winter blues

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Winter blues is a condition caused by the seasonal change in the amount of available sunlight. People who suffer from this mood disorder experience normal health throughout most of the year, but experience fatigue and low energy symptoms in the darker winter months.

Some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change or when they find themselves deprived of natural daylight. Loss of natural light can be the result of long winters, rainy weather, night shift work, airplane travel and subsequent jet lag, or just a lifestyle that dictates too much time indoors. Symptoms of winter blues, or winter depression, are sluggishness, sleep problems, memory loss, the inability to concentrate and loss of mental acuity.

Scientific study has shown the effects of light on the body are more than psychological. Sunlight prompts our systems to produce the hormones directly responsible for improving mood and creating a sense of well-being. The HappyLight line of sunshine supplement systems provides supplemental Natural Spectrum® light when sunlight is unavailable to prompt the body’s natural energy enhancers to help you relax, focus and feel revitalized.

Topics

Please see the references below for further information.

Chronology and Mood Disorders
The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 
Chronology and Mood Disorders Symposium as reported in: Vol. 25, no 5, 2000
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience Chronobiology and Mood Disorders Symposium

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Archives of General Psychiatry A description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984 Jan;41(1):72-80.

Chronobiology and mood disorders
Chronobiology and Mood Disorders Symposium
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience Vol. 25, no 5, 2000
Benjamin Rusak, PhD

Seasonal affective disorder. A description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. A description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984 Jan;41(1):72-80.

Light Therapy for SAD
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/light-therapy/MY00195/DSECTION=what-you-can-expect

Light Therapy – Topic Overview
http://www.webmd.com/depression/tc/light-therapy-topic-overview

Light Up the Blues – Light Therapy for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46769