When the Lights Go Down in the City

Just the other day, I left work with high ambitions of going to the gym. However, when I walked out of the office, it was completely dark outside; it felt like the middle of the night. I instantly started second guessing my decision, I mean, it had to be almost bed time, right? No, it’s just that time of year. Despite my lack of motivation, and my sudden drowsiness, I went to the gym anyway.

Sitting on my bike, waiting for spin class to start, I started thinking about just how powerful and important light is. One roommate of mine once had an alarm clock that gradually lit up the room before alarming, simulating a rising sun at any time of year. Studies have shown that consumers prefer waking up this way, as opposed to other wake-up methods, mentioned in Ryan's post.

How much can light change your mood? It can help with waking up in the morning, but can it cure those winter blues? There are a number of clinical studies that have shown that light therapy can be used to treat things like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Researchers and clinicians recommend that patients sit in front of light boxes for a certain amount of time each day, with the belief that the light helps to suppress the levels of melatonin, and possibly increase levels of serotonin.

A number of societies have published clinical guidelines and endorsed the use of light therapy to treat depression, however the effectiveness of light therapy and the mechanism of action is still a hypothesis at this point. There are many variables that factor into it, and not enough research has been done to outright prove clinical effectiveness.

To date, the FDA has not approved any light devices for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder. While these 'light boxes' are widely available on the market, they can't be marketed directly for the treatment of SAD or other disorders. Take Philips goLITE BLU product, for example. They talk about the benefits that consumers may receive from their product, such as increased energy and alertness, however they do not suggest that it can cure depression.

Also, many insurance agencies will not reimburse for these devices, because they have not been proven more effective than other traditional methods. Blue Cross Blue Shield states that light boxes are not a covered benefit because they have not been FDA approved.

Hopefully in the future, we'll gain more clarity of the usefulness of light therapy for winter blues, but until then, I might invest in one of those alarm clocks, a little extra "sunlight" in the gray Pittsburgh winters could never hurt!

- Sherri