With the official start of fall around the corner, it’s time once again to pull out our sweaters and bundle up for colder temperatures ahead. However, while many people enjoy this time of year, it is also difficult for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a type of depression that typically occurs in the fall or winter and it impacts roughly 3 million people every year. Part of our mental health treatment in Minnesota is providing our patients with the tools and resources to succeed outside of our building.
What is Light Therapy?
Light therapy is one way to help combat seasonal depression that you may be feeling. You may not feel down in the dumps every day, but if you notice that your mood has been down as the weather changes, know that you are not alone. Light therapy is effective because it is linked to affecting your brain’s chemicals that are linked to your mood and your sleeping habits.
Light therapy sessions work by sitting near a lightbox, something that you can easily buy online. In order for the therapy to be effective, it needs to enter your eyes indirectly. Make sure that you are not looking directly into the light, as this could cause damage to your eyes.
How Often?
In order to work as it should, light therapy needs to be consistent. The box should be placed 16-24 inches from your face. If your lightbox has a 10,000-lux lightbox, you can use it for 20-30 minutes daily to see results. Best practices typically recommend using light therapy as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Utilize Other Treatment
In addition to light therapy, try mixing in other sorts of treatment such as mental health treatment in Minnesota. Contact our team at Options Family & Behavior Services for more information on how we can help.
