If you drive a lot a convertible is great for getting more light in your life. But unfortunately in winter, when you need the light most, you can’t keep the top down.

Now you can get a bit more light in the cabin with a new car from VW - the Eos - which gives you a power glass sunroof in your convertible when you need to keep the retractable hardtop in place.

I want one of these for Christmas please. Santa are you listening?

VW’s all-season convertible - 11/22/06 - The Detroit News Online

technorati tags:VW+Eos, Convertible+car, SAD+in+winter, Seasonal+affective+disorder

I  thought I read in my research somewhere that a light box would have no affect on those without Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Anyone seen any of the papers on this? I was at a conference today (Inspire Scotland 06) where one of the speakers (Janey Lee Grace) said that she used one in winter to help her feel good and a couple of the attendees had tried this too and benefitted from it.

Janey’s website http://www.imperfectlynaturalwoman.com is all about looking good and feeling good using all natural products - good for you as well as the planet. And she believes a light box may be a way to feel good naturally for most people.

The Solatube looks like a good solution for adding natural light to rooms more cost-effectively than building a skylight. It’s akind of tubular skylight which looks like a circular skylight in the ceiling and fits well with modern interiors.

There is lots of information and a picture in the article below if you’re interested. The company’s website www.solatube.com has less information but does have details about world-wide distribution and more pictures.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com: REAL ESTATE IN SHAPE: Natural light comes indoors with Solatube

technorati tags:SAD, Seasonal+Affective+Disorder, natural+light

Not sure why but sellers of light therapy products seem to have been banned from using words like SAD and depression in the UK according to this press release.

“Manufacturers and sellers of light therapy devices, often called SAD lights, are banned from using the words SAD, depression, depressed mood, lethargic, lack of energy and libido in their advertising. This ruling is enforced even when advertisers are trying to educate the public of the difference between SAD and a more general ‘winter blues’.”

I’m sure that more information on this will come out soon - it just seems ridiculous.

Response Source | Press Releases - It’s SAD, but mention of depression, lethargy or lack of libido is BANNED!

technorati tags:SAD, Advertising, Seasonal+Affective+Disorder

Try this 11 point natural plan for treating SAD according to the principles of Ayurveda - the ancient medical science which teaches us how to be healthy by wholly natural means and looks at our whole being rather than just our body or our symptoms.

Ayurveda regimen for winter depression.

technorati tags:Seasonal+Affective+Disorder, SAD, Ayurveda, treatment

Best description I have read about how it feels to be in the depths of Seasonal Affective Disorder arrived today in my inbox from Paul in the Yahoo SAD support group

“I’m talking here about the extreme lethargy; the TOTAL loss of interest in anything whatsoever; the inability to concentrate on any tasks; the utterly debilitating tendency to abandon ANY and EVERY activity at the first and SLIGHTEST sign of any setbacks; and the total resignation that your life is meaningless and your death is inevitable (and would indeed be a welcome release).”

It’s essential to get medical help if you feel depressed - don’t wait until the depths of winter (or despair).

There’s renewed acivity in the Online Support Groups for Seasonal Affective Disorder now that the days are getting shorter in the Northern hemisphere.

One well moderated group is at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/S-A-D/

I don’t post there out of respect for the group (they ask that only those with a diagnosis actually post) but it great for those who are undergoing treatment for SAD or for getting a better understanding of the condition if you have friends or relatives who suffer.

Recent postings have been about dealing with friends and relatives who dismiss Seasonal Affective Disorder as “all in the mind” and tell you to just get on with it.

You can really only deal with that in one of three ways:-

a) try and educate them - give them books and literature to read

b) ignore them and try and not let them get to you

c) break off the relationship (or see less of them) if they are unsupportive because an unsupportive relationship is the last thing you need when you are feeling down.

Definitely worth joining the SAD support group if you’re a sufferer. You are not alone with this.

There has been a patent application for a cellphone which would emit light of the kind used in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder. 

“The patent, US 2006/0183516 calls for a phone to be fitted with a number of light panels on the face of the phone which would deliver “light therapy” to the users face when the phone is in use.”

You’d have to be on the phone an awful lot to benefit - sounds like a bit of a gimmick but I’ll reserve judgement until it appears.

The Cellphone That Wont Make You SAD

technorati tags:SAD, Seasonal+Affective+Disorder

With a 16 year old son about to take important school exams I was interested in this recent article about light therapy helping teenagers sleeping habits A bright idea to get teenagers switched on and out of bed.

Like a lot of teenage boys my son likes to stay up late playing video games and then tiredness sets in when he’s meant to be studying!

But the article explains

“At the most crucial stage in their academic life many teenagers show obvious symptoms of sleep deprivation such as appearing groggy and grumpy or even falling asleep in class, but they will probably also under performing in school activities and tests, especially those taking place in the morning.

The reason is far more fundamental than late night Play Station games and, to be fair to them, it is not their fault. During puberty the body clock of a teenager shifts fundamentally so that they can be incapable of getting to sleep before the early hours and cannot function normally before noon.”

And it seems that light therapy may help as this “can reset the teenage body clock in just 15 and 30 minutes if used as soon as they wake up. Leaving them fired up and ready to tackle the day ahead”.

The article is advertising one particular type of light therapy : the Litebook but I assume that all other types would work too.

Worth a try if your children have a real problem that is affecting their studies?

It seems Californian residents are experiencing SAD-type problems due to an exceptional number of gloomy days for the time of year. It has rained almost every day for weeks, which must be tough if you are used to almost wall-to-wall sunshine.

Apparently it is producing a low mood among the general population in the area as well as affecting individuals who are susceptible to Seasonal Affective Disorder. See more details in articles Mental health experts’ tactics for rain blues and Lack of sun have you feeling glum?

I wonder if it makes a difference what kind of weather you are used to. Maybe we adapt a bit to a sunnier or cloudier climate after living in it for a while unless we have serious problems with SAD.

I know that here in Scotland a bright day makes everybody much more cheerful and grey skies and rain make everyone a little grumpy at times but we still keep going through the grey and rain in both winter and summer. (At least the rain is warmer in summer!)

I lived in the South of France for a year as a student and almost always felt cheerful because of the sunshine - maybe it takes a little longer to adapt and get used to it!