastes 10:10)
The winter blues should not be mistaken for diagnosis of this disease. While Season Affective Disorder is a fear of all public situations and the onset of depression, the winter blues is the dread of family gatherings specific to the persons life. Some of the same characteristics cross over into the other, but the bottom line is that the winter blues is more personal and SAD is more chemical. Light therapy for SAD consists of fluorescent light tubes that block ultraviolet rays. The time period for each session can be from 10-45 minutes respectively. A daily dose is commonly a total of 90 minutes a day. This routine should be practiced from late fall to early spring. Certain circumstances warrant a different approach at therapy including thoughts of suicide, antidepressants don't work, the patient doesn't want it, or the doctor decides it is not beneficial for a variety of reasons. Affects of are usually seen within 4 days of onset, but are not uncommon for results to take up to 6 weeks for significant benefit to show. Some side effects of seasonal affective disorder light therapy include sensitivity to the sun, headache, fatigue, irritability, hypomania, insomnia, and eye damage (if looking directly into the illumination of the box. In addition, people who take medications that react with the light or have an eye condition should not use seasonal affective disorder light therapy.
The use of illumination to aid in treating SAD has proven in studies to be more effective in the morning. Special alarm clocks are available which simulate the sunrise and have been found to be more effective that those using red lights. The whole process of simulating the sunrise takes between 60 and 90 minutes in order to gradually bring a person out of sleep which studies prove to be the best way to wake up. Not only does this method of light therapy for SAD prove to be physically effective, it also provides therapy while a person sleeps thus not taking away from a potentially busy day. Intensity, duration, and timing are the three key elements considered for the best prescription of this therapy. The higher the power of the box, the less time a person needs to use it. Drugs can also be administered to treat this problem, but the evidence of its effectiveness is inconclusive. Using drugs as treatment rather than seasonal effective disorder light therapy treats only the symptoms and not the underlying problem of the neurotransmitters in the brain that do not function well without daylight. This information should be considered when evaluating life circumstances in order to take proper inventory of such activities a person could possibly do without or change. Changing the position of an office chair or location of where work is generally done in order to increase light exposure will aid in decreasing a persons symptoms of SAD. In addition to implementing light therapy for SAD a person should make a genuine effort to exercise more to increase blood flow to the brain as well as better movement of positive, natural chemicals throughout the body. "If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct." (Ecclesiastes 10:10)
The winter blues should not be mistaken for diagnosis of this disease. While Season Affective Disorder is a fear of all public situations and the onset of depression, the winter blues is the dread of family gatherings specific to the persons life. Some of the same characteristics cross over into the other, but the bottom line is that the winter blues is more personal and SAD is more chemical. Light therapy for SAD consists of fluorescent light tubes that block ultraviolet rays. The time period for each session can be from 10-45 minutes respectively. A daily dose is commonly a total of 90 minutes a day. This routine should be practiced from late fall to early spring. Certain circumstances warrant a different approach at therapy including thoughts of suicide, antidepressants don't work, the patient doesn't want it, or the doctor decides it is not beneficial for a variety of reasons. Affects of are usually seen within 4 days of onset, but are not uncommon for results to take up to 6 weeks for significant benefit to show. Some side effects of seasonal affective disorder light therapy include sensitivity to the sun, headache, fatigue, irritability, hypomania, insomnia, and eye damage (if looking directly into the illumination of the box. In addition, people who take medications that react with the light or have an eye condition should not use seasonal affective disorder light therapy.
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