I'm writing this in Scotland at the start of November as a heavy storm is moving in: it's dark, it's gloomy, it's horrible and I'm feeling SAD. Not sad; SAD, as in Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a form of depression – the UK NHS says it's sometimes called winter depression – that comes rolling in like a fog in the darker days of winter, and in northerly places such as Scotland it's recommended that everybody takes vitamin D supplements to help ward it off. But another potentially helpful treatment is a SAD lamp.
SAD lamps are designed specifically to address the lack of sunlight we endure in the darker months and days. They deliver a very pure, very bright light, and that's believed to have an effect on your mood. Friends, family members and I have had several over the years and I think they do work: in particular, I've found that a decent blast in the morning is an effective way of helping to beat the winter blues. If you don't already have one, this is a good time of year to buy: you often find SAD lamps among the best Black Friday deals.
