Light Therapy for Dark Days

For the millions of Americans who suffer from mild to severe winter blues — a condition called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD — bright-light therapy is the treatment of choice, with response rates comparable with those of antidepressants, reports today’s Consumer column.

Many experts think light therapy is underused, given its affordability and relative lack of side effects, in large part because there is little profit to be made from it and no commercial incentive to promote the treatment.

Patients generally sit in front of the light box, which can be as small as 9 by 11 inches and 5 inches deep, with the bright light emanating from the square surface, in the morning. “With the natural dawn being later in winter, the body rhythms drift late,” Dr. Lewy said. “If you can fix the drift, you can fix the depression.”

Light therapy may even help with major nonseasonal depression, experts say, and with sleep disorders. And because it has few side effects, researchers are studying whether light therapy can help with depression during pregnancy and be used to treat elderly people with dementia. It is also being investigated for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, severe premenstrual syndrome and even attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder.

To learn more, read the full story, “A Portable Glow to Help Melt Those Winter Blues,” and then please join the discussion below.