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Light Therapy For Major Depressive Disorder

by Lynn Yoffee

Overview

Major depressive disorder occurs when a person experiences five or more symptoms of clinical depression for two or more weeks. While medication and counseling are the mainstays of standard treatment, light therapy, also known as phototherapy, is an alternative with potentially fewer risks or side effects.
Bright Light

There's something to be said for feeling gloomy on dark, dreary days. According to the Mayo Clinic, there's a link between a lack of exposure to bright light and depression. This link has led to the development of light therapy. It involves sitting in front of a bright, artificial light, which is intended to mimic the sun. The therapy is believed to change your circadian rhythms while at the same time suppress the body's natural release of melatonin, a hormone naturally produced in your body. If you suffer from major depressive disorder, you may want to consider light therapy. This alternative may be right for you if you don't want to take drugs, can't tolerate their side effects, have not had success with medications, are pregnant or nursing or don't have access to or cannot afford mental health care. According to the Mayo Clinic, side effects from light therapy are not common but can include eye strain, headache, agitation, nausea, vomiting, irritability, fatigue, dry mouth, sleep problems or mania. In most cases, these side effects will go away, especially if you reduce the amount of time in front of the light box or if you take breaks during long sessions.

Getting Results

To optimize your light therapy, consult with a doctor for guidance. The first sessions will be short---15 minutes---and then you can work up to sessions ranging from a half hour to two hours each day, depending on the intensity of your light box. According to the Mayo Clinic, most people see the greatest benefits from early morning therapy. If you do it at night, it can disrupt your sleep. You can't reap the same benefits from sitting in front of a normal household lamp. A light therapy box puts out a higher intensity of more focused light that's recorded in lux, a measurement of the amount of light received at certain distances from the box. Many boxes deliver 10,000 lux. To give you some perspective, a standard living room light delivers less than 400 lux. The intensity of a light box determines how long you use it and how far you should sit from it. A typical 10,000 lux box usually calls for 30-minute therapy sessions. You'll get the most out of light therapy by being consistent when and how it's used. Newer versions use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) rather than old-style incandescent or fluorescent lights. The Mayo Clinic advises that LED light boxes may be more effective. Light therapy won't cure major depressive disorder, but you might feel an improvement in your symptoms within a few days or up to several weeks.