The winter season may bring a festive mood to many people as this means that Christmas is just around the corner.Some individuals feel the opposite emotions when winter comes.The chilly weather puts them into a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD, or sometimes known as the winter blues.

Lack of sunlight during the winter affects the hormone in our bodies called melatonin, which is responsible for our sleeping pattern, and this causes the mood disorder called seasonal affective disorder.The diagnosis is based on the symptoms, which may include mild to severe depression, loss of energy, extreme change in appetite, difficulty in sleeping, sudden irrational fears, refusal to interact with other people, inability to focus, and tendency to overeat.

Exposure to as much sunlight as possible is one of the things people experiencing winter blues should get.However, for those who don't have the luxury of time or sunlight, one of the most recommended treatment methods is light therapy.Various models of light therapy lamps are available in the market, especially those that can be used at home.

Light therapy lamps are light boxes consisting of fluorescent bulbs in a box covered in diffusing screens, and emitting at least 2,500 lux.Some boxes are designed to cast out as much as 10,000 lux, and use of such light boxes entails less exposure time for patients.Exposure time in the light depends on the intensity of the light box and how far the patient sits from it.

Depending on the prescription of his physician, a winter blues patient simply sits under the light box for a specific period of time.Psychiatric evaluation is recommended before going through treatment as that will help his physician determine the severity of his depression and the amount of light he needs.Light therapy should be done religiously on a regular basis for the patient to feel its positive effects.

While light therapy is perfectly safe when used according to the physician's instructions, the winter blues patient may experience some side effects.Chronic anxiousness, headache, nausea and eyestrain, especially at the beginning of the treatment process, are among these side effects.Irritability, difficulty in sleeping, fatigue, agitation, and other mild irritations are some of the most common long-term side effects of light therapy.However, these side effects clear up in just a few days.