Seasonal depression: Why Workplaces Should Implement SAD Lamps

Nerd blog

Dec 24

The evidence shows that seasonal depression is very common, especially now that most of our workplaces have artificial lighting.

There is an immediate, and long-term productivity boost from implementing SAD lamps in the workplace.

We don’t often talk about seasonal and holiday depression. But doctors, police officers, and mental health professionals all know its way more common than most people know.

There is a lot of evidence for seasonal variation in mood and productivity both at extreme latitude and near the equator.

About seasonal depression

Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is low mood that shows predictable seasonal variation. It often intersects with major depressive disorder.

This condition can be highly genetic. But latitude seems to interact with genetic susceptibility to produce annual low-mood. For instance, people from Iceland are less likely to experience seasonal depression even if they are living in Canada, and Alaskan Inuit can experience summertime depression in conditions of high light.

There is some interesting research showing that the month of birth can correlate to suicide rates and the onset of other mental illnesses so we really have a lot of work to do when it comes to understanding light, season, and the human brain.

SAD lamps and workplace productivity

Humans are more productive in natural light. Scandinavian countries have experimented with light therapy for many years although the science is still in its infancy.

We could be seeing an iceberg model in the workplace, some people feel bad enough in the winter to take time off for depression, others keep working but slow down and feel miserable, while more are subconsciously affected. There is evidence that light therapy may be comparable to antidepressants to treat depression in extreme latitudes.

Light might also affect attention. There is evidence that ADHD shares genetic comorbidity with SAD, and SAD lamps can alleviate ADHD symptoms.

Not all SAD lamps are created equal

There are lots of different types of SAD lamps, with different health claims. I’m not going to get into the full nerd-monologue about spectrums of light, and which is best. As far as I’m concerned there is a lot of debate and most of the devices do not have enough medical evidence to make a clear health claim or differentiate between them.

I’m going to do something unscientific and say, try it out and see what makes you feel good. If you sit in real sunlight, it makes you feel good right away. If you sit in front of a SAD lamp, you should probably feel good right away.

I use this SAD lamp used by the Canadian Mounties for Northern assignments because it made me feel good right away and it completely changed my mood in a week when I lived in far northern British Columbia. Most people who wander by my desk and sit under the lamp also feel good right away. But a few of them say they prefer the blue-spectrum lights.

Conclusion on the workplace and SAD lamps

I think until the science on SAD lamps gets really obvious you should just pay more attention to how light makes you feel, and put lighting in your workplace that makes you feel good. Many health plans cover SAD lights as “medically necessary” if your doctor writes you a note.

But if companies were really smart they would make SAD lamps as available as ergonomic chairs because they boost productivity.

#depression #preventivemedicine #SAD #lighttherapy #todreamalife