This article outlines four strategies you can use together to help alleviate symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder including light therapy, exercise, medication and diet.

For everyone it’s a question of trial and error to get the right balance of treatment. You need to involve your doctor in that and also do everything you can to help yourself as soon as possible after you notice symptoms.

Feeling SAD? Try these remedies | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC

technorati tags:Saesonal+Affective+Disorder, SAD, symptoms, treatment

Wouldn’t it be great if there were cafes in every city like the Iglo Ljuscafe (Igloo Lightcafe) in Stockholm in Sweden which offers light therapy and a light reflective decor along with your coffee or breakfast.

What a great way to take your daily light therapy in a convivial atmosphere and with your favorite drink too!

Just imagine if you could change the light environment at every Starbucks and Macdonalds too. What a difference that would make to the nation’s psyche. Maybe we’d all smile more at each other all winter long.

Seed: In Dark of Winter, “Light Cafe” Battles Blues

technorati tags:light+cafe, coffee+shop, Stockholm, light+therapy, Seasonal+affective+disorder

I don’t think you’ll be able to see the link at the bottom of this entry which is to a posting in the yahoo group SeasonalAffectiveDisorder but this group is well worth joining if you’re a sufferer and then you’ll be able to read it. This posting outlines everything that one guy from New Jersey does to combat SAD through the winter including diet, exercise, sunshine holidays, light therapy, supplements, the works… it’s quite an undertaking and something that you probably have to plan for while you’re still feeling well (and you need a fair amount of cash to take a sunshine break each month) but maybe even part of Lawrence’s regime can help you.

SeasonalAffectiveDisorder : Message: my protocol for SAD

technorati tags:Seasonal+Affective+Disorder, supplements, therapy, treatment

Nice article here from Michael Mager about why the holidays are not always cheerful and some things you can do to make them more bearable.

Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne, TX - Michael Mager: The holiday blues and how to survive them

technorati tags:SAD, Christmas, holidays, Seasonal+Affective+Disorder

This article has an account of one journalist’s experience with SAD. Everyone experiences seasonal affective disorder differently but it’s good to read different accounts so that you know you’re not alone if you’re battling with this.

“I discovered I had Seasonal Affective Disorder early in college, after I’d struggled through a major bout of depression in my senior year of high school. I remember little between November 1998 and February 1999 other than sleepless nights, unreasonable anger, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts.”

The Kinston Free Press

technorati tags:SAD, 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.

Great account in the Scotsman from a Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferer and the change brought about when she bought a light box.

Scotsman.com Living - Let there be light

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

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

This is the Luminous Elyptical Sky Ceiling by the Sky Factory which emits light to give an illusion that you have a real view of the sky.

The light is daylight balanced light apparently at the same level used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder and although the picture doesn’t change you can arrange for the lightto dim when appropriate.

Shame about the price - about $300+ a square foot.

Note and correction: Following Bill’s comment, it seems the price is a lot cheaper than that - $95 a square foot which puts it much more in reach

The Future of Things

technorati tags:SAD, Seasonal+Affective+Disorder, Sky+Factory

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