Disclaimer: This blog is to create awareness and discussion, it's not intended to be an alternative to professional medical advice. Ask your doctor if they think Light Therapy could be suited to your personal situation.
With the changing of seasons and shortening of days it's not uncommon to start feeling a little blue. Winter brings with it more cloudy and cold days and we're often inclined to seek comfort in the warmth and solitude of the great indoors. Further reducing our opportunities to be exposed to the physical and mental benefits of natural light. This can lead to the phenomenon known as the Winter Blues, where those affected can find themselves less motivated at times and more reserved than usual.
It is important to differentiate Winter Blues, which is occasional and is not as severe as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of seasonal depression. It tends to begin in autumn and continue through winter. While it usually eases in Spring in some cases it can lead to other mental health disorders.
Can light therapy help?
While it's not the only cause of Winter Blues and SAD, there is evidence to suggest that the lower exposure to natural light can be a cause. Light Therapy has been proven to be an effective treatment in many cases for both conditions
The benefits of Light Therapy have been known since Florence Nightingale's era, with her view that "It is the unqualified result of all my experience with the sick that, second only to their need of fresh air, is their need of light; that, after a close room, what hurts them most is a dark room and that it is not only light but direct sunlight they want". More recently, Light Therapy with artificial lighting has become better understood. It involves exposure to an intense light source for a set amount of time, usually around 30 minutes. To achieve this meant sitting down, before breakfast for half an hour. This would be a great time to plan your day and meditate on the previous day's thoughts (with your eyes open). For many, though, it is fairly impractical in today's morning rush.
Why the colour of light matters
Recent research into how we interact with light, along with modern lighting technology, has suggested more practical applications. We now know that a specific part of the light spectrum is a key trigger for the human body's biological clock. 'Blue light', or more specifically light in the cyan part of the spectrum, has significant effects on how the human brain perceives the world. (Some people see it as the bad part of the spectrum, but that's a topic for a later blog.) It is believed that the cyan wavelength is a stimulating colour and can help with alertness.
Timing is everything
As with a lot of things in life, with 'blue light' timing is everything. Exposure to cyan light in the morning can trigger alertness. Remember your mum throwing the curtains open to wake you up as a teen? You also need to remove this stimulating spectrum from your night-time routine. Creating this in your home will help mimic natural light patterns and potentially ease the symptoms of the Winter Blues and SAD.
Armed with this knowledge, Roundhouse Electrical could be able to make your winter mood that much brighter. Get in touch with Jamie today.
