The winter season may bring a festive mood to many people as this means that Christmas is just around the corner.Some individuals feel the opposite emotions when winter comes.The cold weather causes some individuals into a kind of depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD, or more commonly known as winter blues.

Seasonal affective disorder is a mood disorder caused by lack of sunlight affecting the hormone in our bodies called melatonin, which is responsible for our sleeping pattern.The symptoms include mild to severe depression, lethargy, sleep problems, anxiety, self-isolation, difficulty in concentrating, and tendency to overeat.

Winter blues patients must go outdoors and spend time walking under the natural sunlight.One of the most recommended treatment methods, especially for those who don't have the luxury of time or sunlight, is light therapy.Light therapy lamps of various models, including those that can be used at home, are now available in the market.

Specially designed light boxes that make use of high luminosity bulbs with at least 2,500 lux are called light therapy lamps.Some boxes are designed to cast out as much as 10,000 lux, and use of such light boxes entails less exposure time for patients.The intensity of the light box and the distance the patient sits from it is related to the time of exposure spent under the light box.

Depending on the prescription of his physician, a winter blues patient simply sits under the light box for a specific period of time.Psychiatric evaluation is recommended before going through treatment as that will help his physician determine the severity of his depression and the amount of light he needs.The positive effects of light therapy will be noticeable if the treatment is done consistently and on prescribed schedule.

The winter blues patient may experience some side effects while undergoing light therapy, although it is perfectly safe when used according to the physician's instructions.Some side effects at the beginning of the therapy are constant apprehension, headaches, vomiting and eyestrain.Irritability, difficulty in sleeping, fatigue, agitation, and other mild irritations are some of the most common long-term side effects of light therapy.However, these side effects clear up in just a few days.