NEW Light Therapy System Seasonal Affective Disorder

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The Seasonal Affective Disorder And Tanning Salons

The Seasonal Affective Disorder And Tanning Salons

With the arrival of the cold season, besides cold-driven nuisance, some persons experience drawbacks regarding the general state, lack of energy and depression of unknown origin. It was scientifically ascertained that the lack of light favors the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, a hormone inducing sleep. That is why, during the cold seasons when days are shorter and the sunlight is scarce, we often feel sleepy or drowsy. Also, even during spring and summer, if the tendency is to keep most of the time indoors at home or at the office, the effect may be similar, though not as severe.

Well, if drowsiness were the only impact generated by season changes, things would be easier to solve (with a little coffee maybe!). The problem is that melatonin secretion is synchronized with the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is involved in several physiological processes such as temperature, blood-pressure regulation and in neuropsychological functions such as appetite, memory and mood. The two do not work together at the same time. When melatonin is secreted, serotonin production is inhibited. Lack of serotonin causes disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and reflects its effects on mood also, triggering depression in some persons.

Melatonin is active at night and serotonin is active in the daytime. Also, there is the age factor that contributes to the balance of the two chemicals: the secretion of melatonin decreases with age. There has been established that the link between serotonin and melatonin along with their dependence on the body clock may explain the depression experienced by the people suffering from the disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD. Depression, sleep problems, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, irritability, stress, headaches are some of the symptoms that may appear when we suffer from SAD.

The problem is primarily caused by the lack of sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that sunlight favors increase in serotonin levels and favors vitamin D accumulation. Besides having anti-osteoporotic, immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antipsoriatic, antioxidant properties, vitamin D is also a mood-modulator.

UV rays exposure favors vitamin D synthesis in the skin. That is why persons who go to tanning salons have noticed mood improvement and keep the habit in order to maintain the state of well-being. However, it is common knowledge that the effects of the UV exposure are not always the most desirable ones. If going to tanning salons becomes a habit, then recurrent, prolonged UV exposure may result in consequences such as premature skin aging and eventually skin cancer.

Light therapy represents a way to treat SAD. Light operates on the body in two ways: through skin impact or by entering your eyes. Only UV light has effects on the skin, while the light that has effects by entering your eyes needs not be UV, it just has to be bright.  Its energizing effect comes from the fact that it stimulates the production of serotonin. The simplest way to get enough bright light is to spend an hour a day or more outdoors, where the light levels range from 1,000 to 50,000 lux or more, compared to room lighting, which is about 50-200 lux.

If your schedule or the weather does not permit it, an alternative is to purchase a light therapy device. For optimum effects, the light source either has to be very bright - 5,000 lux or more - or it has to be in a particular spectrum - around 460 nanometers, which is in the blue range. According to new research, blue range light will provide benefits even if at a dimmer level. Most companies producing light bulbs make full spectrum lights that may successfully replace sunlight.

Yet, there are side effects that bright artificial light may induce, namely it may interfere with sleep (especially when exposure is made in the evening hours) or even trigger in some people a mania - condition called bipolar disorder (known as manic depression).

The safest remains the natural outdoor light, on condition that UV protection is used.

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Day-Light 10,000 Lux Sad (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

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NEW Light Therapy System Seasonal Affective Disorder

seasonal affective disorder light eBay auctions you should keep an eye on:

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Winter Blues, Revised Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Winter Blues, Revised Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder

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Winter isn’t a “wonderland” for everyone. Every year, millions of us feel our energy levels ebb and spirits fall as the days grow shorter. The condition is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and it can cause depression, reduce your productivity, and make it harder to control your appetite. In this no-nonsense, up-to-date survival kit for weathering the winter blues, Dr. Norman Rosenthal explains what causes seasonal mood swings and what you can do about them. A self-test allows you to evaluate your own level of SAD and helps you determine an appropriate plan of action. The book covers an expanded variety of methods proven to help you feel better--including new developments in light therapy, antidepressant medications, and break

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Philips HF3331 Golite Blu Energy Light with Universal Adaptor

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For individuals suffering from the seasonal mood disorder known as the "winter blues," the goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device from Philips offers natural, affordable relief. The goLITE BLU features the cutting-edge BlueWave light therapy technology, offering the most effective, natural treatment for winter blues and eliminating the need for artificial stimulants or drugs. And with its easy-to-use functionality and a lightweight, portable design, the goLITE Blu can go wherever you need it--at home, in the office, or on travels.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder and the Winter Blues

Seasonal Affective Disorder and the Winter Blues

This time of year is not the most pleasant for everyone. The cold weather, long nights and dark mornings makes many of us feel low but the ?winter blues’ can often be a sign of a physical problem that affects millions of people every year.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a genuine mood disorder that many people suffer from during the winter months. Symptoms of SAD vary, but commonly they are similar to other forms of depression, although often they may be quite mild and consist of: struggling to get up in the morning, overeating, lack of energy, mood swings, lack of concentration and disinterest in socializing.

And while some these symptoms may affect us all at some time of our lives, they can be an annual occurrence in sufferers of SAD.

These seasonal mood variations are believed to be light related. Light, as we know, is essential for human health. Not only does sunlight help us produce vitamin D but it also appears to affect our mood and internal rhythms – such as our body clock.

Evidence for light being the cause of this widespread winter blues is in the success light therapy has had in alleviating symptoms. Light therapy is when bright lights are used several times of day, especially in the early morning and evening when the natural light fails.

But normal light-bulbs do not produce the same type of light that daylight does. Our house lights are far too yellow and unnatural to help alleviate the symptoms of SAD. However, light bulbs that produce a more natural light, are produced and can go a long way to lift the depression that affects so many people during the winter months.

The natural daylight producing Biobulb

These natural light producing light bulbs give off three times the amount of natural light, or lumens, that conventional bulbs do. But this high output doesn’t mean they are not environmentally friendly.
These Biobulbs are only 25W and work in a similar fashion to energy saving light bulbs – lasting for over 10,000 hours.

And even if Seasonal Affective Disorder doesn’t affect you, having a natural light source can improve mood, prevent headaches and give a more natural, softer feeling to your home in the evening.

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Uplift Seasonal Affective Disorder Light Therapy Box

Seasonal Affective Disorder Light on eBay:

Uplift Technologies DL930 Day-Light SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

US $103.00 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 9:45:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $103.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Day-Light 10,000 Lux Sad (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

US $37.08 (4 Bids) End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 19:46:45 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

Lastest Seasonal Affective Disorder Light auctions

seasonal affective disorder light eBay auctions you should keep an eye on:

Uplift Technologies DL930 Day-Light SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

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Day-Light 10,000 Lux Sad (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

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Tips For Overcoming SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Tips For Overcoming SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Acupuncture for anxiety

Further information available on Acupuncture for depression

Depression can affect up to about 16% of the population of the United States, sometimes in a milder, sometimes in a more acute form different forms. Treatment is usually necessary in order to help the individual cope with ordinary life. Do you want to know why anxiety and depression can be healed with acupuncture? Do you know how a more active life can heal Seasonal Affective Disorder? If so please keep reading.

'Tis The Season For SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). If you or someone you know has been feeling moody, tired, depressed, anxious, and has the autumn blahs or winter blues, you or they could be experiencing SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). SAD is a type of anxiety, sadness or depression that occurs at the same time of the year on a recurring basis. Symptoms often begin in the fall as the daylight hours shorten (often in October or November) and continue into the winter months (ending in January or February). Less frequently, SAD can be experienced by some in the spring with the lengthening of daylight hours (around April) and continues through the summer.

Symptoms of Fall/Winter SAD may include the following:
- Feeling depressed, sad, anxious, moody, lacking energy
- Sleeping more and still feeling tired
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Craving for carbohydrates like pasta and bread
- Weight gain or loss
- Difficulty concentrating and processing information at work or school

Way to Control Your Panic Attacks

Stress and anxiety can be found in just about any person. Many people experience stress and anxiety so great that they can't do their day to day activities. There are some symptoms for daily panic attack such as trembling, dizziness, breathing problems, and stomach pain. There are lots of people that go to the emergency room because they think that they are having a heart attack. Indeed these are very scary symptoms but they however are not life threatening at all.

To help yourself in gaining control over your panic attacks you need to first recognize what the triggers are of the panic attacks. If you happen to do this then it will give you time to deal with them.

There are some relaxation methods that may help with staying focused and calm. Yoga, meditation, and some breathing techniques can help. When you have a panic attack you react out of proportion and out of reality. If breathing methods are practised you could remain calm and in focus, helping you stop a panic attack before it starts.

Diet pills, coffee, tea, soda and other intake of caffeine needs to be avoided at all means. Panic attacks are triggered from the central nervous system and caffeine stimulates it.

Factors that may be related to SAD:

- Your biological clock (circadian rhythm). Having less sunlight in fall and winter may confuse your body's internal clock, which signals when you should be awake or asleep. This disruption of your circadian rhythm may lead to feelings of depression.

- Melatonin levels. The change in season can disrupt the balance of the natural

hormone melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.

- Serotonin levels. Reduced levels of sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Too little serotonin can cause depression and anxiety.

Risk factors that may increase your risk of SAD include:

- Being female. Some studies show that SAD is diagnosed more often in women than in men, but that men may have more severe symptoms.

- Living far from the equator. SAD appears to be more common among people who live far north or south of the equator. This may be due to decreased sunlight during the winter and the longer days of summer.

- Family history/environment. Depression and anxiety syndromes (including SAD) can run in families. Genetics is believed to play a role in some and environmental factors also can be a huge factor. During fall and winter months there are more family gatherings due to holidays (Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas) and severe weather can cause more confinement of families indoors for extended periods of time. Family can be supportive and positive- or some family members can be negative and draining (Energy Vampires). We can buy into the negative energy of the people around us; or we can choose to transform the negativity and rise above it (this is what our Shift book series SHIFT: 12 Keys to Shift Your Life and Shift: A Woman's Guide to Transformation was designed to assist with).

Exercise needs to be a ritual. Exercise will release endorphins into your blood stream. These are hormones that help you reach an euphoric feeling, at also can be called a "runners high." Consistent exercise will help you stay focused, and also relaxed.

Hopefully with using these methods of ways to control your panic attacks you will be able to gain some sort of control over them.

Treatments for SAD:
1. Exercises For The Mind and Body:
Move! Walk, run, bike, or go to the gym. Practice yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Dance around the room in figure 8's, and/or wave your arms and move your hips in figure 8's. Do the '3 Thumps' every morning. Use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to tap for your symptoms of sadness or anxiety (watch our free EFT demonstration video if you need a refresher in the procedure or tapping points). Meditate or use guided imagery (our guided meditation CDs are designed to assist) to diminish sense of abandonment, powerlessness, feeling unlovable, fear of the unknown, heartache, guilt, shame, anger or resentment. Any physical activity should help move your energy (externally and internally) and the more often you get off the sofa or chair the better. Massage therapy or acupuncture to free stuck or excess energy in your meridians can also be helpful.

2. Light therapy:
In light therapy, also called phototherapy, you either go outside during bright daylight hours or sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box or full spectrum plant light, so that you're exposed to bright light that mimics sunlight. Artificial light therapy mimics outdoor light (must include a full spectrum of light) and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood by stimulating the pineal gland. This treatment is easy to use and seems to have few side effects. Dawn simulation is another light treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.
Certain hardware stores such as Lowes or Home Depot have full light spectrum lamps in the garden section. You don't have to spend a fortune... to feel or see the light.

3. Medications:

Some people with seasonal affective disorder benefit from treatment with antidepressants, especially if symptoms are severe. They include:

- Serotonin Specific Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Antidepressants. Antidepressants commonly used to treat seasonal affective disorder include paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), and escitalopram (Lexapro). SSRI medications address the symptoms of depression and anxiety with associated insomnia, excessive worry, and decreased appetite.

- Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (NRI) Antidepressants (Bupropion). An extended-release version of the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin SR or XL) may help prevent depressive episodes in people with a history of seasonal affective disorder. NRI medication is helpful for depressive symptoms with associated low energy level, poor motivation, and increased sleep.

- Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake (SNRI) Antidepressants. Medications in this class include venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR), (Cymbalta), and (Pristiq). SNRI medications address the symptoms of depression and anxiety with associated excessive worry, low energy level, and poor motivation.

4. Counseling:
Counseling (individual, marital or family) is another option to treat SAD. Psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral, insight-oriented, brief solution-oriented) can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that may be contributing to depression or anxiety. You can also learn healthy ways to cope with SAD and manage stress.

5. Nutritional and dietary supplements used to treat mild depression/anxiety or poor concentration/focus symptoms of SAD include:

- St. John's wort. This herb has traditionally been used to treat mild depression and anxiety. Be sure you are taking a pharmaceutical grade and that it does not conflict with medications you may be taking.

- SAMe. This is a synthetic form of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body. SAMe hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression in the United States. However, it is used in Europe as a prescription drug to treat depression.

- Melatonin. This natural hormone helps regulate mood. A change in the season may change the level of melatonin in your body. Some people try taking melatonin supplements, but discuss this with your health care provider first before doing so as it may be contraindicated with certain medications.

- Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been shown to relieve mild depression or anxiety symptoms in some studies. Sources of omega-3s include fatty, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Flaxseed, flax oil and walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, and small amounts are found in soybean and canola oils.

- Huperzine. Huperzine-A is a plant alkaloid derived from the Chinese club moss plant, Huperzia serrata (a member of the Lycopodium species). In China, huperzine extract has been used for centuries to treat various ailments such as swelling, fever and blood disorders. During the past few years, Huperzine has been studied extensively for its potential in treating dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. By reducing the activity of acetylcholinesterase, Huperzine A may help to reduce the breakdown of acetylcholine and may help preserve or even restore memory. While recent studies have shown that taking Huperzine A may help to relieve dementia symptoms and appears to enhance general mental functioning (poor concentration and focus) when it was taken consistently for as little as one month; more research is needed before Huperzine A can be recommended for either dementia or general memory improvement.

Additional tools and techniques (specific meditations, energy medicine techniques, qigong exercises, stress reduction tips, etc) for transforming SAD or other obstacles, situations or circumstances which might be causing you to feel 'stuck' can be found in our latest best-selling book titled Shift: A Woman's Guide to Transformation by Tracy Latz, M.D. and Marion Ross, Ph.D. (available on Amazon). In short, you do not have to silently suffer with SAD. It is important to know that SAD is a real, defined issue for a large number of people and that professional help is available and should be consulted if you become suicidal or consistently feel that life is not worth living. Severe depression should be taken seriously as it can be a life-threatening illness. Help is available if you find your self in a deep dark hole from which you cannot escape- contact your primary care physician, local mental health center, local hospital, therapist, psychiatrist, or pastoral counselor for further assistance.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad)

Few people look forward to the gray days and long, dreary nights of winter. In fact, most people feel better in the summer, when the days are longer, sunnier, and warmer. We get out more, exercise harder, and eat less. But for some people, the transition from summer to winter is much more than a slight disappointment. It is nothing short of a nightmare. For these individuals, the change in seasons signals a marked change in personality from happy and relaxed to depressed and tense. Getting out of bed in the morning becomes a major effort, food (especially carbohydrates) becomes a major attraction, depression looms constantly, concentrating becomes all but impossible, and irritability runs rampant. Then, just when they think life isn't worth living any more, spring comes along and they are suddenly back to their old selves again.

Until ten years ago, people suffering from this seasonal change in personality had no idea what was wrong with them. But then Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., author of Seasons of the Mind, made the connection between the shorter, darker days of winter and the onset of seasonal depression. He and his colleagues began studying this phenomenon and gave it the name seasonal affective disorder (SAD). As for what actually causes SAD, the experts aren't exactly sure. "Just what it is about the light deficiency that creates the low mood is the question. And while we don't have a final answer yet, we do have several theories," says David H. Avery, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, in Seattle. "One such theory suggests that there is a delay in the timing of the body clock in sad patients that causes their temperature minimum to occur at 6:00 A.M. rather than at the normal time of 3:00 A.M. As a result, they are attempting to wake up when physiologically it is the middle of the night," Avery says. "When we treat these people with bright light from 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 A.M., we not only improve their mood, we also see a shift in their temperature minimum to an earlier time. Using the light in the morning creates a phase advance," he adds.

Another theory is that the secretion of the hormone melatonin is responsible for the low mood and lack of energy. "It is known that the hibernation and reproductive cycles of animals are regulated by the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is only secreted in the dark and is very light sensitive," says Avery. "During the long summer days, melatonin secretion is markedly reduced because the nights are shorter. But during the long winter nights, melatonin secretion increases," he explains. "Human melatonin production is also responsive to light, but it takes much more light to stop that production than it does in animals," says Raymond Lam, M.D., a psychiatrist in the Mood Disorders Program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

"When melatonin is administered to normal individuals, it tends to lower their body temperature and cause drowsiness. So one initial thought about winter depression is that people who have it are secreting a lot of melatonin during the winter and not much during the summer," adds Avery. With this theory, the light therapy is thought to work because it shuts off the melatonin production. Still, these and other theories have yet to be proven. And sad can hit in varying degrees. In one study, 75 percent of the subjects had sought treatment for their depressions. "I have even had patients who have been hospitalized every winter," says Avery. Still, others say that they don't feel all that depressed, they simply have such low energy that they aren't able to accomplish the things they would like to accomplish. For most people with SAD, it takes two or three jays of bright sunshine to elicit a reversal of symptoms. And, consequently, a tip off that you may have it is if you find great relief in your symptoms when traveling toward the equator.

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