Finding the Light During Winters SADness
Exploring ways to brighten your mind, body, and spirit
A grey looming abyss lurks outside my bedroom window. Is it dusk or dawn? It’s hard to tell just from looking outside. I haven’t seen the sun in days, maybe even weeks. Time does weird things when there is no light to manage my circadian rhythm. Winter has a way of bringing gloom.
Approximately 10 million people in the U.S. experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) every year, and millions more in countries in the northern hemisphere. SAD is linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in winter.
Historically, I have experienced a lack of motivation, tiredness, moodiness, and random tearful outbursts in winter. Throughout recent years I’m less and less affected by the ways of the weather, but having gone through it myself, I know that these times can be bleak, and I wanted to offer some light.
- Light Therapy Lamp.
My mother bought me one of these a couple of years ago. I sit in front of it as I eat my breakfast each morning. Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine the light filling me with warmth. This alone raises my mood. When used regularly, the light is supposed to replicate the sun, helping to regulate your sleep cycle, boost your energy, and help you to focus.
