The National Institute of General Medical Sciences explains that circadian rhythms are significant in regulating sleep patterns. Circadian rhythm refers to the patterns of mental, physical and behavior change that occur in a daily cycle in...
Seasonal affective disorder is a condition that affects some people when the seasons changes. For these people, changing seasons leads to depression, loss of energy, sleeping too much, and an unusual craving for starchy and sweet foods. Although...
People who consistently find themselves becoming depressed during the dark months of the winter may have more than just a case of the winter blues. While 10 to 20 percent of people in the United States experience mild depression symptoms during...
Depression is one of the most prevalent mood disorders. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America or ADAA reports that people have a 17 percent chance of experiencing some form of depression in their lifetime. Depression can hinder your daily...
St. John's wort blooms around June 24, the birthday of St. John the Baptist. Like its namesake, this plant looks wild and shaggy but has a well-defined purpose: For centuries, it has been used as a folk remedy to treat mood disorders. Herbalists...
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs during winter when people are exposed to fewer hours of natural sunlight. Symptoms of this condition include anxiety, fatigue, depression, overeating, weight gain and oversleeping. About half a million...
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is form of depression that is related to a particular time of year. Most people feel the effects of SAD beginning in the fall. For some, it may last throughout the winter until spring has arrived, according to...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the elderly are affected by depression due to changes in their lives, such as death of a loved one or isolation. Seasonal affective disorder, abbreviated as SAD, is one type of depression that...
Light therapy or phototherapy is the use of artificial light to treat various kinds of ailments and is used in both conventional and alternative medicine. The Mayo Clinic lists several conditions that can benefit from light therapy such as...
Individuals who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) develop a depressed state when the seasons change from summer to winter. Once the weather begins to warm back up and days get longer, the symptoms leave. A lack of exposure to daylight...
During the winter months, when the days are shorter and the light from the sun is not as strong as in summer, some people suffer from a condition called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which is characterized by depression, sadness and...
Seasonal affective Disorder (SAD) strikes sufferers in the temperate climate zones when there is less natural light from late fall to early spring. The malady is a type of depression linked to the time of year and decreased daylight. The treatment...
Changes in the seasons can have a profound effect on some people's emotional state. This condition, known as seasonal affective disorder or sometimes simply affective disorder, can be treated with special types of light.
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, develops as a result of seasonal changes and is characterized by symptoms similar to clinical depression including sadness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability. SAD is more common in winter, but...
Individuals who suffer from symptoms of depression during winter months that disappear during summer months may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, according to the National Mental Health Association. The disorder is related to...
Clinical depression is a serious mood disorder that involves the brain. Clinical depression involves feelings of sadness that affect normal day-to-day activities. Patients with depression also experience a variety of physical problems. Most people...
The number of diagnosed mental disorders has increased in the United States in recent years, but herbal and other natural therapies can be effective treatments for these mental health issues that induce only mild side effects. Optimizing a...
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder that commonly occurs during the winter months (although it may also develop during the summer). SAD often causes symptoms of depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loss of energy, and sleep and...
A light box is an instrument used for light therapy in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Also known as the "winter blues," SAD is a temporary depressive state that afflicts people during the winter months. Because SAD is...
Season affective disorder or winter depression, also referred to as "SAD" or "winter blues," is a form of depression that occurs during the winter season, according to MayoClinic.com. The condition tends to decrease your energy and contributes to...
Season affective disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression that some people experience in the winter months when there are fewer hours of daylight. Light boxes designed to replicate outdoor light are used to treat SAD. The light alters the...
Depression and other similar mood disorders affects approximately 20 million Americans according to the National Institute of Mental Health. There are many different types that depression can manifest and each may depend on a person's environment,...
Light therapy, also called phototherapy, is a treatment that uses an artificial sunlight lamp to simulate the natural light that may be lacking at certain times of the year, like the dead of winter. Sunlight lamps provide a more concentrated dose...
Depression and sleep disorders can be treated with light therapy using specially-designed bright lights. Since the 1980s these lights have proven to be successful in helping people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This type of depression...
To relieve the symptoms of SAD or seasonal affective disorder, doctors use light therapy. Special lamps that emit light at 10,000 lux, function similar to sunlight in the brain, triggering an increase in serotonin production and uptake in the...
Extracts of hypericum, a flowering plant commonly known as St. John's wort, may offer an alternative treatment for mild to moderate depression. While hypericum is completely natural, its use is not free of side effects. Individuals considering...
A type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, may be treated effectively with light therapy. People affected by SAD usually develop the condition in the fall or winter, and often in northern areas where exposure to sunlight is...
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is depression that sets in during winter and goes away during spring and summer. Symptoms include exhaustion, weight gain, and carbohydrate cravings. SAD is linked to lack of sunlight and may be caused by...
When we lose our long, bright, summer days as the seasons change into fall and winter, many of us feel down and a little less energetic than usual. But, if you have seasonal affective disorder, the shorter, darker days of fall and winter actually...