Brightening moods on darker days

Q: Winter’s shorter days and lack of sunlight really affect me. What can I do to fight off my doom and gloom? -- Jessica D., Camden, Maine

A: Many people react negatively to the shorter days and longer nights. But, for some folks, it triggers a condition called SAD or seasonal affective disorder. It’s estimated that around 10 million adults in the U.S. contend with it, and the majority are female. The symptoms are an annual recurrence for about four months of oversleeping, overeating, social withdrawal, irritability, grumpiness/depression, difficulty concentrating and weight gain.

To counter its effect, get outside into the sunshine for 30 minutes a day -- getting your 10,000 steps outside will help even more. It’s also smart to install full-spectrum lightbulbs in your home. And, you may want to try light therapy every morning for about 30 minutes. Within the first hour of waking up, you’ll sit a few feet from a light box that emits 10,000 lux. (The lower the light rating, the longer you have to sit there.) Your eyes must be open for the effect to occur; you can eat and read while doing it, but you cannot sleep during your light exposure and you shouldn’t stare directly at the lights. If after a couple of weeks, you find 30 minutes a day isn’t helping you feel better, try 60 minutes.

The early morning exposure to the light box seems to have a positive impact on your circadian rhythm and help keep hormones and other biochemical functions on track. But before you start light therapy, do talk with your primary care doctor. Ask if he or she has a recommendation about which light box model would be the best for you. You want to get one you will use everyday without any hassles. The Yale School of Medicine rated the best large and small light boxes: you can find the information at medicine.yale. edu/psychiatry. Search for “how to obtain a light box”.