We just passed the winter equinox, which means we are in the shortest period of daylight in the entire year. Many of us are waking up before the sun rises and not even done with work or school as the sun is setting. These short daytime hours have us feeling tired and feeling like it’s 10pm, not 5pm. Reduced daylight hours can affect everyone different, but with less sunlight we are inevitably getting less vitamin D.
Less vitamin D intake, combined with the offset of your biological clock can cause seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD. People impacted by SAD usually start to feel lethargic, depressed, and moody starting in the fall and ending in the spring or summer. Their serotonin levels drop causing depressed and unstable moods, and their melatonin levels drop causing sleep pattern disruption.
Some brush it off as winter blues, but medically this is a problem that is estimated to affect 10 million Americans and is 4 times more common in women than in men.
If you are affected by SAD, there are things you can do to help combat it. It is suggested to take vitamin D supplements, but absorption of these supplements sometimes is not enough. We often get vitamin D from the sun, so there are light therapy options that can help.
People prescribed light therapy will often get a light therapy box and are instructed to sit in front of it for 30 mins to 2 hours a day. There are few negative side effects and a holistic option to try before taking mood altering substances. Studies have shown that within a week, light therapy has been proven to help SAD.
The light therapy box is designed to mimic natural sunlight, and you are not to stare into it. This bright condensed light can be damaging to your eyes, so it is strongly recommended that you use blue light lenses for protection.
BlueTech lenses are designed to filter harmful blue light rays, protecting your eyes, reducing strain, and stopping the negative side effects of blue lights like tension and migraines.
Learn more about BlueTech lenses benefits and start safely enjoying your light therapy today.
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