![]() The Psychological Impact of Quarantine and How to Reduce It: Rapid Review of the Evidence. ![]() Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, et al.Bright Light in Seasonal Affective Disorder: Treatment Effects and Subjective Preference. Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment: Choosing a Light Box.The Einstein Journal of Biology and Medicine. Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond. The organization advises against ingesting essential oils or using essential oil diffusers. The safest ways to use aromatherapy include body oils, aroma sticks, and jewelry made with absorbent materials to which you can apply essential oils, Johns Hopkins Medicine reports. Kalayjian says.Īnd although the evidence for aromatherapy may be limited, using essential oils could be a simple and safe way to improve mental well-being - particularly when paired with another soothing activity, like taking a bath or enjoying company by candlelight. When it comes to SAD in particular, essential oils could potentially influence the area of the brain that’s responsible for controlling moods and the body’s internal clock that influences sleep and appetite, Dr. That said, the authors of the review note that evidence of the mental health benefits of essential oils is limited, so it is too soon to draw conclusions about their usefulness. Be sure to talk with your doctor about whether a light therapy box is right for you.Īromatherapy - the use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes - may also help those with SAD.Ī review published in 2020 indicated that essential oils could potentially help lessen symptoms of depression and other psychological issues like anxiety and sleep problems. This is believed to result in a chemical change in your brain that boosts your mood and alleviates symptoms of SAD.Įxperts usually recommend using the light box within the first hour after you wake up in the morning.Īlthough often safe and effective, light therapy boxes are not regulated by the U.S. Typically, you’ll sit in front of the light box for about 20 to 30 minutes a day. The light from the therapy boxes is significantly brighter than that of regular light bulbs, and is provided in different wavelengths. One way to try bright light therapy is by using a light therapy box.Īlso known as phototherapy boxes, these devices give off light that mimics sunshine and can help in the management of SAD, according to the Mayo Clinic. To help manage SAD, here are a few options you might want to consider.īright light therapy - exposure to artificial light to help keep one’s circadian rhythm on track - is widely considered a first-line treatment option for SAD, according to a review published in 2017. “It is important to treat SAD, because all forms of depression limit people’s ability to live their lives to the fullest, to enjoy their families, and to function well at work,” says Deborah Pierce, MD, MPH, a family medicine specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. People with a family history or diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder may be particularly susceptible. Women and young adults are more likely to experience SAD, as are those who live farther away from the equator. And as many as 20 percent may have a mild form of it - often called the “ winter blues” - that starts when days get shorter and colder, the organization adds. RELATED: 11 Ways to Chase Away Warm-Weather Seasonal Depression How Common Is SAD?Ībout 4 to 6 percent of people in the United States have SAD, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy.Feelings of depression that happen most of the day, every day, in a seasonal pattern.Whatever the causes of one’s SAD may be, the signs and symptoms typically can include: Why do some people get SAD? Experts aren’t certain, but some think that those seasonal changes disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, the 24-hour clock that regulates how we function during sleeping and waking hours, causing us to feel energized and alert sometimes and drowsy at other times.Īnother theory is that the changing seasons disrupt hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin, which regulate sleep, mood, and feelings of well-being. If shorter days and shifts in weather zap your energy and make you feel blue, you’ve got classic symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - a form of depression triggered by changes in daylight and weather that occur primarily in the fall and winter.
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