Fatigue from Seasonal Affective Disorder

Hi, @ladybugmg --sounds very insightful on your part that you are putting all this together about your having potential seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Glad to hear the daylight spectrum lamp is helping some. I'm tagging a few members who have mentioned SAD before to see if they've experienced fatigue from this that requires a nap recovery, like @gman007, @artscaping @parus @hopeful33250 and @2011panc. Wondering, if they have had this, what they suggest might help.

@ladybugmg, are you finding anything else -- like a walk in the sunshine, perhaps -- helps you at all?

I try to spend 15-30 minutes during sunny days sitting outside in the sun. I read that the best light is in the early morning soon after sunrise but the mornings are still too cold to be outside.

@ladybugmg, I understand as I seem to have Daily Affective Disorder. Any gloomy, rainy day affects me, and I don't run out and do lots of things when it is not rainy and gloomy, so I don't really know why it makes that much of a difference.

I knew someone with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) who used a "light box" that solved it. Here's info. I've heard good things about light boxes, Here's info from Mayo Clinic.

Thank you for the reply. I cannot use a light box because I have a "glaucoma suspect" eye condition. I have had the glaucoma suspect condition for the last 20 years (discovered when the insurance company did not recognize my optomologist and the new one diagnosed it and lucky for me started treating it immediately)

I have a flourescent table lamp on my desk and that seems to help when the fatigue is not so severe. I am a librarian by education (MLS) and have good research skills so I am going to put them to work (on the internet) as I am interested in natural methods of dealing with SAD. I don't want to take drugs as other than the fatigue (and some light depression which goes away when I feel stronger) I am mentally and physically healthy.

I am sympathetic because any gloomy, rainy day also effects me as I become lethargic and that frustrates me as I am normally an active, curious person who finds many interesing things to keep me entertained. I am going to do some experimenting, using some type of mental imaging of pleasant events to see if that helps.

Good News! Of course, you need to check first with your Doctor before using a light box if you decide to, and, according to the American Association of Ophthalmologists, light box therapy is totally safe with glaucoma! Look at this:

No damage, says the Association of Opthalmoloists so you do have a choice to fix the SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Good luck. Here's a short excerpt from the above link to save you time.

Answer:
In a study done over 20 years ago, light therapy for SAD was shown to be safe and effective. Fifty patients with SAD were studied and in 75 percent of patients it was effective. Their eyes and vision were carefully studied and no damage occurred to any patients.

Thanks for the information. I will check with the opthomologist when I see him for a followup visit.

Thank you.