Can Daylight Tubes help with Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Yes, the daylight tubes will assist with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but let's dissect as to why. SAD is a form of depression that usually occurs in the darker half of the year when natural daylight is minimal. If your body is not receiving enough daylight, it can upset your internal clock and serotonin levels, both of which can cause low moods, a lack of energy, and general misery.

That is where daylight tubes come in so handy. They are specialized bulbs that duplicate the color temperature and intensity of sunlight outdoors. Employed for an extended period throughout the day, particularly mornings, they will reset your body's internal clock, energize, and lift your mood. Basically, they trick your brain into thinking it is a sunny day, regardless of whether there is a cold, dreary day outside or not.

Do Daylight Light Bulbs really fight SAD?

Yes, for most of them. Not a cure-all, but based on research and anecdotal accounts, direct sunlight exposure to bright, natural-spectrum light greatly diminishes SAD symptoms. The light triggers serotonin (the "feel-good" hormone) release and replaces melatonin (the sleep hormone). Both are needed in balance of emotion.

Does less sunlight breed Depression?

Not always for everybody, but for light-sensitive people, it can. The absence of sunlight in winter tells the body to communicate to send a message that interferes with its natural cycle and reduces the level of vitamin D your skin produces. These symptoms can lead to sadness, fatigue, and loss of energy — all the symptoms of seasonal depression.

What's one of the most effective treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Light therapy is also generally accepted to be among the most useful non-medical treatments. Treated with a light box or daylight lamp for approximately 20–30 minutes every morning, it can produce an observable improvement within two weeks or so. It is best combined with other lifestyle adjustments, such as working outdoors each day, exercising daily, and maintaining regular sleep habits. In more serious cases, in certain cases a treatment regimen also includes counseling or medication with the consultation of a doctor.

Does Vitamin D treat SAD?

It can. Vitamin D influences mood, and the deficiency is usually linked to depression in the broad sense of the term. Because most of vitamin D comes from the sun, it would logically follow that individuals who experience SAD would become deficient during the winter months. A supplement of vitamin D, along with light therapy, will even things out. Always be sure to speak with a physician first, however.

Summary

Daylight tubes can really do wonders for those with seasonal depression. They simulate the light your body's lacking when it's dark and even resynchronize your natural rhythm. Consider them a little, consistent dose of sunshine when the real ones have taken a vacation.