Does anyone else out there get blue, negative feelings, depressed, as the Sun approaches the southern horizon and days shorten? How do you cope? Do LEDs with high colour temp ratings produce enough U.V. to help? Losing my immediate family with-in the last two years has added to a recurring problem.
Both AlaskaChick and our youngest daughter are PhotoElectric. (SADD) They have the High Intensity Lights which they sit in front of for 2 hours each morning, and that and some Rx deal with most of the issues... Since we live so far north, we spend a lot of time Out of Doors on Sunny Days during the winters... The daughter lives in Utah, and spends time Out of Doors whenever it is sunny as well... She did a whole lot better in Texas, but moved for her Man's Job... SADD can be managed, but it never can be cured...
Lets see - sun clears the horizon at about 11:30 AM and sets before 1600. Nah, I'm good. Worked indoor for so long, doesn't seem to matter.
SAD is real. I've had it myself, although it's not as bad as I get older. Light therapy really does work, but not just any light will do. The light has to be within a defined color range. They are not particularly expensive. There are good ones for less than $50. You do not have to stare into the light for many hours for it to be effective. It can be set nearby while you watch TV or do other activities, so it does not really interfere with your normal life. An hour or two per day is the usual suggestion. Search for "happy light" on Amazon or eBay.
When I first posted (three days before winter solstice) this I was really down. Now sun is brighter, and day is longer by minutes, and I am feeling better. Never saw this while I was working but then I could spend time under fluorescent light. We changed out the lighting in the building I worked in from LPS(low pressure sodium) to metal halide, nasty dim yellow light to bright blue-white light. Improved production and people just felt better.
It has become obvious to me that my mood fluctuates with sunlight AND with things needing attention. Plan things to do when it's dark, you should be fine. At least it works for me.
@Marvin L. Steinhagen when i lived up in Washington i had SAD. I just thought i was going crazy. Until i talked to my DR. I had an old time DR that told me to sit in front of a bank of full spectrum lights for 20 or 30 min every morning and drink my damn coffee. His advise was, "you can order those expensive lights or you can get two 4-row light banks put them on the wall where you drink your coffee and put in full spectrum bulbs. Both will get the same effect, one is cheaper than the other. " Its super bright and at first you feel like your eyeballs are going to fall out. so I learned to sit 15 min with right side within 12" of the lights and switch and sit with the right side in front of the bank of lights for 15 min. Full frontal light assault is not good on the eyes that early in the morning It took about 3 weeks to see a change and i had to start in the fall and do this every day thru the winter. But completely worth it and no drugs. Good luck to you!
