Every year around this time, I feel like a fog has settled in my brain, slowing my thoughts and dulling my emotions and suffocating my creativity. Sometimes a true depression settles in, and I didn’t used to know why. Sure, the sun is subdued and all that, but really, I used to wonder why?! Truth is that the farther from the equator you live, the less sun you will experience in winter. That lack of sunlight is the very thing that starts the process of SAD…
SAD is Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I suffered from it, every year, for as long as I can remember. It would be a gradual lessening of my drive and a change in my mood, and enthusiasm. An anti-social laziness, with a side of depression would often creep on when I found myself surrounded by snow for weeks on end, and sure, working from home didn’t help. But no matter how busy you are, your mood and energy can and likely is affected by this disorder. When the sun goes, we go through a deficiency, and since we evolved with the power of the sun, this sort of issue can have a real affect on your daily thinking, and mood, and ability to perform at your highest level.
SAD is Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I suffered from it, every year, for as long as I can remember. It would be a gradual lessening of my drive and a change in my mood, and enthusiasm. An anti-social laziness, with a side of depression would often creep on when I found myself surrounded by snow for weeks on end, and sure, working from home didn’t help. But no matter how busy you are, your mood and energy can and likely is affected by this disorder. When the sun goes, we go through a deficiency, and since we evolved with the power of the sun, this sort of issue can have a real affect on your daily thinking, and mood, and ability to perform at your highest level.
For me, personally, I began reading up on this disorder, and I found that not only did I have the symptoms, but I also found a cure. Wondering if this is relevant for you, and/or your loved ones? Well, the effects of SAD have been found in third-shift workers and homebodies as well. Other symptoms include tiredness, over-eating, lack of energy and motivation.
This year, to get ahead of the problem, I reached out to Lumie, who specializes in light therapy lamps, and they sent me their Zest lamp. And I found it to be pretty cool. Light therapy lamps are LED lights that mimic the suns rays at 10,000 lux at 25 cm, at just the right color spectrum, to ensure that you receive a healthy dose of light. It may sound funky, but truly, this is legit. I aimed for about an hour a day for one month (the minimum recommendation by Lumie is 30 minutes a day), and I noticed that the bottom line of my mood had increased, and my mind was sharper, thinking quicker where fog had bogged me down, and overall I felt better. I maintain a rigorous schedule to keep up with deadlines and personal goals each day, and this has helped me maintain pace thus far.
The Zest lamp wakes you up with a 15 or 30 minute sunrise that eases one awake, rather than forcing one into immediate consciousness, which promotes a less stressful start to the day. Then, while you read, or eat, watch a movie, or do your makeup, you can receive enough light therapy to sustain you through the day. The Zest has other functions like control over light level and brightness, as well as a timer and an alarm. All in all, I found the Zest to be really helpful, and it’s built well, works great, and I love how small it is; it would work nicely for any traveler.
If you would like to learn more about Lumie, click here.
Article written by Brandon Scott / Photos by © Lumie.
This year, to get ahead of the problem, I reached out to Lumie, who specializes in light therapy lamps, and they sent me their Zest lamp. And I found it to be pretty cool. Light therapy lamps are LED lights that mimic the suns rays at 10,000 lux at 25 cm, at just the right color spectrum, to ensure that you receive a healthy dose of light. It may sound funky, but truly, this is legit. I aimed for about an hour a day for one month (the minimum recommendation by Lumie is 30 minutes a day), and I noticed that the bottom line of my mood had increased, and my mind was sharper, thinking quicker where fog had bogged me down, and overall I felt better. I maintain a rigorous schedule to keep up with deadlines and personal goals each day, and this has helped me maintain pace thus far.
The Zest lamp wakes you up with a 15 or 30 minute sunrise that eases one awake, rather than forcing one into immediate consciousness, which promotes a less stressful start to the day. Then, while you read, or eat, watch a movie, or do your makeup, you can receive enough light therapy to sustain you through the day. The Zest has other functions like control over light level and brightness, as well as a timer and an alarm. All in all, I found the Zest to be really helpful, and it’s built well, works great, and I love how small it is; it would work nicely for any traveler.
If you would like to learn more about Lumie, click here.
Article written by Brandon Scott / Photos by © Lumie.
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