According to Boston University, Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD), affects 10 million Americans. That’s a sobering statistic.
During the winter months, the sun’s rays weaken. The days get shorter. Often the sky is cloudier, too. These short, gray, days can hurt your physical and mental health.
How does SAD affect arthritis? Colder weather may cause tendons, muscles, bones, and scar tissue to expand or contract. This can cause pain in the tissues affected by arthritis. You may not feel like going for a walk or doing something physical, and lack of movement can cause stiff joints.
So, let’s take a look at what SAD is and how to feel better:
What is SAD?
SAD is a seasonal affective disorder that changes with the seasons. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
Symptoms include:
- Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day.
- Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed.
- Experiencing changes in appetite or weight.
- Having problems with sleep.
- Feeling sluggish or agitated.
- Feeling hopeless or worthless.
- Having difficulty concentrating.
When it’s light, you wake. However, many people’s bodies struggle with hormonal balance during the winter months. Light therapy helps balance hormones and strengthens circadian rhythms.
How Light Therapy Works
All the dire warnings about skin cancer are enough to make you stay inside all the time. However, the sun’s rays are a good source of light therapy, and spending 20 to 30 minutes outside can brighten your mood.
To let more natural light into your home, open drapes and blinds, place your computer facing a window, and designate a room to read, or relax that lets the sunshine in, but make sure the sunlight is behind you. Trim trees or bushes so more sunlight can enter your home.
Try a Light Box
Many people have had positive results with a lightbox. A light therapy box mimics outdoor light. It’s thought that this type of light may cause a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other symptoms of SAD, such as being tired most of the time and sleeping too much. Generally, the light box should provide exposure to 10,000 lux of light.
Light therapy can have some side effects at first, like headaches and irritability. If you have a family history of macular degeneration, exposure to light therapy may increase your risk. Go over the risks and benefits with your doctor before starting light therapy.
Use Full Spectrum Light Bulbs
The full spectrum closely mimics that of natural daylight. Specifically, it should have a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 95 or better, and a color temperature of 6500K.
You can also purchase full-spectrum light bulbs and use them as a lamp at home. The key, however, is to make sure you use them every day. Expose yourself to full-spectrum light for at least thirty minutes. Full spectrum lighting is about half as strong as the sun’s rays.
Try a Dawn Simulator
You can also purchase a handy tool called a dawn simulator. This ‘alarm clock’ gradually lightens your room to simulate morning. If you struggle to wake up when it’s dark outside, you may benefit from this device.
Some simulators have all the bells and whistles, such as personalized wake-up and wind-down, light-guided breathing, and smart snooze settings. Of course, that will cost more, but you may be able to find something more economical online.
How to Get the Best Results
Use your light box or light therapy daily and start early in the day. Some experts recommend placing the light above your head, like the sun. If you’re unsure, read the directions or ask your doctor. Most light boxes are designed to be set on a table.
If you simply can’t do light therapy every day, take a day or two off, but monitor your mood and other symptoms — you may have to find a way to fit in light therapy every day.
For example, sit at the table during lunchtime or have breakfast with the lightbox on. If possible, begin using it before the winter depression or sadness hits. One important note: don’t stare directly at the light.
Summary
It’s exciting to have another way to deal with the pain and depression you feel with arthritis. Light therapy is not cheap, but when it comes to your health, it will be worth it.
Try these tips and see which ones work for you. Do some research on different light therapy products to see which ones fit your needs and budget.
