Many people unfortunately have days where they are stuck inside all day.  These days are not particularly fun.  As nice as your home or office may be, it is always nice to step outside and breathe in some fresh air.  However, there are cases when going outside may not be an option.  Maybe you are working on a big project.  Perhaps the weather is horrible and you are snowed in.  Or, the is a chance that it is so cold that you prefer the indoors.

The Indoors And Your Health

While being inside may be the best option during the winter or on a busy workday, it could be bad for your health if you do it continually.  A person that develops a pattern of indoor life without sunlight can put themselves at risk for mental health issues including Seasonal Affective Disorder.  This condition affects many individuals that do not see the sun.  It is a seasonally related condition, and its symptoms are very similar to depression.

Getting Outside

Although you may be stuck inside for the majority of the day, it is important that you make an effort to go outside.  In doing so, you will be able to see daylight.  This will have a positive effect on your mood.

Light Therapy

Also, if you notice that your symptoms are worsening and you are becoming depressed, try investing in a light box.  Daily doses of light therapy can make a difference when you are stuck inside all day.

Today’s doctors commonly tell us that mental illnesses are a result of a chemical imbalance in our bodies.  Many times this can sound foreign.  It can be a lot easier to comprehend the flu, however depression can be confusing.  Yet, regardless of whether you feel comfortable with mental illnesses, your doctor is correct when he or she describes chemical imbalances.

Serotonin

One of the common causes of imbalance and mental illnesses is a lack of serotonin production.  Serotonin is a hormone that regulates our mood.  It makes us happy.  Therefore, a lack of serotonin can be detrimental to our mental health.  Serotonin is commonly produced when we are exposed to sunlight; therefore it is not uncommon for individuals to experience a case of the winter blues when the weather gets cloudy.  However, in some situations the winter blues can become so bad that an individual develops a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Increasing Serotonin During The Winter

Whether you are suffering from SAD or the winter blues, you are most likely in need of more serotonin.  However, serotonin is not produced as easily when there is a lack of sunlight outside.  Do not fear.  It is easy to artificially mimic the sun with a SAD therapy lamp.  You can use the lamp daily and you will notice an increase in your mood due to an increase of serotonin production in the brain.

Light therapy has been known to help individuals that are suffering from a type of depression that occurs seasonally – Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Studies show that the use of light therapy can quickly and easily reverse SAD symptoms in many patients.  Because of the success of light therapy in SAD patients, many people wonder whether or not it would be a good option for those that are suffering from regular depression.

Depression

Those that suffer from SAD and depression experience extremely similar symptoms.  One of the biggest differences in that SAD is temporary and depression is more permanent.  Also, it can be hard to predict why someone is experiencing depression.  However, the lack of sunlight is typically responsible for SAD.  This makes light therapy a great option for treatment of SAD.  Often medications take too long to help individuals struggling with SAD and light therapy provides better results that are quicker and often more effective.

Depression And Light Therapy

Many doctors usually use drugs to help those suffering from depression because they do not need to provide artificial sunlight for patients.  Also, they have time.  And, once a patient is medicated they can remain on their meds and stay balanced.  However, light therapy can still work on someone with depression.  Often, it can be a nice addition to medication, or it can help when depression worsens.  The light will help increase serotonin, which can stimulate a person’s mood.

The scientific definition of natural light is any light that comes from the sun.  This is natural light that appears in the universe.  However, not all light that we experience everyday comes from the sun.  Much of the light we experience daily is actually artificial.

Artificial Lighting

Artificial lighting by definition is any light that does not come from sunlight.  It is man made lighting, including fluorescent, tungsten, mercury vapor, sodium vapor, halogen, compact fluorescent, etc.  In addition, all artificial light can be turned on and off with a switch.

Is Artificial Light A Good Substitute For The Sun?

Many people wonder whether or not artificial light is a good substitute for the sun.  After all, since the sun does not operate on a switch, there are times when you may not see the sun for days.  This can be depressing.  Therefore, a person may try to add brightness in their lives using other means.  This is a great idea in theory; however, you need to make sure that you use the right types of lights.  There are specific lights available that work to mimic that effectiveness of the sun.  These lights are 10 times stronger than a normal house lamp.  If you are lacking sunlight, this type of artificial light might be the best option for you.