I really appreciate the way that several friends (including Alison and Michelle) are constantly devouring research and keeping themselves informed.
In fact, Alison recently sent me an article published in The Scientist in July 2021, which touches on seasonal affective disorder (or SAD). 1
Namely – in the darker months with shorter, cold, dark days, it can be common to feel a little bit low. This was definitely me when I was growing up in the UK – when sometimes I found it challenging to even get out of bed. Maybe you or someone you know can relate?
Research is showing us that light can really help lift our mood and given that many of you are nearing those shorter, darker days as I write, it follows that the better we feel, the more productive we can be with our time – besides simply getting through the day.
I already knew that LED light therapy can be really valuable for SAD. However, what’s interesting in this research is it shows that light is used for a period of only 15 minutes can be effective. In fact, those 15mins directly before dawn can have an extraordinary effect on our mood. It turns out that parts of the retina of our eyes are connected to the parts of the brain that are related to our mood.
If this sparks an interest for you, then do check out the link below.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing you on this week’s #AlivewithFi when we’ll go a little deeper on the subject.
Until then, ciao for now ☺
1 Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year (depending on which hemisphere you live in). If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall/autumn and continue into the winter months, seemingly sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer.
“Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)”
Mayo Clinic (n.d)
Fi Jamieson-Folland D.O., I.N.H.C., is The LifeStyle Aligner. She’s an experienced practitioner since 1992 in Europe, Asia and New Zealand as a qualified Osteopath, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, speaker, educator, writer, certified raw vegan gluten-free chef, and Health Brand Ambassador.
