How light therapy helps seasonal depression

What’s in the Bright Light series

Light therapy is the best thing since sunshine.

While learning to build houses, harness electricity and sow crops has allowed humans to survive in harsh and changeable climates, we’ve lost one key to survival in the process — access to enough sunshine. Most of us live most of our modern lives indoors.Which means most of us are light deprived.

Fortunately for us, the technical skills that helped us create our civilized comforts also provide the answer — bright light therapy. With few side effects, light therapy helps 8 out of 10 people who use it properly to beat the blues and seasonal depression.

In a short amount of time — as few as a few days to about two weeks — your energy and zest will start to return. You’ll wake up more easily and the gray fog that shrouds your brain will disappear. You’ll sleep better and likely need less sleep. You’ll laugh more easily and won’t droop like an unwatered plant in the afternoon. Sex will sound like fun again.

I’ve written a series of articles to help you learn how light therapy helps seasonal depression.

Circadian rhythms rule

It’s all about circadian rhythms, those cyclical planetary vibes that control our personal body clocks. The first article in the Bright Light series gives you a snapshot of how an out-of-sync body clock means a miserable winter.

California, no?

While moving to a warm, sunny climate may be the answer for many winter blues sufferers, research shows that even people in pleasant climates don’t get enough light. The second article introduces the idea that most of us are light deprived.

Get light

For many people who suffer from seasonal depression, light therapy isn’t just a treatment, it’s a habit just like brushing your teeth. In the third article we discuss why you need a daily hit of bright light.

Early bird…

One of the most common reasons why light therapy isn’t as effective as it could be is because it has to happen during a particular window of time in the morning when your brain is most sensitive to light. Blame your body clock again. Fact is mama ain’t happy if her body clock ain’t happy. The fourth article explains your early morning energy trigger.

6 tips to decide

Theory and concepts aside, how do you determine the light box you need? The fifth article walks you through six specific tips.

Which color?

Almost home. The sixth and last article in the series explains the technology out there and give you the basics on the different kinds of light and light boxes.

Shop light therapy lights by brand

Now you’re ready to go shopping for a light box. The Light Therapy Lamp Guide gives you details and key information on the 13 top brands of light therapy lights, so you have the information to shop like an informed consumer. A light box is an investment in your health and should be a considered choice. You now get Your 8-Step Plan to Stopping the Winter Blues bundled with the Light Therapy Lamp Guide in the Winter Double.

Happy reading and happy shopping.

I’m glad to have you here and would love to have you tell me about your experiences in the comments. You can smile through winter.

Tagged as: Light Therapy