
- Exposure to sunlight. Spending time outside or near a window can help relieve symptoms.
- Light therapy. If increasing sunlight is not possible, exposure to a special light for a specific amount of time each day may help.
- Psychotherapy. ...
- Antidepressants.
How many Lux do I need to treat SAD?
To treat SAD you need a light source of at least 2500 lux (about ten times that of ordinary light bulbs). What does light treatment involve? Special light boxes are made for the purpose of treating SAD.
How do you get over being sad?
Try the following:
- Talk about it. In the midst of his turmoil, Job said: “I will speak in the bitterness of my soul!”— Job 10:1. ...
- Write about it. When sadness clouds your outlook on life, you might want to try putting your thoughts on paper. ...
- Pray about it. ...
How do you respond to a sad person?
Part 1 Part 1 of 3: Knowing What to Say
- Open the conversation. Let the person know that you see that they are upset and that you are available to listen.
- Tell it like it is. That is, you may be tempted to dance around the issue if you already know what's wrong.
- Ask how they're feeling. ...
- Keep the attention on them. ...
- Don't try to turn the conversation instantly positive. ...
How do you manage the sad?
- Allow yourself to be sad. ...
- Write in a journal, listen to music, spend time with friends or family, and/or draw to express the emotion sadness.
- Think about the context of the sad feelings. ...
- Sadness can result from a change that you didn't expect, or it can signal that you might need to make changes in your life. ...
- Know when sadness turns into depression. ...

What is the most common treatment for SAD?
Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Don't brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the "winter blues" or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own.
What are the 4 major treatments for SAD?
How is SAD treated?Light therapy.Psychotherapy.Antidepressant medications.Vitamin D.
How can I stop sadness naturally?
Natural Remedies for Seasonal Affective DisorderLight therapy. Light therapy is a common natural remedy used to treat seasonal affective disorder and is characterized by the use of a light box to replace the lack of sunlight in fall/winter months. ... Exercise. ... Vitamin D. ... Diet. ... Self-help.
Which hormone is responsible for SAD?
In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect: the production of the hormone melatonin.
What causes SAD disorder?
There is no clear cause of SAD. Less sunlight and shorter days are thought to be linked to a chemical change in the brain and may be part of the cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, also may be linked to SAD.
What vitamins should I take for SAD?
Vitamin D This is why light therapy is an important treatment for SAD. Your body can also absorb vitamin D through food. Food sources of vitamin D include milk, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fish that have bones. You can also get vitamin D in supplement form.
Is SAD curable?
Dr. Rohan: SAD can be effectively treated but the status of the research in the field is unfortunately not at the point where we can say we have a “cure” for SAD. The good news is that research in the field shows effective treatments are available, including light therapy, medications and CBT.
Who is at risk of developing SAD?
SAD is more common in people who live either far north or far south of the equator. Young people are more likely to develop SAD. The risk decreases with age. A family history of SAD or other forms of depression increases risk.
What is the best treatment for SAD?
This includes using talking treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or medicine such as antidepressants. Light therapy is also a popular treatment for SAD, although NICE says it's not clear whether it's effective. See NICE guidance about the treatment and management of depression in adults.
How to help someone with SAD?
Light therapy . Some people with SAD find that light therapy can help improve their mood considerably. This involves sitting by a special lamp called a light box, usually for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning. Light boxes come in a variety of designs, including desk lamps and wall-mounted fixtures.
What is the best treatment for seasonal affective disorder?
A number of treatments are available for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), including cognitive behavioural therapy, antidepressants and light therapy . A GP will recommend the most suitable treatment option for you, based on the nature and severity of your symptoms. This may involve using a combination of treatments to get the best results.
What is psychodynamic therapy?
The aim of the sessions is to find out whether anything in your past is affecting how you feel today. It's not clear exactly how effective these 2 therapies are in treating depression.
How to deal with depression?
take plenty of regular exercise, particularly outdoors and in daylight – read more about exercise for depression. eat a healthy, balanced diet. if possible, avoid stressful situations and take steps to manage stress.
How to help with a swollen ear?
There are a number of simple things you can try that may help improve your symptoms, including: try to get as much natural sunlight as possible – even a brief lunchtime walk can be beneficial. make your work and home environments as light and airy as possible. sit near windows when you're indoors.
Can light therapy cause headaches?
Side effects of light therapy. It's rare for people using light therapy to have side effects. However, some people may experience: agitation or irritability. headaches or eye strain. sleeping problems (avoiding light therapy during the evening may help prevent this) tiredness.
What is the best treatment for seasonal affective disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that typically occurs each year during fall and winter. Use of a light therapy box can offer relief. But for some people, light therapy may be more effective when combined with another SAD treatment, such as an antidepressant or psychological counseling (psychotherapy). ...
Can light therapy help with depression?
If not, it may not help your depression. Some light therapy lamps are designed for skin disorders — not for SAD. Lamps used for skin disorders primarily emit ultraviolet (UV) light and could damage your eyes if used incorrectly. Light boxes used to treat SAD should filter out most or all UV light.
How to get rid of sad symptoms?
Keeping a regular schedule improves sleep by exposing you to light consistently and at predictable times. And that can help alleviate SAD symptoms. Eating regularly can also help you eat healthfully and avoid the weight gain that many people with SAD experience in winter. Add aromatherapy to your life.
How to beat sad?
Beat SAD by eating mood-boosting foods like leafy greens (such as spinach), nuts, seeds, berries, whole grains and salmon. Read more Tips for Taking Care of Your Health in Winter.
How to get rid of depression in the house?
Put some drops of essential oils in your nightly bath to promote sleep and relaxation. A study in the Journal of Natural Medicines found that essential oils from the poplar tree were found to help depression. Socialize. Stop making excuses for not leaving the house.
How to make your days brighter?
Light therapy tricks your body into thinking the days are brighter and longer than they really are. Try sitting under a special bright lamp for a certain amount of time each day. Speak to your health care professional to see if this treatment is right for you. Eat right.
Can you get depressed and sad?
Some people, however, get really depressed and SAD—as in seasonal affective disorder. SAD is a type of depression that occurs at certain times of year, usually in the winter. Symptoms resemble other types of depression—hopelessness, less energy, irritability, sluggishness and loss of interest in what once made you happy.
Can you be sad when summer ends?
Find out how you can treat SAD. Many people feel a little disappointed and sad when summer ends. There's a long winter ahead, shorter days and often a less laidback lifestyle with the return to school and crazy schedules. Some people, however, get really depressed and SAD—as in seasonal affective disorder.
What is SAD and what are the symptoms?
SAD stands for seasonal affective disorder. It is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons and most prevalent during the fall and winter months.
How to treat SAD
Make sure you talk to your doctor to see what treatment method is best for you:
Winter Blues
Not everyone gets SAD, but you may still feel a little down when the clocks change and the days get shorter.
When to get help
If self-treatments aren’t helping, and you are feeling sad, crying, not eating, or have a general feeling of hopelessness, call your primary care physician who can see you or recommend a mental-health professional.
How to combat sad?
One way to combat SAD is through light therapy. If you don’t have the best insurance than it can be quite costly to do professionally. Luckily, there are light boxes that you can get which is sort of like the home version. You can also get special light bulbs that are made to help people with SAD.
What are the symptoms of sad?
The most common symptoms are having trouble sleeping and or eating; suicidal thoughts; loss of interests; low energy; feeling hopeless, helplessness, sluggish, worthless, and or guilty; feelings for depression just about all day almost every day.
What foods help you to balance your mood?
Some of those foods are cereals, grapes, oranges, pears, apricots, bouillon, apples, basmati rice, plums, and grapefruits.
How to get out of depression?
Since SAD happens largely because of lack of sunlight, it is best to get back out into it. So whether you get out and shovel the driveway, talk three ten minutes walk or one half hour walk, play outside for a while, whatever, just get some sun.
What to do when you don't like talking to a therapist?
You can use it as a way to work out your thoughts and feelings or use it as a verbal kind of rant.
Does vitamin B help with depression?
The variations of vitamin B (make sure to include B6 and folic acid) can help you to combat depression. If you are already on an antidepressant, you might want to ask your doctor before take vitamin B supplements because they can make the pre-existing prescription stronger.
Does aromatherapy help with SAD?
Aromatherapy is amazing for a number of things and can help you with most of the symptoms that come with SAD. It can help with anxiety, not being able to sleep or even sleeping too much, and the depression itself. It is even pretty easy to use.

Diagnosis
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Open up/share the event causing sadness to a close friend
- Go for fun events such as road trips so as to boost your mood
- Drink plenty of water
- Take a balanced diet
- Avoid the aggravating factors
- Exercise regularly to boost mood
- Get adequate sleep
- It interferes with your daily activities
- It impairs your thinking
- The sadness is increasing and you cannot explain it
Alternative Medicine
Coping and Support
- Even with a thorough evaluation, it can sometimes be difficult for your health care provider or mental health professional to diagnose seasonal affective disorder because other types of depression or other mental health conditions can cause similar symptoms. To help diagnose SA…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- In addition to your treatment plan for seasonal affective disorder: 1. Make your environment sunnier and brighter.Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight or add skylights to your home. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office. 2. Get outside.Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy …