The months of winter are cold and dark in a lot of places in the world. Living in such conditions for prolonged periods of time can expose you to a whole host of mental health issues. You may find yourself sleeping a bit too much, you may feel depressed as well – this is on top of having the days and nights all mixed up during these challenging months. Well, if what we have described so far seems awful to you, and you think you may fall victim to these issues, then a Seasonal Affective Disorder light can really help you out in this quandary.
The light these devices give off is very regularly used for treatment on those who suffer from a type of depression that occurs seasonally. This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder and it can really start to act up during these particularly trying months of winter.
These extended periods of time where one lives in darkness and does not get to experience sunlight can often take a toll on the individual. In particular, it can really disturb the circadian rhythm of the individual. The circadian rhythm is known as the body clock and it is responsible for keeping us awake and alert at certain times, and sleeping and resting at other times.
These lamps are known to be very effective in a whole host of ways and can really provide the user with some very useful health benefits. One of the major benefits of using these lights is that it regulates melatonin. Melatonin is responsible for regulating how we feel as it regulates our mood. It does this by being able to relay signals to our brains. Some studies have been conducted on this matter and they have all concluded that light therapy ought to be our first line of defense against such conditions.
Sun Lamps: Is a Prescription Needed?
No, this is simply not true. You do not need a medical or any kind of prescription in order to buy yourself a sun lamp. These lamps are widely available at various price points throughout the different retail stores within the country.
It is true that often doctors and other caregivers of depressed individuals will prescribe sun lamps but the fact remains, you do not need to get a prescription to get yourself one of these lamps.
What is also true, however, is that if you are thinking about starting your light therapy journey, then you ought to have a conversation with your doctor first. They will be better able to tell you if it is the right course of action for you or not.
When you do decide to buy yourself a handheld light therapy device make sure that you get one that has bright and brilliant white light. This is because some studies have suggested that blue light and other full-spectrum light are not able to provide any known therapeutic benefits. In fact, they have been known to cause glare.
Are These Lamps Safe?
These lamps pose almost no risk to anyone who wants to use them and that is due to the fact that these lights do not emit ultraviolet light or radiation. One thing that you ought to check with your healthcare provider is whether or not you are on any medications that make you more sensitive to light.
If you suffer from any of the conditions listed below, then you should avoid using a light therapy device:
- Macular degeneration.
- Connective tissue damage.
- Skin cancers.
- Diabetes.
- Lupus.
Also, if you suffer from bipolar disorder, then you need to use a mood stabilizer when using sun lamps. This is so as to control your mood better as exposure to bright light can bring about manic episodes.
Another important thing to note about this condition is that children can suffer from it as well. If you are planning on using a light therapy device for your child, it is always a good idea to first talk with a qualified doctor or physician. They will be able to give you the best course of action to take to fight your child’s seasonal affective disorder.
How To Use A Sun Lamp?
One of the first things that you ought to remember when it comes to sun lamps is that no matter what kind of lamp you are using, you should never look directly at the source of the light in the lamp.
If you are using the lamp properly, it is common to see improvements within about two to four days. This is assuming that you are using a lamp that can give off light that is at least 10,000 lux units strong and that you are using that lamp for a period of 30 minutes every morning.
One thing that you ought to note down is that even though this treatment is light-based, it really does not have much of an effect on the level of Vitamin D production in the body. In order to get the proper amount of Vitamin D into your body, you need to make sure that you are consuming the right diet and are getting enough exposure to sunlight.
All in all, you can see that these lamps can really come in handy for a wide variety of purposes. To be absolutely frank, when we talk about the list of health benefits that light therapy has, this is barely even scratching the surface. While the question posed in the title of this article cannot be answered with a simple yes or a no, there are plenty of good reasons to think that the answer might be yes.Â