Eleven million Americans struggle with SAD, or seasonal affected disorder.

It’s a condition that begins to be apparent when the nights start getting longer and there’s less daylight. For many, it makes getting through the darker winter months more difficult. And it can also be a trigger for depression.

Currently, researchers are learning more about how to better treat SAD. One possibility they are exploring more deeply is blue light therapy for depression, specifically blue light.

The effects of blue light, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, showed some fascinating results.

The Problem with Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder occurs when the human body does not receive enough exposure to daylight. This is a problem, as that lack of light exposure affects the body’s production of melatonin.

Melatonin causes the nervous system to slow down. Typically, when you wake up in the morning your body stops making melatonin. However, if you struggle with SAD, your body continues producing it even after you are awake. The result is that your circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) is disrupted, and you become much more likely to develop depression.

Typically, the treatment for SAD is exposure to full-spectrum white light at 10,000 lux. However, that light is very bright and the equipment that holds it is bulky, which makes it hard for those traveling to receive treatment.

Research into Light Therapy for Depression

Professor George Brainard, Ph.D. of Jefferson Medical College and a team of researchers sought out to learn more about light therapy for depression.

In this study, sixteen individuals were asked to live for nine days in a laboratory. Each day they were exposed for 6.5 hours to either blue light or green light. The results of the study found that blue light exposure (as compared to green light) was two times as effective at helping the participants to rest their biological clocks.

Interestingly, an important connection between light and the sleep cycle is the human eye. It contains receptors that are sensitive to light wavelengths and maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm. According to Dr. Brainard, “There exists a second, non-visual photoreceptor system that drives the body’s internal clock.”

What does this mean for SAD sufferers?

The implication for those struggling with SAD is that there is a potential new form of treatment that can help them address seasonal depression. However, it should be noted that it will still be some time before an effective treatment option is available to the public.

Counseling for Seasonal Affective Disorder

Even if there would be a viable light therapy for depression treatment option available today, professional counseling is still considered to be an important tool. Although the effects of blue light help to reduce symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, a professional therapist can help a sufferer beyond that, discussing and addressing their feelings and thoughts.

The fact is that just as with depression in general, sufferers often feel like they are alone or are misunderstood. They often believe that nobody could possibly understand what they are experiencing. It’s just one part of what makes depression so crippling for so many.

Thus, the human connection that therapy provides helps to address this problem. Talking with a therapist will help you see that someone does understand what you are going through and is willing to both listen and assist you.

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We are learning so much every day about the connection between the human body, the environment, and mental health. Blue light therapy for depression holds the potential to help many who struggle with SAD and find relief.

If you have seasonal affective disorder and are struggling with depression symptoms because of it, please contact me to find out more about my approach to depression treatment.