Light therapy helps with autumn-Winter Depression

Many people suffer in the dark Season of the year, temporarily depressed mood and lack of motivation. A light therapy might provide a remedy: An analysis of 21 studies has shown that it works better against the autumn-Winter depression than a Placebo. Antidepressants or cognitive is not superior to light therapy, however.

The Institute for quality and efficiency in health care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the inquiry, with the question of whether a bright light therapy or the ingestion of Vitamin D for the treatment of winter depression. For 21 studies with a total of 1,441 adults were evaluated. It is shown that light therapy with the light section of the lamp better than a Placebo – at least in the short term, because the trial ended after two to eight weeks. A long-term effect, there are no statements could, therefore, meet.

Compared to antidepressants or behavioural therapy, light therapy did better. The use of antidepressants but moved more side effects than light therapy.

No statement üabout Vitamin D möpossible

On the effectiveness of Vitamin D for the treatment of autumn-Winter depression, the scientists could find no appropriate study, this question remained open.

In Austria and Switzerland, about 2.5 percent of the population suffering each year, under a fall-Winter-Depression that occurs in the Northern countries more often than in the South. For Germany, no representative data are available. Since the Vitamin-D-synthetic radiation is in the skin in the Winter due to the lack of sunlight is low, could be a Vitamin D deficiency is the cause. The symptoms include listlessness, depressed mood, lack of pleasure, cravings for carbohydrates, weight gain, and increased need for sleep.

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