SAD Remedy--Go To Arizona!
On this MMMLog I've gone on a bit much about the eternal darkness that is autumn and winter in Seattle. Some suggested that since I'm so affected by the lack of sunshine that I might be suffering from SAD or seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression. It's thought to be triggered by lack of sunlight. Wouldn't you know someone would decide this ugh feeling is a disorder and needed to be treated, if not by pills or counseling, then by light therapy, don't ya know.
Apparently, we SAD sufferers can buy a light therapy box that has the right light intensity and some UV or ultraviolet light, say, one with 10,000 lux of light. Studies say that people benefit most from light therapy or putting their head in the box in the morning when they wake up. I guess you have to wear sunglasses or squint as the light should enter the eyes indirectly. And like everything else, you have to stick with it to see improvement in your SAD outlook.
My remedy for my particular seasonal affective disorder is to go home to Arizona. The sun shines there pretty much all day and I can wear cool sunglasses, both of which always happys me up. I much prefer this to staring into high lux lights that can sunburn both skin and eyes to the painful zone. I found this out when I was a graduate student and worked for a trade show temp staffing agency. I was hired as an on-camera model for Panasonic video cameras. The low lux capability of those early video cameras was really poor and required huge spotlights that hung less than five feet above the models' heads so that they would show up on camera. I worked for eight hours that first day and the next morning when I awoke I couldn't open my swollen eyes. They were sunburned as were my scalp and face. Nevertheless, I got soaked my eyes open, put on sunglasses, makeup and reported to work. The Panasonic sales execs were horrified and quietly told me I "didn't have to work on camera" and they'd pay me for the whole gig. Sweet, huh?! No so much. Sunburned eyes really hurt! And these days I'm really tired of hearing the dermatologist pass off everything as "sun damage."
So, really, I say heck with the light boxes and huge sunburning 10,000 lux. Go to Arizona and you won't be SAD.
Mmmmmmmmmmelinda
Apparently, we SAD sufferers can buy a light therapy box that has the right light intensity and some UV or ultraviolet light, say, one with 10,000 lux of light. Studies say that people benefit most from light therapy or putting their head in the box in the morning when they wake up. I guess you have to wear sunglasses or squint as the light should enter the eyes indirectly. And like everything else, you have to stick with it to see improvement in your SAD outlook.
My remedy for my particular seasonal affective disorder is to go home to Arizona. The sun shines there pretty much all day and I can wear cool sunglasses, both of which always happys me up. I much prefer this to staring into high lux lights that can sunburn both skin and eyes to the painful zone. I found this out when I was a graduate student and worked for a trade show temp staffing agency. I was hired as an on-camera model for Panasonic video cameras. The low lux capability of those early video cameras was really poor and required huge spotlights that hung less than five feet above the models' heads so that they would show up on camera. I worked for eight hours that first day and the next morning when I awoke I couldn't open my swollen eyes. They were sunburned as were my scalp and face. Nevertheless, I got soaked my eyes open, put on sunglasses, makeup and reported to work. The Panasonic sales execs were horrified and quietly told me I "didn't have to work on camera" and they'd pay me for the whole gig. Sweet, huh?! No so much. Sunburned eyes really hurt! And these days I'm really tired of hearing the dermatologist pass off everything as "sun damage."
So, really, I say heck with the light boxes and huge sunburning 10,000 lux. Go to Arizona and you won't be SAD.
Mmmmmmmmmmelinda
posted by MMMelinda at 2:33 PM
