Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) was first introduced in 1984; however, its roots can be traced back to ancient civilizations that noted the impact of sunlight on mental health. In 500 BCE, Hippocrates, often regarded as ‘the Father of Medicine,’ observed the seasonal changes in human health. In fact, as far back as 1800 years ago, Roman physicians used sunlight exposure to the eyes to treat depression and lethargy. In modern times, due to industrialisation and indoor lifestyles, many of us may be suffering the effects of desensitisation from natural light and its impact on circadian rhythm disruptions, hormonal changes, and neurotransmitter fluctuations.
The Biochemical effects of SAD
The Circadian rhythm can be thought of as our internal body clock. Just as our environment transforms depending on the presence or absence of sunlight, so does our body cycle between various states of being. Daylight stimulates the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that is critical for mood stabilization, alertness, and motivation. As our environment enters darkness, our body responds by producing melatonin, overriding the effects of serotonin and initiating an internal wind-down to allow us to sleep. Both serotonin and melatonin are crucial for maintaining a regular sleep/wake pattern and keeping our body clock in sync. But, when the days become shorter and our exposure to sunlight is reduced, there can be an overproduction of melatonin, resulting in feelings of lethargy, sluggishness, and depression. This is what we call seasonal affective disorder.
Therapies
Much of the same treatment used for depression is offered for those with SAD – these include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and lifestyle adjustments. However, considering the cause of this condition, there is one therapy that I would like to focus on, and that is light therapy (phototherapy).
Light therapy involves exposure to bright, artificial light for a short time every morning, which mimics sunlight and helps regulate melatonin while boosting serotonin, thus reducing the effects of SAD.
My experience with Phototherapy
Feeling blue on grey, cloudy days seems completely normal – but it took me years to realize how significantly I was impacted by a lack of direct sunlight. Living in the UK, I noticed that my mood and levels of motivation would peak through the spring and summer months, only to take a tumble during the darker months of winter. In February of last year, I noticed that my mood would constantly fluctuate and my sleep was frequently broken and reduced. I felt helpless and wondered if I might have an underlying mental health disorder. I had been aware of occasional dips in my mood for many years, but would always ride them out. It wasn’t until my wife (fiancée at the time) expressed how troubling it was to see me struggle with these fluctuations in mood that I decided to seek a referral to mental health services. I paid for weekly therapy and waited to be seen by a specialist. The months went by and my referral seemingly got lost in the ether. As summer approached, I noticed my mood had improved. I stopped going to therapy and didn’t think to chase my referral – I felt as though I didn’t need it. However, as November approached, I experienced my first dip.
Over the next couple of months, I became increasingly restless. Life became a mundane and dreary routine of going to work and coming home in the dark. My wife explained to me that despite living with me, she missed me. She felt that I hadn’t been myself throughout the winter months and wanted so badly for me to return to my usual, happy self. We took a trip to Malaysia last month in January, and the bright sunlight brought me back to life. Within a couple of days, I felt present, happy, and motivated. Thoughts and concerns that I’d had prior to leaving for our trip now felt pointless and not worth dwelling on. I realized how much of a contrast this was to the person I’d left behind in cloudy UK.
We returned, and I promptly began researching SAD. It brought me to phototherapy and the need for specialist lamps that emit light at 10,000 lux brightness in order to mimic sunlight. I ordered the Lumie Vitamin L lamp from Amazon for £99. The morning after it arrived, I plugged it in and placed it on a counter next to my sofa. The instructions suggest using it 20cm away in order to receive the full 10,000 lux of light required for treatment for 30 minutes. I positioned the light so that it entered my eyes from my periphery, just as sunlight would, and carried on with my morning routine. On day 1, I noticed the benefits within a few hours. I was alert, motivated, and ready to begin my day. I felt this may have been a placebo effect and tempered my expectations. However, day 2 had the same impact. Not only did I feel alert, but the effects carried on throughout my day. I felt more present, patient, and less distracted.
Light therapy has been an absolute game changer for me. I once thought I was destined to continually struggle during the winter months and would simply need to ride through them to get to the better parts of the year. However, with my new Lumie light, I’m able to remedy the effects of the lack of environmental sunshine in this small form factor from the comfort of my living room.
Lumenza 
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