If your circadian rhythm is out of sync you may be suffering from SAD. Find out how to reset your internal clock with the use of light therapy!

How SAD affects the Body’s Internal Clock

SAD or winter depression often impacts the body’s internal clock or one’s circadian rhythm, which can also be affected by the amount of sunlight that a person receives. That’s because an insufficient amount of solar light often results in an overproduction of the melatonin – a chemical which, when manufactured to excess, can result in depression.

Light therapy then is often recommended for treating SAD in an attempt to beat the winter blues. Research has shown that when SAD sufferers use a lightbox on a daily basis, their winter depression starts to subside, often with a total remission of the symptomatology.

Side Effects of Light Therapy

In some instances, users of lightboxes can experience some side effects, albeit mild. Some of the symptoms may include nausea, headache, or eyestrain. However, these types of ailments often go away once the user adjusts the light’s exposure to best meet his needs.

Using a Light Box can Normalize your Internal Clock as Well as Beat the Winter Blues

Therefore, consistent exposure to a lightbox can assist you in overcoming certain sleep disturbances that are related to a depression disorder. For example, circadian rhythm sleep problems are either of the extrinsic type (such as disrupted sleeping patterns resulting from varying work schedules) or the intrinsic kind – where sleep is delayed or irregular sleeping problems develop, such as napping during the day or staying awake at night.

Readjust your Internal Clock

Because the winter blues can disrupt the body clock or circadian rhythm, light therapy is a good way to ultimately regain a regular pattern of slumber again and overcome the symptoms of winter depression, such as irritability, negativity, lethargy, and apathy. When you buy a lightbox then, you want to find a device that is known to be a well-regarded brand.

Recommendations for Use

To obtain optimum results, patients should look at the light (not stare at it) for about 30 minutes to two hours each day, depending on the amount of illumination that is emitted. Some people place the lightboxes on their desks at work while others take them to the gym when they work out, say, on the treadmill. As long as they are used daily, light boxes can help you beat the winter blues as well as insomnia.

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