Seasonal Affective Disorder- Blue Light Therapy

Blue Light Therapy and does it really work for Season Affective Disorder?

So what is Blue light? We have blue light everywhere, it is in our environment, naturally from the sun, artificially the largest source is going to from our electronics. Electronic use at bedtime happens to be the biggest culprit in causing sleep disturbances in adolescents and adults. Artificial blue light has many benefits when utilized correctly. It can affect our circadian rhythm given it can inhibit (STOP) the production of melatonin production in the brain. Melatonin is a neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain to help with initiation of sleep. It is released at different parts of our sleep cycle to stay asleep and achieve a more restorative sleep. Remember sleep is where we rest and digest and rebuild. We do not want to disrupt that, ESPECIALLY if you are one of the millions of people that get the mood funks during the fall and winter months.

The basics: Needs to be a certain exposure strength 10,000 lux

Time to start: Ideally to do in the morning, literature supports best results within the first hour you are awake.

Duration: Ideal for 15-30 minutes.

Safety: Do not have it close to you- should be an arms length away- each light may have certain recommendations on how far away it should be from you. DO NOT directly look at the light please!

I have had some patients/clients trial this in the afternoon, Please do not utilize after 12 PM, again it really should be right when you wake up in the morning, it will for sure affect the quality of your sleep in a negative way if you use it in the afternoon to get energy, but want to go to bed at 9 PM- you likely won’t be able to fall asleep.

Below I have given you several literature articles to defer to for you pleasure reading on the effectiveness proven with blue light therapy. Mind you, In Strong RE et al (2009) they state a specific 470 nm frequency for blue light therapy that was clinically found to be effective and superior to red light therapy for SAD (seasonal effective disorder). There is a lot of research out there supporting Blue Light Therapy- again the right time and amount is critical in initiating this type of regimen into your daily routine. It is as simple as setting up a device while you are stretching after your morning working out or setting it on the counter preparing lunch for the day, watching TV, readying, or like I have at times while doing make up/skin care routine. There are many opportunities to initiate a short course of therapy in your morning to help facilitate change in your mood.

On average you can see a 50% improvement in mood in just a few short weeks. Many research suggests 30 minutes in the morning. I will tell you as a practicing clinician that is IDEAL, but not always realistic. I would encourage my patients to have a goal of 10-15 minutes a day, awesome if you get 20 minutes in the morning but also trying to understand how attainable this goal setting new regimen. Not all light boxes are creating equal. They are not regulated. Harvard School of Medicine- Harvard Health online recommends finding a light box that emits 10,000 lux (this is a measurement of light intensity).

Below is a guide to help you select a good box, like everything in life, you get what you pay for, so the higher quality more effective product will likely cost you a little more, but to me that is worth it if it makes you happy!

Here are some helpful links below!

How to Select a Light Box » cet.org 

Blue Light Therapy and does it really work for Season Affective Disorder?
So what is Blue light? We have blue light everywhere, it is in our environment, naturally from the sun, artificially the largest source is going to from our electronics. Electronic use at bedtime happens to be the biggest culprit in causing sleep disturbances in adolescents and adults.
Artificial blue light has many benefits when utilized correctly. It can affect our circadian rhythm given it can inhibit (STOP) the production of melatonin production in the brain. Melatonin is a neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain to help with initiation of sleep. It is released at different parts of our sleep cycle to stay asleep and achieve a more restorative sleep. Remember sleep is where we rest and digest and rebuild. We do not want to disrupt that, ESPECIALLY if you are one of the millions of people that get the mood funks during the fall and winter months.
The basics: Needs to be a certain exposure strength 10,000 lux
Time to start: Ideally to do in the morning, literature supports best results within the first hour you are awake.
Duration: Ideal for 15-30 minutes.
Safety: Do not have it close to you- should be an arms length away- each light may have certain recommendations on how far away it should be from you. DO NOT directly look at the light please!
I have had some patients/clients trial this in the afternoon, Please do not utilize after 12 PM, again it really should be right when you wake up in the morning, it will for sure affect the quality of your sleep in a negative way if you use it in the afternoon to get energy, but want to go to bed at 9 PM- you likely won’t be able to fall asleep.
Below I have given you several literature articles to defer to for you pleasure reading on the effectiveness proven with blue light therapy. Mind you, In Strong RE et al (2009) they state a specific 470 nm frequency for blue light therapy that was clinically found to be effective and superior to red light therapy for SAD (seasonal effective disorder).
There is a lot of research out there supporting Blue Light Therapy- again the right time and amount is critical in initiating this type of regimen into your daily routine. It is as simple as setting up a device while you are stretching after your morning working out or setting it on the counter preparing lunch for the day, watching TV, readying, or like I have at times while doing make up/skin care routine. There are many opportunities to initiate a short course of therapy in your morning to help facilitate change in your mood. On average you can see a 50% improvement in mood in just a few short weeks.
Many research suggests 30 minutes in the morning. I will tell you as a practicing clinician that is IDEAL, but not always realistic. I would encourage my patients to have a goal of 10-15 minutes a day, awesome if you get 20 minutes in the morning but also trying to understand how attainable this goal setting new regimen.
Not all light boxes are creating equal. They are not regulated. Harvard School of Medicine- Harvard Health online recommends finding a light box that emits 10,000 lux (this is a measurement of light intensity). Below is a guide to help you select a good box, like everything in life, you get what you pay for, so the higher quality more effective product will likely cost you a little more, but to me that is worth it if it makes you happy!
Here are some helpful links below!
1. How to select a light box: How to Select a Light Box » cet.org By the Center for Enviornmental Therapeutics

(https://cet.org/how-to-select-a-light-box/) 

Strong RE, Marchant BK, Reimherr FW, Williams E, Soni P, Mestas R. Narrow-band blue-light treatment of seasonal affective disorder in adults and the influence of additional nonseasonal symptoms. Depress Anxiety. 2009;26(3):273-8. doi: 10.1002/da.20538. PMID: 19016463.

Light therapy: Not just for seasonal depression? - Harvard Health

Remember this is a blog! No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for your direct medical advice from your medical provider or other qualified clinician.

 No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for your direct medical advice from your medical provider or other qualified clinician.