Don't reach for the medicine cabinet. Go out and get some sunshine. Research suggests that in the case of seasonal depression, light therapy may be more effective than drug therapy. Interestingly, the best therapy for SAD victims may not be drugs, but something as simple as natural light. Light therapy involves the use of light that mimics the intensity of natural, outdoor light.
Natural light reduces the symptoms of depression associated with the dark winter months.
According to Lamberg, light therapy was developed by the National Institute of Mental Health in the early 1980's. Some experts now believe that light therapy is as effective as traditional drug therapy in the case of seasonal depression. In one study, subjects suffering from SAD were treated with 90 minutes of light therapy each day over a four week period. Lamberg's article outlines a variety of disorders in which light therapy appears to produce positive results. These disorders include sleep disorders, certain types of bulimia nervosa, premenstrual depression, shift work, and jet lag.