Winter Blues - Lack of Sunlight
Many people report feeling blue during the dark, cold winter months. This dip in mood is thought to be caused by lowered levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain. Serotonin levels are low in people with depression and, a new study found, also in healthy people during the winter. Certain people will suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression that occurs during the fall and winter months, due to this drop in serotonin levels. In the study, blood samples were taken from blood vessels leading to the brain in 101 healthy men at several different times over a one-year period. Results indicated that the activity of serotonin-containing neurons was lowest during the fall and winter and highest in spring and summer, when sunlight is most plentiful. A technique known as phototherapy, in which patients are exposed to bright light, is used to treat those with SAD. Since serotonin levels rise in the brain on days with a lot of sunlight, bright light may boost mood by activating neurons in the brain that contain serotonin, leading to increased levels of the chemical in the brain, researchers say. In the study, serotonin neuron activity was higher on brighter days than darker days, even within the same season. This suggests that levels of serotonin in the brain were directly related to how much sunlight was available on the day the sample was taken. Though this study involved men, researchers say that women likely experience a drop in serotonin levels during the winter as well, though the actual amount may differ according to gender. Additionally, researchers note that results point to a biological reason for SAD, which may help to displace some of the skepticism regarding this, and other, mental illnesses.
The Lancet December
The Positive Effects of Light Treatment
A study of 140 women that took place over five successive winters compared two different kinds of treatments for SAD: 30 minutes a day of exposure to light-emitting boxes and using room ionizers, which are thought to help SAD symptoms by increasing levels of negatively charged particles circulating in the air. Although the air ionizers showed some positive effects, the light boxes produced the most promising results.
Studies have shown that during the winter months, serotonin levels in the brain are lower than they are in the summer months. For this reason many doctors resort to prescribing SSRI's, which work by adjusting serotonin levels.
However, experts say that using light boxes are not only the safer alternative to treating this condition but also are much cheaper than prescription drugs in the long term. As a matter of fact, using a standard light box for a period of five years costs around $60 per year compared to a prescription for Prozac or other SSRI, which costs about $300 to $500 per year.
Another form of light box called "dawn stimulator" is attached to a bright light in the bedroom and works by causing the light to slowly increase in intensity during the early morning hours, similar to how it would on a spring day.
SAD experts agree that light boxes are the safe and most effective form of treatment for seasonal depression.
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