Winter is a word that can send a shiver down anyone. Our earth rotates around the sun every year. At the same time, the planet tilts on its axis, and it has a dramatic effect on the weather. These rotations are responsible for the changing seasons. Winter is one of the four seasons of the temperate zones. It is a popularly held belief that winter is caused as the earth moves away from the sun. In actual fact, winters occur when the sun is at its closest point in the case of northern hemisphere. In winters, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and thus experiences coldest temperatures. 

In Finland it starts from September and continues for nearly eight months. Here winter is the longest season and brings very low temperatures. Nighttime and darkness predominate here in the winter season, which has the highest rate of precipitation. Prolonged dampness is also common here due to the permanent snow cover in this area.

Winter Blues is the term given to depression because of the extreme winters. Winter brings low spirits as the days gets shorter and shorter. Daylight starts to diminish in the early hours. Millions of people suffer from Winter Blues. This is actually a bummed-out feeling engendered by unrealistic expectations, unpleasant memories, separation from the family and confinement from the cold weather.

Winter brings many changes in mood and human behavior, feelings of exhaustion, and many people suffer from depression because of the lack of sunlight. This depression can last for several days or throughout the whole winter season. This is also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). A new survey by University of Massachusetts researchers of 600 members of a large HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) found a "clear seasonal effect" on mood. Depression was highest in winter and lowest in summer, while autumn and spring fell in between. A similar study by Saarijarvi S, Lauerma H, Helenius H, Saarilehto S. (1999), Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland, investigated the prevalence of SAD disorder and they found that out of the  overall SAD cases the most common type was the winter SAD.

Partonen Lonnqvist J, of the Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki carried out a study and concluded that 17.5% of patients met the criteria for mood disorder with a seasonal (winter) pattern.

Winters bring colors of sadness, empty and cold homes and the feeling of loneliness with depression.  The symptoms of winter blues are restlessness, irritability, eating more than normal, feeling cooped up, lethargic, sadness, fatigue, more sleep, mood swings, and trouble in concentrating, grumpiness and loss of interest in sex. Most of the sufferers of winter blues are women, and they start experiencing symptoms in their early twenties and thirties. This disorder may also run in families. Studies have found that people suffering from winter blues can not function properly and need psychological and medical help. At the National Institute of Mental Health, scientists recently discovered a gene that may make people prone to the condition by affecting their response to light. It is known that light plays an important role in our health and the amount of time exposed to it also affects our performance.

Are there any solutions? Any remedy to prevent winter blues or at least help in reducing its effects? Studies have found those suffering from the winter blues can get relief from light therapy. In medical terms, as the sun rises in the morning, the light that makes its way through our eyelids is recognized by the pineal in our brain. This gland secretes a chemical called serotonin and reduces the production of a chemical called melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that our body produces to help us sleep, while serotonin regulates our mood and energy. Serotonin and melatonin work together in managing important aspects of our physiology. Immunity, pain, digestion, sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, blood pressure, blood clotting, and daily body rhythms are all affected by serotonin and melatonin. The shortage of light in the winter affects our hormonal balance causing wintertime blues. That is why it is important to expose ourselves to a good amount of bright light.

There is a large body of scientific evidence that light therapy is the best option for the treatment of winter blues. Although exercise, antidepressants, and psychotherapy may ease SAD, light boxes and other light-emitting devices often get results as well.  Dr. Clifford Taylor of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has found that many of his patients can lower the dose of antidepressants drugs by using light therapy. In addition this therapy is very safe without any side affects. Norman Rosenthal at the National Institute of Mental Health, a pioneer in SAD research believes that "it is beneficial to start light therapy as soon as the first symptoms of winter depression occur". Several other studies have also proved the positive effects of light therapy [Nagayama H, Sasaki M, Ichii S et al. (1991), Krauchi K, Wirz-Justice A and Graw P. (1993) Nagayama H, Sasaki M, Ichii S et al. (1991), Krauchi K, Wirz-Justice A and Graw P. (1993)].

There are several different forms of light therapy in use today; the oldest is sunlight itself. Light therapy involves the use of equipment that sheds either full spectrum or bright white light such as full spectrum light bulbs, broad spectrum light boxes, and candles.

Full spectrum light bulbs are designed to imitate natural sunlight; they also produce UV rays. Broad-spectrum light boxes are often described as being as close to full spectrum as one can get without the UV rays. Broad-spectrum light bulbs are described as being a pure white light. Most light box companies use a broad-spectrum light bulb so that there is no danger of UV rays. One high quality bright light therapy lamp has been designed and tested in Finland, one of the world’s leading countries in bright light research. It is believed that bright light therapy is an effective form of treatment for the symptoms of SAD.

Another is treatment with a light box, which is very quick and with out any pain. One has to use this only for half an hour after waking up in the morning. Light therapy can easily be the part of our schedule in our home or office routines. We can use the light boxes while checking e-mails, reading the news papers, preparing breakfast or making phone calls. Symptoms of winter blues can improve within 2-5 days after starting daily use of the light box and it can be used with little or no side effects.

Candles can also be used as an important source for light therapy. Candles are used to unite the powers of mind, body, and spirit. From ancient times to the present, Candles have lit our way through every transition. The candle's flame has always been a metaphor for the soul!  It possesses a tranquil and almost hypnotic atmosphere to those who allow its power to take them to a very special place. We can light candles around the house for a more comforting ambiance. To uplift our spirits we should think about decorating our home with the warm colors of red, orange, and yellow candles. These colors evoke the images of fire and heat, enhancing feelings of warmth and happiness. Reddish colors help overcome depression, encourage activity and escalate body metabolism. Orange colors bring joy and possess healing properties in times of grief

For most of us, winter is hard to escape from and the best thing we can do is to take care of ourselves mentally and physically, expose ourselves to a good amount of bright light, keep moving, eat healthily and uplift our spirits, because spring and summer will eventually come back.