How to Treat Depression With Light Therapy

Light therapy, or phototherapy, uses a combination of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fluorescent lamps and lasers to produce the full spectrum of light under controlled circumstances. This type of therapy has been shown to be effective in treating some types of depression. It may be a more desirable treatment option over psychotherapy and antidepressants because results may be obtained much more quickly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Sunlight
• Light therapy
• Mental-health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist
• Antidepressants

Treat Depression With Light Therapy

1. Consult with your physician for a diagnosis of depression, and find out whether light therapy is a viable form of treatment. Light therapy can be extremely effective for seasonal-affective disorder, or the winter blues, especially in northern regions where sunlight may be limited in the winter months. Light therapy is starting to gain acceptance as a way to treat other forms of depression as well.
2. Treat your depression with light therapy by receiving treatments early in the morning for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The light may be administered from a variety of sources, including lasers, fluorescent bulbs, light-emitting diodes and other sources that can produce the full spectrum of light.
3. Combine light therapy with short-term sleep deprivation in order to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. Many patients report that staying up all night, and then receiving light therapy, actually relieves the symptoms of depression much quicker than the light therapy itself.
4. Expose yourself to sunlight for the easiest way to implement light therapy to treat your depression. Spend at least 30 minutes in the early morning sun for the best results. An hour of sunlight will also supply the body with its recommended amount of Vitamin D, which may also be beneficial in the treatment of depression.
5. Maintain regular-sleeping patterns while undergoing light therapy to treat your depression. The success of light therapy depends upon regulating your biological clock and keeping routines.
6. Use antidepressants in combination with light therapy for an effective, quick way to treat many different types of depression. Bright light causes the brain to raise serotonin levels in the same way antidepressants do. The two combined treatments complement each other very well.

Tips & Warnings

• Light therapy has also been proven an effective way to treat many sleep disorders. It is also used to treat some skin disorders, such as acne, jaundice and psoriasis.