Let the Sunshine In

Just as I was planning to ask the Almighty for the plans on ark building, the light became blinding from the orb in the sky and sunshine lit my world. Granted, we had a very dry summer, but it seemed Nature was trying to make up by one, long, watery drain of the atmosphere above. Despite the current bit of sunshine, weather predictions are for four more hours of precipitation today. For those of us with seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D.) it made the light box use more critical than ever.

While I've never really suffered more with S.A.D. than just feeling I was dragging an anchor from October to March, I noted a propensity (not normal to me) to tear more easily, a readiness to cry (definitely not the usual me) at any trigger of sympathy or empathy. Many suffer severely and can become quite incapacitated. I'm one of the luckier ones. Another effect for me, is that in October my pineal gland is broadcasting a message that I should load up my body fat for the winter. I can eat everything in sight. I try to keep fattening food out of the house but when I start hankering to chew on the woodwork, I go to the grocery store and try to buy the lowest caloried snacks I can find. Prior to my light box use, my weight was gaining steadily each winter. I feared rolling right out of the county one day if I didn't stop the trend.

Since light therapy is not invasive, reasonably inexpensive and easy to obtain, people who feel a mood and energy dip in the fall might want to try it. Google to begin your search, though there are also local resources. There are theories that it is the blue light in the spectrum that is critical. The higher the number of lumens, the better to match daylight and sunshine. You do not have to look at the light. I just stand the light box beside me at the computer, when I am working at it, and receive the light through the side of my eyes. Instructions to me were that I shouldn't be more than 18" or so from the light source.

This might explain why so many people take winter vacations in the sunny South. I just don't know how long the effect of a few days of that intense sun lasts. The light box may not be as much fun, but it is certainly a lot cheaper!