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Let There Be Light Use these tips and tricks to help any sleepyhead meet the morning  Image courtesy Light Therapy Products image:banner right]The waning light of winter darkens spirits and makes folks fantasize about passing winter in a resting state. Instead of hibernating in a dark bedroom, why not light up your home with fixtures specifically intended to alleviate seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD. By bringing some sunshine indoors through light therapy and the like, this common condition is easily and effectively treated. "It's more widespread than most people realize," says Norman Rosenthal, a Baltimore psychiatrist and author of the informative mainstay, "Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder: What It Is and How to Overcome It" (The Guilford Press, 1998). "It affects five percent of U.S. adults but many more deal with the winter blues," he says. Since light therapy for SAD was proven successful, the market responded with all sorts of products that almost immediately brighten moods and lift spirits. These range from therapeutic light boxes to an innovative, glowing cushion. "The condition is caused by shorter days," says Paul Hamel, owner of Light Therapy Products in Stillwater, Minn. "The hypothalamus takes a cue of day and night through light. So on shorter days, the body thinks it's still time to sleep, making it harder to wake up in the morning. The lights are used to trick the brain into thinking it's daytime without light." Experts say that if you use a light box, you should ideally receive 10,000 luxes of exposure for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Lower intensity may require longer exposure. There are two treatment strategies for SAD: bright light therapy and dawn simulation, Hamel says. "Dawn simulation, which simulates sun rise, tricks the body into thinking the sun is coming up." Rosenthal says larger boxes are more efficient, and pure lights are better than blue lights. A small lamp at your desk or by your favorite chair is also effective, and serves as a good reading light. "It's amazing how much energy you receive from just a little light therapy," he says. Designer Diana Lin, of Boulder, Colo., recently introduced the d�light Huggable pillow that illuminates with a series of 12 LED lights embedded within silicone bubbles. Lin says the idea behind the cushions was to create a light that captures the essence of sunlight, condensed into something tactile and personal. [heading] |
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