The state of short-term depressive states is familiar to every person. It is worth noting that the term "depression" is used in medicine not only to characterize a temporary deterioration in mood and loss of strength, but also in compiling a clinical picture of a serious illness of the nervous system. A wide variety of methods are used in the treatment of depressive disorders. One of the ways to get rid of the symptoms of this disease is light therapy.
The main principle of the light therapy effect on the body is the use of special lamps that simulate the sun's rays. When it hits the retina of the human eye, light has a beneficial effect on biological rhythms, which leads to a decrease in the symptoms of depression or a complete recovery from this disease.
The specifics of treating depression with light therapy:
- the patient can freely move around the room equipped with special lighting equipment, while it is absolutely not necessary to be in a vertical or horizontal position;
- the patient should have a minimum amount of clothing so that as many areas of the body as possible are exposed to light;
- the walls and ceiling in the room used for light therapy treatment should be painted predominantly in white or light green;
- light therapy is contraindicated in patients with eye diseases and oncological abnormalities.
The greatest effectiveness of light therapy is distinguished in the treatment of seasonal depressions arising from a lack of daylight and manifested mainly in the autumn and winter periods. Artificial rays, acting on the human body, normalize vegetative functions, which directly affects the mental state and leads to the elimination of depression.
Signs of seasonal depression:
- a tendency to overeat;
- increased fatigue;
- drowsiness;
- difficulty concentrating;
- a sharp decrease in working capacity;
- depressed mood;
- loss of sex drive.
Scientists have proven that people living in different parts of the planet are prone to depressive states to varying degrees due to the significant difference in the length of daylight hours. Light therapy is an artificial method of increasing the amount of daylight that a person receives per day. In the implementation of this technique, fluorescent and dichroic lamps are used, as well as special laser devices.
