How to Use SAD Light Therapy

SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, is recurrent depressive or manic episodes during the onset of winter months. As the daylight wanes during summer months, depression usually sets in. SAD is not considered a mental disorder, nor discussed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but it is believed to occur. And its status may change over time, allowing it to be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM. However, there are treatments available to those affected by SAD.

Things You'll Need

• SAD light box
• Doctor consultation

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Instructions

• 1

  Begin your seasonal affective disorder (SAD) treatment in early the fall when your symptoms of SAD begin. This treatment will continue until spring to ensure you can sustain a good mood and higher energy. This mood improvement and higher energy will return again naturally with the onset of spring. During spring, most patients no longer need SAD light therapy. Of course, some people experience SAD during the summer if there is a heavy rainfall, gloominess and dark clouds for several days. Patients may use their light box during these times.

• 2

  Sit and work next to a light therapy box. The light must enter your eyes indirectly. This means that you should not look directly at the box; it may cause eye damage. But, your eyes must be open and be exposed to the light for optimum effect. Light therapy sessions usually begin as soon as the patient awakes. Some light boxes are dawn simulators, meaning that they turn on automatically in the morning and begin to brighten until you wake up.

• 3

  Begin your light therapy session for fifteen minutes blocks of exposure. As your treatment advances, your doctor will allow you to have longer blocks of exposure ranging from thirty minutes to two hours. The duration of treatment will depend on your light box's intensity.

• 4

  Occupy your time during light therapy sessions. Usually the patient finds the time spent during light therapy exposure to be boring. So, be sure to occupy yourself with a book or work while indirectly exposing your eyes to light therapy. You may also watch television, phone a friend, writer or eat during therapy. People undergoing light therapy may have to get up earlier than normal so that the light box can correctly occur with the body's natural biological rhythms. Light therapy at night will disrupt sleep. Be consistent with your light therapy regiment. If you quit therapy abruptly, symptoms may return.

• 5

  Make sure your light box operates properly and at the proper lux. The intensity of a light box is measured in lux. Light boxes for therapy often run from 2,500 lux to 10,000 lux. 10,000 lux. The amount of lux may also vary the time spent using the light box. Boxes running on 10,000 lux usually require thirty minute sessions while a 2,500 lux box requires two hour minutes.