by Dominic Clacy

Created on: October 16, 2009

It will not be long before we are all travelling home from work in the dark. Once again Autumn will be turning to Winter and the long days of glorious sunshine will disappear from existence, replaced by shorter days, longer nights and colder, harsher weather.

This gloomy picture affects some more than others. Those suffering with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) are prone to developing troublesome symptoms in times of decreased daylight hours. The working day does not help their situation, with most nine-to-five-ers seeing little sunshine in the mornings and returning home in complete darkness. It is no wonder that certain animals choose to hibernate under such conditions.

Symptoms of SAD can be mild or unfortunately very severe. Typically one experiences common symptoms of depression and the effect of light levels is overlooked in a diagnosis. These include loss of appetite, altered sleeping patterns, anxiety and a general drop in energy. In some cases a considerable change in a patients outlook on life in general can be noticed. Most troublesome in the persistent fatigue experienced in most cases. This can affect family life, hobbies and concentration whilst at work. These symptoms are then pre-factors to other problems including depression and weight issues.

Most experts are in agreement that SAD is the body's reaction to a lack of sun light. Most people who experience slight symptoms of SAD can treat themselves with little effort. Simple measures can help like maximising your exposure to sunlight, keeping curtains open as long as possible and ensuring an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals are taken into the body on a daily basis. For those suffering harsher symptoms of SAD it may be worth purchasing a sunlight simulation device. These devices take the place of desk lights and bed side lamps and offer controlled doses of optimum luminosity lighting that can alleviate symptoms of SAD. Many sufferers have praised such devices, some stating that just an additional twenty minutes of controlled lighting can make huge differences to energy levels and general wellbeing. Certain devices also simulate sunrise and sunset from within your bedroom allowing you to wake and fall asleep more naturally.

It is worth stating that SAD need not be caused by any stimulus at all, just a developed case of winter blues. In this case making the effort to get outdoors more often can pay dividends but also seeing the benefits of Winter, like increased time indoors with the family, can make the darker months seem a little brighter.

Learn more about this author, Dominic Clacy.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.